In praise of shrubs
nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
10 years ago
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roseseek
10 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
In praise of limbing up
Comments (12)Yes, good points Susan - a little bit of light peeking through a shrub seems to add some depth, as opposed to a solid mass of leaves and branches. And for sure the trunks can be sculpturally beautiful. I'm glad you have had good results too. But how do you make a small tree look like a large shrub? Terrene, the willow grew new sprouts off the trunks for a year or two but they no longer do. Now I just do a few maintenance trims from time to time. Particularly if I walk under it and it hits me in the head. That is not allowed and since my clippers are always in my pocket it is a swift and easy correction. I suspect the amelanchier will grow some new shoots and suckers and it seems like I ought to allow a couple of new ones each year, just to keep some new growth going. But I'm not sure yet. You are lucky to have a Cornus alternifolia. I think those are so pretty and useful, but I don't think I could keep one happy here. I didn't realize they had berries too - bonus! Lilac do seem particularly tricky, don't they? I've seen all kinds of pruning techniques. But for sure you do want some of those fragrant flowers within reach, good point! Yeah for a girls' weekend in Ennis! I bet that was all kinds of fun! :)...See MoreMore in praise of 'Quietness'
Comments (8)For the past week, it was the most impressive rose in my garden--6x6 and covered with large, perfect flowers. No trace of botrytis petal blight when some roses were balling horribly.The naturally upright, spreading habit makes a beautiful shrub that you never have to fight with. It is resistant to blackspot in many gardens, but I have a strain that affects it. Unfortunately, it has no fragrance to my nose. This was Griffith Buck's last and probably finest rose. We are indebted to Pat Henry of Roses Unlimited for discovering and propagating it....See MoreSinging the praises of Josephine's rose
Comments (34)Question: is it the COLD wet that makes them ball? They seem to handle HOT wet quite well. Of course, a downpour will mess them up pretty bad and cause them to hang their heads from the weight (not unusual, I guess, for any flower). And there seems to be a point in the bud development when, if we have rain, the bud will not open - doesn't happen often. Sammy, 9 SdlM's is definitely something to strive for in my garden. Mine would have to be in groupings - no room to spread them out. Wow, just imagine a bank of them blooming all summer. Hmmm, something to keep in mind in case of future failure(s). I have 3 plants, and 2 will soon be neighbors. I have MB & CDdG next to each other, hopefully in enough sun for their liking, but if they have to be moved that might be a good thing, right? Suzy, I wish I could "send" you some heat or "attach" it to my photos. To show how amazing this rose is here, even my Louis Philippe, aka The Florida Rose, took a break from blooming in August. I noticed this morning it suddenly has flower buds & lots of new leaves from all the rain we've had this week, but SdlM has kept pumping out her voluptuous fragrant flowers that even now are darker pink in the center, fading to pale pink at the edges - just lovely. (I wish I'd taken a picture.) Location, location, location! Your "bland and vague rose with messy petal formations, tendency to age nastily and, on top of everything, is a disease magnet" is not the rose I grow. Come ahead to Florida (Ocala) anytime. You'll at least have no hotel bill and no "little britain". But I imagine with a grandbaby coming that won't be soon! Michael, I've seen a very mature SdlM with hugely thick canes (maybe the climber) that was as tall as I am. I certainly hope 4x4 is a comfortable size for them here. Sherry...See MoreIn Praise of The Prince and Others No Longer Offered by DA
Comments (91)Well, Judi, The Prince doesn't really like it hot and dry, so he will challenge you about that. The plant itself doesn't mind hot and dry, but the blooms burn and get weird in the heat. I should take photos nekst summer to illustrate that. In your climate, some shade might be in order, but he's a rose, so he'll need sun, too. All my roses get the same regimen: lots of water, a wonderful compost I buy (Nu Life Organic compost, if you can find it; it's a regional product), applied in late fall and into winter when the weather permits. I'm still applying it. In late February, every rose gets a good feeding of Plant Tone or Holly Tone, whichever I have on hand, and in mid March, the roses get a feeding of Lilly Miller Organic granular fertilizer for acid loving plants. My soil is alkaline so I give this fertilizer for that reason. I'm sure your soil is alkaline, too. I've repeated this regimen so many times on the forum, so if you've read it before, I apologize. My roses don't get a lot after the spring feedings. As I said, all the roses are equal to me and get the same diet. I hope you're successful with His Highness. My rose is a continuous bloomer, by the way, so he blooms a lot when it would be best for him to rest (heat). Diane...See Moreroseseek
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