Early Stables Rose Garden
The Stables garden was dug around a hitching rail for horses. I left the post and rail in place and decided to grow some climbing roses along it. My first choice was the pink climber Bantry Bay.
I tried to train it along the Stables hitching rail. It was a cheerful pink, but would misbehave with black spotted leaves later in the blooming season. It didn't seem to be a very healthy rose for my garden.
Stables Garden Roses - 2005
Then a new honey yellow rose whose name I didn't record at the time (I now know it was Maigold) joined the pink climber Bantry Bay. The plantings underneath changed, but the beautiful striped Phormium Tricolor stayed. And grew rather large. A slightly invasive yellow Euphorbia filled in the gaps and brightened up everything from spring on.
Roses in the Stables Garden
Both climbing rose looked great at the beginning, but as they aged they struggled. Fourteen years later all was obviously not well. The soil? Not enough sun? Not enough food and water? I don't know why.
Bantry Bay and Honey Yellow Roses
Bantry Bay was first to be removed, as it became a ghost of its former self. I then hard pruned Maigold, which might not have been the wisest thing to do. It didn't grow back. But I required a certain rose toughness - and natural good health.
Recycled roses
Loving the look of roses growing in and around striped Phormiums, it wasn't long before I tried again. In the winter of 2013 I carefully planted some recycled roses along the front of the Stables Garden, and then crossed my fingers. I hoped that Tricolor would be happy to share airspace and sunshine with them. And what colours would the roses be? How exciting. But, perhaps more importantly, would they live? I assumed they would, added some topsoil, and started a strict watering regime. These roses had all belonged to a town gardener who'd sold up and moved into a rest home.
Shifted Retro Roses
All went well for a few years. They were all delightful 'retro roses' - hybrid teas which were popular in New Zealand back in the 1970s : Michelangelo (the Sam McGredy version), Margaret Merrill, the soft pink Aotearoa, and Whiskey Mac, such a subtle colour, and my real favourite. I really thought they'd like their new country home in the Stables Garden. But no - they didn't flourish here at all. So I shifted them into the Allotment garden. No, not here, either. Am sorry to say that none of them survived. It was worth trying, but maybe they just didn't want to be moved from their old home.