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Out of Hibernation

Michael came out from his sewing room hibernation today! It was a beautiful day - a bit chilly with temperatures in the 50s, partly cloudy with a few sun breaks and just a few very minor sprinkles. The garden is waking up fast. I love this time of year. The trees are just leafing out,  so when the sun does appear, there is a dappled scattering of sunrays dancing throughout the garden. The birds are singing and busy flitting about building their nests. In these crazy times, this is the only place where I feel totally calm and at ease and can filter out life's unpleasantries. We got a lot done today. Yesterday was even nicer with warmer temps and more sun. I got the tarps off the decks, statues and water features. Today was spent mostly cleaning up, more planting and moving pots around. Veronica 'Georgia Blue' Blue-eyed Mary ( Omphaloides verna ) with Daphne tangutica ) Japanese Maple ( Acer palmatum 'Beni Hime') Beesia Red Currant ( Ribes sanguineum 'King Edwa...
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Late summer roses



Roses are one of the most drought resistant plants available but when the summer temps get really hot, the flowers are minimal. In late summer and early fall, however, they usually bounce back with blooms that hang on until the first frost. This is especially true for the older roses. The above is "Weeping China Doll", a polyantha rose that is very easy to grow. I grow it as a stand-alone shrub but I've seen it grown as a climber.

To get more fall blooms, trim back roses in mid-summer and continue fertilizing through August. As fall approaches, stop giving roses fertilizer because this will prompt them to put out growth that will be nipped by frost.

"Weeping China Doll" is a very dense, twiggy rose. For a rose like this, I cut it back with hedge shears or the electric trimmer. It sounds brutal but it won't hurt the rose.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. Tallulah's Antique ClosetSeptember 11, 2010 at 9:58 PM

    That is a pretty rose indeed! I luv growing roses they can take a lot and always come back looking their best. Thank's for sharing...."J"

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  2. LesSeptember 12, 2010 at 3:58 AM

    I like your blog's new format. I hope you have not had it long, otherwise I didn't notice until this morning.

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  3. Phillip OliverSeptember 12, 2010 at 6:05 AM

    Les, I just changed the background and format - Blogger now has a template that makes it really easy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. CarolSeptember 12, 2010 at 6:57 AM

    Great tips about the roses Phillip! Looks like you are having a lovely day there! Here my fingers are freezing. ;>)

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  5. AnnelieSeptember 12, 2010 at 10:13 AM

    I've just noticed exactly what you are saying. After the hottest summer since 1855 here in MA, an old rose shrub + 2 new ones are about the only flowers still going strong (after a midsummer pause).
    Was just yesterday contemplating a purchase of some knock out roses, but didn't get them.

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  6. Rob (ourfrenchgarden)September 12, 2010 at 11:00 AM

    Phillip, Dirt Therapy and roses are synonymous as far as I'm concerned.

    You're garden continues to shine.

    I know there was a pruning experiment done a while back where identical roses were pruned both conventionally and with hedge trimmers, the result being no difference, both performed equally well.

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  7. The Redneck RosarianSeptember 12, 2010 at 6:19 PM

    Phillip,
    Great post. A very pretty rose! I like the new blog format.

    ReplyDelete
  8. MissySeptember 13, 2010 at 6:37 AM

    Roses are awesome. I need to post pictures of mine on my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mr. McGregor's DaughterSeptember 13, 2010 at 7:55 AM

    Roses really do seem to do their best in fall, and yours is a beauty. I was thrilled at how my rose blooms rebounded after the departure of the Japanese beetles, but then the stupid spotted potato beetles started attacking them. It seems like everybody likes to eat roses.

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