Early Birthday Rose Garden
The Birthday Rose Garden was a special birthday present for daughter of Moosey, and I created it back in the year 2006. It was a loving, living present - but I suspect was also an excuse to buy some new roses.
Peonies and Euphorbia
I marshalled all my peonies and planted them all together in this one garden area. They were beautiful in flower, if a little floppy - my staking programme was a little tardy.
Birthday Rose Garden Colours
This garden wasn't roses-only. Foliage evergreen shrubs gave all year interest, with Calamagrostis grasses forming a delightfully feathery feature. A patch of purple-leafed Ligularia grew waterside, happily creating a host of purple-leafed seedlings. There were just a few large green New Zealand Phormiums by the water, too. Dwarf Irises and clusters of miniature daffodils used to line the grass path in early spring, and bright yellow Euphorbia and Ajuga worked their ground-covering magic.
Alas, things didn't grow accordingly to plan. The nearby trees soon became fat and tall, providing far too much shade. First the peonies sulked, then the roses. I decided to leave the taller shrubs - Agnes, Danae, and two Roseraie de l'Hays - and reluctantly shifted the others out. Many went into pots and then into the sunny, spacious Hump Garden. But some didn't resurface after the shifting - like the two Kronenburgs, lost. The New Zealand bred rose Royden, one of my early favourites, is also unaccounted for. Most peculiar.
Mowing the Birthday Rose Garden Path
Yet another story of initial enthusiasm with the best of intentions, slight neglect over lots of years, and a slow fade in the shade! You can see even earlier photographs of this garden in my Garden Design section. It's funny to see the garden taking shape. I remember that it took me ages to dig all the lawn out. What a legend! And what a pity!