Roses in the Allotment Garden
An Allotment Garden should be a narrow strip of fertile land, with rows of sensible vegetables, companion flowers like marigolds, and maybe some sweet peas climbing on a home-made trellis. So why did I start filling it up with roses? Oops...
Roses Rambling Rector and Cornelia
I was originally quite clear on its functions. One - it would house my spare plants. Two - it would be my productive (AKA vegetable) garden.
No Thought of Roses!
There was no thought of roses. Then I went to a rose sale. Oh dear. I had fun. I bought some Mrs Oakley Fishers, Graham Thomases, Penelopes, and an Archduke Joseph. I planted them in the Allotment Garden without thinking it through.
Crepuscule and the Rugosa hedge
I went back, and bought two Crepuscules, Buff Beauty, Cornelia, and five Roseraie de l'Hays to create a rose hedge. Non-Gardening Partner built a rope swag for them to be trained along. In they went, too.
Rambling Rector in The Allotment Garden
Next I planted two ramblers on the boundary rope - an anonymous pink, possibly American Pillar, and the rather robust and extremely jolly white Rambling Rector. I didn't care that I was letting loose a pair of raging monsters.
Buff Beauty roses on the Fence-Line
Then I shifted in some recycled roses from another garden location. Not a problem, darlings. Into the Allotment Garden you pop, just make yourself at home. They didn't.
Penelope Roses
In its heyday there must have been thirty roses in this narrow strip of garden. But alas! Now just the climbers and ramblers along the boundary remain. Lack of consistent watering, and not enough all day sun, have been to blame.
Not suitable for vegetables either...
And just in case you're wondering about the name, it has never, ever been a suitable place to grow vegetables either. I only tried a few times. Poor soil, no water - no vegetable success.