Roses Grown In Concrete.

In the Dahlia beds of the Memorial gardens there are four roses that are supposed to climb over Metal obelisks and for some reason that have never done very well so we’ve decided to replace them with some new one. I got the replacements before Christmas but have yet to plants them as I wanted to do it when I changed the soil in the greenhouse border because when you plant new roses where old ones have been you need to renew the soil as well so as I needed to change the soil in the greenhouse border as well it would be a good chance to sort both jobs out at the same time. So today the time had come to do this and I was surprised when I started to dig out the old roses to find them sitting on top of six inches of concrete.

Before removal.

This isn't right surely!

Whoever put in the obelisks had concreted them in to the ground and then planted the roses on top of the concrete. I don’t pretend to be a rose expert but to my mind this doesn’t seem right – I don’t know what you all think. If you look close at the pictures you can see the roots of the roses all curled up like that would love to go deeper but can’t get. Anyway unless someone tells me that is how they’re supposed to grow then I’m going to be knocking hell out of that concrete before returning the obelisks and planting the new roses.

I guess another alternative would be to plant the roses to the side and train them in to the middle as they grow, I think I’m going to try and bash the concrete off though.

Burning Up.

MY WORK BOOK

See to the sheep
Field
Misc
Thu 29/10/2009 08:30
Thu 29/10/2009 08:50
20 minutes
1) Checked and counted the sheep.
2) Put out some minerals.

See to the greenhouses
Glasshouses
Thu 29/10/2009 08:50
Thu 29/10/2009 09:30
40 minutes
1) Did some watering.

Had a walk round the grounds
Misc
Thu 29/10/2009 09:30
Thu 29/10/2009 10:00
30 minutes
Had a walk round to see if anything was hurting.

Took potatoes to Pumpend
Pumpend
Hall & Pumpend
Thu 29/10/2009 10:00
Thu 29/10/2009 10:20
20 minutes
Pumpend being where the former lady and gentleman to the big house live.

Break for tea
Home
Misc
Thu 29/10/2009 10:20
Thu 29/10/2009 10:40
20 minutes

Burn rubbish.
Burn pile
Misc
Thu 29/10/2009 10:40
Thu 29/10/2009 11:40
1 hour

Started a bonefire
Veg garden
Walled Garden
Thu 29/10/2009 11:40
Thu 29/10/2009 12:40
1 hour
Have acquired quite a few pruning’s so burning them on one of the veg plots so as to add potash to the soil, (for next year). (Note 1)

Break for lunch
Home
Misc
Thu 29/10/2009 12:45
Thu 29/10/2009 13:30
45 minutes

Burning rubbish
Veg Garden
Walled Garden
Thu 29/10/2009 13:30
Thu 29/10/2009 14:25
55 minutes
Cleared away all the rose pruning’s and other rubbish. (Note 2).

Pruning
Middle Shrub Border
Walled Garden
Thu 29/10/2009 14:25
Thu 29/10/2009 15:20
55 minutes
Reduced the Buddleia’s to stop them rocking around in the winds, I will prune them back properly in February.

Pruning
East Shrub Border
Walled Garden
Thu 29/10/2009 15:20
Thu 29/10/2009 16:00
40 minutes
Made a start on trimming the Laurels

Clean and put away the tools
Potting Shed
Indoors
Thu 29/10/2009 16:00
Thu 29/10/2009 16:10
10 minutes

See to the bins
Hall
Hall & Pumpend
Thu 29/10/2009 16:10
Thu 29/10/2009 16:20
10 minutes
Put out two recycle tubbies.

NOTES
1) I’ve spent a lot of time this week pruning the climbing roses. This is one of the jobs to be done now that will add to the show next summer. You can of course not bother and you would still get some flowers but gradually the plant would become old and not put on a good show. Pruning out some of the old wood encourages new growth which in turn makes for a younger plant and a better show.
2) I don’t really like bonefires – horrible smelly things but I figure if I have to have one then I might as well have it where it will do some good.

COMMENTS FROM THE POTTING SHED
Jim There is an operator on each of the engines to work the winch and also they have to keep moving the engines forward. I have footage of the horses working too, I will try and put it on sometime for you.

Sara I will let you off, I know it isn't easy to get enthused about gardening in winter, especially the sort of winter you have there.

Kimmie I guess the same applies to you to, by the way I thought you and the kids might have been able to tell me that the little stream engine at the show is being used for!

The Weaver of Grass I know I'm being very confusing doing two blogs. I like the work book format but I also know that a lot of people like the way I present this blog but I don't have time to do both so I will be just writing in this one and not the other.

Anonymous For sure Sheigra is a magical place as are many of the places in that part of the country - I wonder if you too the trip to Sandwood Bay too? Thanks for your comment anyway.

Flower Garden (Roses).

In the flower garden at the moment there is little that competes with the roses as far as flowers and scent goes.


Of course this means there is going to be plenty of dead heading going on around here pretty soon.

Week 22 In The Flower Garden - Roses.

In the flower gardens at the moment the roses are just coming in to bloom proper, especially the ones growing up the walls, the ones in the beds and borders being slightly later to bloom.

These roses all have a strong scent to them so working the borders on a warm sunny day is a pleasure.

The flower on this particular rose is almost as big as a dinner plate. Unfortunately I don't know any of their names.

Consevatory (Week 20).

The first thing I’m quite pleased about, although I would have hoped for more. On the back wall we have an Apricot tree that I planted three years ago and this year its produced its first fruits which is great, unfortunately there are only three! Hopefully none will drop off.

Also I have a couple of roses growing in pots, below is a picture of the first to flower.

Now if we go out to the old part of the conservatory that we use for a cutting border we will find the Delphiniums just coming in to flower.