Cloncaw's Journal

Last Post 490 days 11 hours ago

Roses Planted

19 January 2010 16:42:01

David Austin Roses Planted

Not nearly as nice a day as yesterday but no rain so it was a case of braving the sharp wind and continuing the tidy up, cleared dead stems from the bed that wraps around the house on the east and north east and the mallow on the corner was given a severe chop as it had become very untidy and I now have to decide if it is to be cut back further some of the stems are thicker than a wrist or if it is going to be replaced with something that will provide colour all year round but I'll need a strong man if that is to happen. The beds at least look tidy and I now just have the bed on the NW side of the house and the bed to the east that runs to the arch. There needs to be a major transplant of Lysimachia it's taken over the bed and I think a home near the pond might be the place for it but I need a man for that job too. This afternoon the 4 David Austin roses got planted into the terracotta pots, I lined them with polythene before adding the compost I had 3 bags of Drum Stick alliums so these have been planted as well I know it's late but they were all in good condition so there is nothing to lose. The wind has got up and it's now bitterly cold so gardening finished earlier today and now it's off to teach.

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Jacinta 19 January 2010 19:09:07

Good idea lining the pots with plastic. I nearly lost a big bay tree in a concrete container because I didn't do that. It came back, but VERY slowly. Pots look nice and simple to enhance the roses.

Clara 19 January 2010 20:38:03

Will be lovely when they all bloom. What colours are they ?

fran m 19 January 2010 20:57:40

Well done, will lok great in a few months.

Cloncaw 19 January 2010 21:55:54

Jacinta I read somewhere about lining terracotta pots to help retain moisture in the soil and I have either lined pots or else planted up large pots that trees came in - this means I can change the display in my pots easily. These cost £9:99 stg so they are good value for a 43cm pot. I have 4 of these pots still in use for 15years so hope these new ones last as long.

Clara roses are Eglantyne - soft pink, Wincester Cathedral- white, Brother Cadfael - pink and Benjamin Britten - crimson and Fran I do hope they come on well and flower in mid June with any luck.

Periwinkle 19 January 2010 22:22:56

Should be a lovely show! Will you leave them in the pots or plant them in the borders later?

Johnplotman 19 January 2010 22:54:34

The weather has changed for the worst Cloncaw.It did not hold you up today.Good luck with all the rose planting.

Cloncaw 19 January 2010 23:13:39

Hope the weather passes over quickly as I've just discovered son no 3 James is coming home tomorrow as he's finished his exams in college and is looking for work so I will have manpower now I need the weather to be favourable.

The plan is for them to stay in the pots for at least this year as I can move them around to where I need colour hopefully and if they do well I might leave them long term in the pots.

Rachel 20 January 2010 00:17:01

Cloncaw, what shrubs/perennials are you cutting back that are a wrist thick? Sounds like my Buddleia I let go for one year! Lysimachia can be the divil - I have the red foliage variety 'firecracker' but I am glad of it in spring.

unagrant 20 January 2010 17:42:31

I see the mallow in your photos it look fantastic. How old is it to get to that size?

Cloncaw 20 January 2010 17:58:52

Rachel the shrub is a mallow and it is so thickat the base it will take a saw to cut it back completely might just up root it.

Una the mallow has been given the chop this year it was very untidy and I decided it was time to really cut it back but I actually think it will be replaced, looked fantastic season 2&3 but season 4 too untidy with not as many flowers, in hindsight should have pruned it sooner to try and keep it in hand. Perhaps I'll replace it with another but think I may try to find something evergreen that flowers as it's on the NE corner of the gable so it need to withstand the wind.

janetp 20 January 2010 18:03:58

Cloncaw, I see from your profile you too have horses. Do you use horse manure to enrich your soil? and if you do is it true that manure which has male (horse) urine in it should not be used?

Mairin 23 January 2010 23:38:35

Excellent - you should have an excellent display in summer.

Cloncaw 24 January 2010 00:05:09

Janet I haven't used any horse manure yet on the garden as there is none well enough rotted but I am planning to use the deep litter straw bedding once it is well enough rotted. Never heard of problems as to mares or geldings manure so cann't answer your query.