Wollerton Hall vs. Snow Goose
Having lived in my cute cottage for 3 years, I have lost patience with the sickly pink rose over the door. Despite weekly applications of Rose clear and regular fertiliser it has remained weak feeble and blackspot / mildew / greenfly / whitefly ridden.
I would therefore be the only house in a terrace of 4 without a rose over the door (redbrick with turquoise / duck egg) door. I have a vigorous pyracanthas finishing about a foot away from the door which has been there for at least 100 years coming from the right. I would like to plant something on the left hand side of the front door that can reach and scramble through.
The house is S facing and very protected on alluvial soil and there is a weigyla next to where the rose would be planted.
David Austin Wollerton Hall and Snow Goose both seem to fit the bill. Thoughts?
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I don't grow roses Alex - but plenty of people here do, so my post will bump up your query, if nothing else
Is there any reason why you can't grow something different though - clematis for instance?
Live dangerously and don't follow the herd....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
oooh Alex, my favourite patime is drooling over roses on David Aistin or Classic roses.. sooo much choice! Wollerton old hall looks lovely, cnow goose is a rambler so may well get too big, have a good look round, don't rush, lots of my roses are in bud now so visit a few good gardens and see them for real, if you've decided on white, my mme Alfred Carriere is lovely, also I have a climbing Iceberg that's nice too, both healthy for me
If there's been a rose there before, it's not a good idea to replace it with another, particularly if it was diseased. Unless you can change all the soil. Can you plant it the other side of the door?
I read about someone who olanted a rose in a cardboard box if a rose had been there before, I have planted rose where a rose was and as I understood it as long as you remove enough soil ( was it about 2 cubic feet?) it should be ok, mine was
...you will certainly need to change as much soil as you can, although it's less crucial today with the use of mycorrhizal fungi at the appropriate dose, which you buy in a packet, generously sprinkled into the bottom of the planting hole... I have had good results with this, without fussing too much with the soil business... but it's best to do as much as you feel able...
...as to the roses... I grow WOH, it has a strong scent and grows quickly, but does not bloom too much in its first season, like most Austin's they get better with age... now in its 2nd year it's over 6 foot tall and will be 10 foot by end of the year....mine is north facing though..the colour is a creamy buff, some think a little washed out..
...Snow Goose I have heard is a slow grower and a short rambler, which takes time to get some height into it...
...I might wait until the end of this month when the Chelsea Flower show is on, as Austin will release 3 new roses then, one of which will be a new climber called 'Bathsheba'.. which is a gorgeous apricot/pink rose with a strong scent.... you might prefer that..
At Tony Bucklands flower festival last week end, I am sure he said that if you want to replace a rose with another one in the same place sprinkle the new root with mycorrhizal fungus. That's the new wonder powder to invigorate growing power. (It's new to me anyway) give plenty of food, probably blood, fish and bone and keep well watered in the first season. Check it out.
Thanks for all the tips,- I will keep an eye out for the new varieties (I'm just working out if I can work the new David Austin "Roald Dahl" into the scheme). http://reckless-gardener.co.uk/david-austin-to-name-rose-in-honour-of-roald-dahl/
My street is much photographed by Dahl fans heading up to his grave and I have been told in no uncertain terms that I'm letting the side down! I think clematis might be a bit radical and might not enjoy the baking site.
Does Mme Alfred Carriere have much scent? I have iceberg out the back where it copes v nicely with the north facing but sheltered garden but was trying to get something smelling nice as you stepped in. Trellis is already in situ on the house so it is much easier to plant on the same side (in a box, with every artificial aid I can lay my hands on)
I have Mme Alfred Carrière, it grows pretty tall, probably too tall for a front door. A friend of mine has Snow Goose and loves it. It would be the right size for a front door.
my mme alfred smells lovely, iceberg light fragrance