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Rose Pruning Again

Late February to early March is the time for the major pruning of roses. Back in December, I did a preliminary pruning , now is the time for the last major pruning before the spring season begins.  First, a comment on hybrid tea roses. This is what most people have in their gardens. I only have a few hybrid tea roses. These are the roses that need the most drastic pruning. Basically, you cut all the canes down to about 1 foot, making the cuts right above an outward-facing bud. The result will be something like this -  Most of my roses fall into the shrub and climbing categories. These roses are pruned differently and not as severe as the hybrid teas. For shrub roses (and many of the David Austin English roses fall into this category), I first take out the older canes completely to the ground. The older canes are easy to spot - they will be thicker and darker in color. After thinning out the older canes, I remove any canes that are damaged, crossing one another and canes that ...

Red, White & Blue Flowers for the 4th


Happy July 4th. Thanks to a fireworks ban, we are enjoying a quiet and peaceful day. I'm not a fan of loud noises so it doesn't upset me in the least. The reasoning for the ban, however, is upsetting. It is dry, dry, dry. So, given the option, I would choose a noisy day of fireworks if there could be rain.

But, really, who needs fireworks when there are plenty in the garden?

The RED -

 

Rose 'Altissimo'


Smoke Tree (Cotinus 'Royal Purple')

 

Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

 

Begonia 'Dragon Wing'

 

Bee Balm (Monarda 'Raspberry Wine')

 The WHITE -

Cosmos


 

Rose 'Swany'

 

Hydrangea 'Annabelle'

 

Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum 'Luna') and Knautia

 

Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Alice' (Hydrangea quercifolia)


Coneflower (Echinacea 'White Swan')


And The BLUE

 

Clematis 'Arabella'

 

Clematis durandii

 
Goat's Rue (Galega 'Lady Wilson')

 

Geranium 'Rozanne'

 

Hydrangea 'Let's Dance - Rave'

Hydrangea 'Cityline Rio'

 

Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue'

Phlox 'Blue Paradise'

Phlox 'Purple Kiss'



Blue Lace Flower (Trachelium caeruleum)

Veronica longifolia 'Marietta'

 

 And I leave you with the flower that most reminds me of a firework - the Spider Flower (Cleome) -



Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. Beautiful fireworks in your garden Phillip. I hope you get rain soon. Happy 4th to you and Michael.

    ReplyDelete

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