An update on our repeat flowering roses project
The weeks seem to go by so quickly so this post may be a little overdue but as I write this on a hot and balmy Sunday evening, it is 29 degrees in our nursery in Hampshire. The sun is beating down and according to the weather forecasters, July and August are due to be hotter than average, both in the UK and across much of the European continent.
However, just 3 weeks ago we had rain and cool (below-average) temperatures.
Rosa ‘Climbing Snow Princess’ in full flower.
This sharp change in the weather during June has really sent our roses into overdrive. They have gone from being slow to bloom to full-on flower, flower, flower in just a matter of days. We really are at the mercy of mother nature and our roses are doing exactly what nature intends, just keeping on top of this though is no mean feat!
Even the guys on the neighbouring fish farm have commented on how nice the roses look and their lovely aroma.
We (or should I say Nina) have been spending many an hour pruning, watering, feeding and re-training the roses into their original desired ‘ball’ shape. You may recall that we adopted this unusual method of training the roses, which involved angling the stems to slow the movement of sap, maximising the flowering potential.
We are delighted that this has worked well, and the flowers are abundant!
Our next challenge however is to encourage more growth of the foliage.
Some varieties are performing better than others, but this is just as we had expected. The ‘Snow Princess’ does not yet have the fullness of foliage that we are looking for, but we are confident they will thrive with some time and effort. After all, we all know Roses are high-maintenance plants requiring constant attention to defeat the pests and black spot but we are most certainly up for the challenge!
Providing our clients the best quality plants is always our highest priority, so we want to ensure these roses are at their peak before sending them out. As a result, the majority will require a few more months of our undivided attention yet but what is very exciting is, next year – they will be looking stunning and be able to fulfil their role as the unique, jaw-dropping Summer additions to our seasonal container planting schemes that we had envisaged.
The Pots:
Our first order of the attractive, recycled pots from our Italian friends is on the water as we speak so we are eagerly awaiting their arrival this week. Needless to say, we will be busy planting them up for a photo shoot in the next couple of weeks so we can present a clear picture of our plans for the full range of pre-grown seasonal planting schemes.
In the meantime, here are some of the photos we have taken this week of our beautiful roses in full bloom.
Rosa ‘New Dawn’
Rosa ‘New Dawn’
Producing clusters of sweetly fragrant, medium-sized flowers, the silvery soft pink blooms deepen in colour towards the centre.
Camelot Rose
Camelot Rose
A more vibrant shade of pink. This fragrant variety has a distinctive dark pink veining running through each of its petals. The foliage on these plants, in particular, is looking gorgeous and glossy.
Rosa Snow Princess
Rosa ‘Snow Princess’
Small but perfect, semi-double, delicate white cup-shaped flowers that appear almost continuously from June until late autumn.
if you would like to receive a proposal for an annual scheme get in touch soon to avoid disappointment. You can reach us on 0207 305 7183 or email at enquire@alasteranderson.com
