June is the start of our Bare Root Rose Season, so you can image that we are crazy busy digging, pruning, labeling and grading the roses.
After the middle of June we start sending out the Rose orders we received in January and so it continues until all orders are filled.
There is still time to order roses for the Bare Root Season, and if you haven’t already done so, check out the New Release Roses as they are selling out fast, so fast that The Governor’s Wife is already sold out and won’t be back until next year. |
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| | A highlight for us coming up is that we’re going to be featured on ABC Gardening Australia on Friday 14th of June at 7:30 pm and again on Sunday 16th June at 1:30 pm.
Sophie Thomson came last winter with her TV crew to film our nursery during our busy digging season. We spent a full day together and It was very interesting and exciting.
We hope you'll get a chance to watch the episode and enjoy the program. |
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| | It seems strange that this year we release 25 “new” Old Varieties of roses, increasing our Collection to over 100 varieties.
This goes against the trend in Australia at the moment - a lot of big nurseries are deleting them - but there’s something about them that we just shouldn’t give up on.
Click on this link to discover how an Old Fashioned Rose can fill that difficult spot in your garden. It’s worth noting that less care is needed for Old Fashioned Roses to thrive. |
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| | It’s Pruning Time over the next 3 months when it gets cold and the plants are dormant. Let's start from bush roses, following these 3 easy rules for pruning:
1. Prune out any dead, dying or diseased wood.
Making sure that these branches go first helps in shaping the bush in step 3.
2. Prune out any branches that are crossing over.
This leads to a congested rose shape and also where the branches rub, it’s a prime spot for a disease to get in.
3. Prune to a vase shape so that the centre of the bush rose is empty.
This allows for air flow to get into the middle of the plant making it less susceptible to fungal diseases like Black Spot or Powdery Mildew.
To help you with your winter pruning, here’s a video of Brian pruning a dormant bush rose.
It’s worth watching if you’re unsure what to do... But please don't be scared by Brian's speed in pruning: you can take your time and have a break in the middle if you like. |
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| | What to do when you receive your new roses? This video and the tips below will help you to do the right thing with your new roses.
Planting Your New Rose - Put the bare root rose in a bucket of water for 24 hours before planting.
- Prepare your rose bed, in a sunny position, free from competition from shrubs and trees. Enrich the soil with fertilizer and compost. Clay soil will need gypsum.
- Dig a hole, approximately 30cm x 30cm x 30cm. You could place a handful of organic fertilizer at its bottom. Make sure you have a buffer of soil between the roots and fertiliser to prevent root burn.
- Bud union (where the roses are budded) should be around 3cm above ground level.
- Backfill with soil until the hole is half full. Add a bucket of water. Fill the rest of the hole with soil when the water has drained away and water again.
Spacing of Roses - Bush roses – 1.2m to 1.5m
- Patio and ground covers - 1m
- Miniatures – 0.5m
- Climbers – 3m to 5m, depending on the site.
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| The Rose World farewells one of its knowledgeable leaders. Sadly David Ruston has passed away.
Brian remembers: “My connection with David was more in the early days. I was an enthusiastic 25-year-old, just starting out in the industry and he was more than happy to share some of his vast knowledge.
I remember going to his property and amazing garden in Renmark and marvelling at how stunning the garden was given the arid climate. I was blown away by his staggering knowledge of over 3,500 varieties he held in what was the largest rose bank in the world.
For me, he was happy with the enthusiasm I had and he loved Championing the Old Fashioned Varieties of Roses, knowing that one day they would make a come back. He will be terribly missed. “
David served on many committees over many years, and he was President of the World Federation of Rose Societies and Foundation President of Heritage Roses in Australia.
(Photo courtesy: Sue Zwar) |
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| Our Favourites this Month |
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| | Large cupped blooms of a lovely rich yellow, which pale as they age and are produced in small clusters. The fully double blooms contain a wonderfully rich fruity fragrance with hints of lemon. The leaves are a shining healthy colour on a low rounded shrub. Fragrance: Fruity
Size: 120cm x 120cm wide | | |
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| | Leathery foliage that withstands fiery summer temps and acts as the perfect foil for the Fearless blooms of brilliant, intense orange. On a tidy even bush, multiple flushes of bloom are produced almost year round. This multi-award winner has large flowers, with 35 petals, and handles the heat well. Fragrance: Sweet and light. Height: up to 150cm. | | |
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| | This rose has a very unique Anise fragrance, reminiscent of liquorice, combined with a hint of spice and honey. The blooms are a large apricot cream and it is a particularly healthy, heat resistant plant that is easy to care for. A perfect variety for cut flowers.
Fragrance: intense
Height: to 120cm | | |
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