The GW special, yesterday, featured a section weaving roses as art forms. Has anyone here tried it? I have had a very basic go at creating a pillar by wrapping canes around a structure. It didn't work very well. I have tried loops in the sky, but the canes rubbed against each other too much and caused wounding. They were also too high to easily deadhead.
The work they show - created by a dedicated rose pruner - is amazing. She ties every intersection to create a firm structure. I have a Rosa City of York (as was given as an example). Seeing their results, I am glad to have it. Though mine is about three inches high and not doing well. It's not a rambler, as they stated.
They showed City of York in full blow and it looks amazing. The careful "sculpture" structure is for show (as art) in winter. It reminds me of willow weaving. It don't think you would see much of the woven shape during the blooming season. Jenny Barnes (Niff) had puned in this manor at Asthall Manor before Cottesbrooke.
I like the idea - the work does not put me off, but I think I would start with MAC, no thorns and bendy! But I'd also be interested to try on my new Ghislaine de Féligonde.
I think it would be a great deal of work over the years. I wouldn't use plastic ties as they can cut into the bark when pulled tight. If using jute twine or similar, it can rot within a year and you could have to retie everything again. I would say that the key is to not have the canes move against each other at all in the wind, else they get wounded.
My impression is that the technique is good to provide winter interest, more than to offer more flowers in the summer.
Climbing rose structure needed atleast 3 roses (that I could count).. but given the space constraints we have in our gardens, I would very much like different varieties than 3 of the same ones.. plus practical problems such as what @Fire pointed out.. It is hard to imagine that the rose canes does not rub against each other at all.. perhaps some damage is inevitable but roses get on with it??
The flowers right at the base of the wall was really impressive.. so may be it does improve the visual effect even in bloom..
I like the idea - the work does not put me off, but I think I would start with MAC, no thorns and bendy! But I'd also be interested to try on my new Ghislaine de Féligonde.
Thoughts?
I'm impatient to try this on my own Madame Alfred Carriére next season!
It is hard to imagine that the rose canes does not rub against each other at all.. perhaps some damage is inevitable but roses get on with it??
Having experimented a bit with loop training (in mid air) I would say the whole thing be infinitely easier lower to the ground (up to 6 ft, maybe) or right against a wall, and way out of the wind. I kind of thought, a few years ago, that I would treat the trained canes of climbers along a kind of hedge principle - that they might hold each other in place in my very sheltered garden. But not at all. Everything moved a little in the wind and so much got wounded. I think for the Niff technique to work, the tying in is key.
(re above posts) Looking at Niff's work in her previous role, where she started working with rose sculpture, it seems she does it very differently now.
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All the cool garden people (designers, head gardeners, writers etc) are on Instagram. I am not. And won't get tempted. But there are moments when it's hard to resist, as that is where pretty much everyone updating regularly on their projects (Dixter, Perch Hill, East Ruston etc). Grrr
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The flowers right at the base of the wall was really impressive.. so may be it does improve the visual effect even in bloom..