ROSE RAMBLER 14.8.2014

Glorious yellow wattle blossom is a sure sign that winter is fast waning to make way for spring – the birds are also a tell-tale sign that spring is definitely in the air.  We’re anxiously waiting for kookaburra chicks to make an appearance from the hollow in a gum-tree opposite the nursery – the parents make a sensational racket – I’m quite sure they’re laughing at us working away potting roses in all kinds of wintery weather but we don’t mind, the nursery is looking beautifully organised!

THERE’S STILL TIME TO ORDER
WINTER ROSES!

A beautiful root system will have formed in the pot so I carefully pack those roots with the coir-fibre potting mix intact, wrap in damp newspaper and seal off in a plastic bag.  The roses transit exceptionally well and all you need to do is remove the bag and newspaper, then plant directly in your soil, pour over seaweed solution and the roses will continue to flourish.

Every rose is now very heavily pruned (professionally, I might add) so there is little work for you to do when you order roses now.

The GIFT ROSES are posted in the pot then gift wrapped with your message transcribed into a beautiful card.  Here’s how they are packaged …

these pics were taken at the end of last season, however, even without flowers, the rose bushes look impressive with colour-coordinated gift wrapping/ribbon and pictorial tag.  When flowering, the rose will be an enduring memory in the recipient’s garden of your love and thoughtfulness – take a look at the GIFT ROSES at www.rosesalesonline.com.au and let us make your gifting extra special.

GRA’S GARBLE …

I’ve been head-down-bum-up pruning and really enjoying the experience – one job, at a local cemetery where I wasn’t asked to prune the roses last year, the job took more than twice the time I originally needed because I had to prune out a lot of ‘old wood’ which wasn’t done the previous year.

One of the most important tasks in pruning is to remove dead-wood right down to the crown as this makes way for new, healthy water-shoots to develop and these are so easy to prune.

Come along and we’ll do some fruit-tree pruning as well as talk about all the tasks necessary NOW to ensure you enjoy the rewards of a robust, healthy garden this coming spring.

CALL 5787 1123 to book and bring along a joke like this one so that we can have a laugh together!

Q.  Where do sheep go to get their hair cut?  A.  To the baa baa shop!

While you’re out doing your pruning, be sure to check all the ties which hold the standards, weepers and climbers attached.  Release the ties and re-tie; you might need new tie material.

We recommend the Velcro ‘one-wrap’ because it does give a measure of expansion as the stems grow.

NEVER USE ELECTRIC CABLE TIES ON ROSES – they do not expand and take a long time to break down which means they will definitely ring-bark rose stems to which they are attached!
Oh, one more to inspire you to come and share a pruning experience along with some jokes this coming weekend …

Q.  What did the driver say when a bug splattered on his windscreen?
A.  You’ve gotta have guts to do that … enjoy your garden … Gra

ROSE OF THE WEEK …

Such a gutsy performer, robust, healthy, very, very free-flowering and so, so fragrant HEAVEN SCENT will be delightful as a gift or to simply plant amongst other roses.  The gorgeous split petals on the huge blooms make a stunning, long-lasting display in a vase … this is one of our MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ROSES … ticks all the boxes!

Have a beaut week in your rose garden, maybe pruning, maybe planting new roses – very highly likely weeding!!!  Whatever you’re up to in the garden, believe it’s all to your benefit … let the cold winter wind blow you free of all the flu and colds which are prevalent now … see you soon at Clonbinane