Too Many Roses

I think I might have too many roses in the garden.

I didn't think this in September, when the leaves and buds were forming. The balance of flowers and foliage in the September garden was perfect - the flaxes and tussock grasses were proudly in place, the strappy daylilies were tidily growing, and the spring bulbs were showing off. Everything was quietly growing, peacefully interacting.

Too Many Roses in Front of the House

In October the first rose to flower was Fruhlingsmorgen, wrapped around an old fruitless apricot tree. Its tall neighbours (a cabbage tree and a gold choiysa) were most appreciative, and down at ground level the variegated aquilegias agreed - this rose was allowed to take up some room. It had such a fresh clear fragrance, too, for anyone walking past.

By the house, propped up against a drain pipe, Othello rose was next to bloom. It's one of the most beautiful smelling roses I know. I often pick a flower just to scatter the petals around, or put them in a bowl for the house.

Othello Rose

Othello is a big buxom showoff, but its neighbours (green shiny swirling angelica and a fine bronzy mountain grass) were coping well.

Another reasonably early bloomer was Westerland, the soft orangey rose which was starting to climb up the end of the patio pergola. The Calamagrostis grass and the early blue salvia and irises at its feet made subtle companions.

The Infamous Rose Sale Begins...

I think things got out of hand in early November when the rose sale near my work started its end-of-season panic. How can anyone buy too many $7.00 bare root roses, from a reputable rose grower, presented in containers in an old car park?

No money had been wasted on unnecessaries like planter bags and potting mix - this was commercial gardening with no frills - hundreds of named varieties, desperately in need of a good home.

Westerland

The Rose Sale of the Millenium

I went shopping, and I spent my gardening pocket money two weekends in a row - this was obviously the rose sale of the millenium, and I had to be in quick! By then I had a new pergola, just waiting for the taller ones, and a new garden area over the water race which had no specific planting plan. It was easy to find space for the new arrivals, which were plonked in, dosed with water and mulched, and then forgotten about.

Further Reductions...

Then the weekly advertisement in the newspaper changed. The bare root roses were now $6, with "new arrivals every day". It was mid November, the time of year when all self-respecting roses are tucked in bed, growing strongly, even flowering.

I didn't totally believe the advertisement, but I had to check, just in case. Oops!

Amongst the new arrivals I found Crepuscule, and I came away with two of these (for the pergola, of course), plus some Colourbreaks (two), Reine des Violettes (two), Golden Celebrations (two), and some pink and red roses (seven), just to keep the balance of colours.

Of course I didn't really know exactly where these newest roses would go, eventually. But I didn't think it would be too much of a problem - after all the potager wouldn't really mind if they bunked in amongst the little brick paths. Nobody in West Melton plants a potager in August anyway - far too frosty.

Gertrude Jeckyl

Potager Invaded by Roses

The new garden area over the water race wasn't yet dug, so more roses invaded the potager - just short term solutions, of course. I hadn't planned to have two rose gardens, so I was careful to call this an area of transitional plantings.

Finally, Disaster Strikes...

But back to the rose sale in the old car park. I was finally comprehensively beaten. The sign said "FREE roses", and along one fence were 12 containers full. I loaded up the car, and off I drove - with 20 slightly scruffy bare root roses, without labels, but they were free! Upon arrival, they were pruned and potted, watered and lined up behind the glass-house. Would they all get planted? (Don't worry, they were!)

Fruit Salad

Fruit Salad Roses

Now it's December, and the potager area looks like it's been covered with a gourmet fruit salad (with berries and melons and cherries mixed up in the pineapple and peach chunks). In other words, Pat Austin, Golden Celebration and assorted pink roses have become permanent residents.

I never actually got round to shifting them at all. Oops...

I think I might have too many roses. Hmmmm...