On the love side of this dilemma, roses give me a sense of security, a light shining in the darkness reminding me of past glories and beckoning to the promise of the future.  And to this, the scent of a rose has a wonderful, calming effect on my senses.

But as an honest gardener I cannot deny that for the greater part of the year roses have no aesthetic merit at all. For many roses to produce beautiful flowers they must be drastically pruned, have the branch structure destroyed and then robbed of any natural grace.  

Even so, I find myself quite prepared to endure the prospect of a barren autumn, winter and spring for the amazing rewards in summer, and even after years of tending roses in parks, and for my dearest friend Mrs Sculthorpe, I still find this attitude beyond my understanding.  

I struggle to explain why I love these vain creatures, let alone be a slave to them.

Swiss chard, sometimes known as silverbeet or seakale, has huge green stalks and what makes this vegetable so versatile is that it can provide a large crop from such a small garden space for so long. 

It’s easy to grow too and not prone to pests and diseases.

Swiss chard is often grown as a substitute for spinach as many people prefer its taste as it contains far less oxalic acid.

This leafy vegetable was bred for growing in drier areas where it is difficult to grow the true spinach, as spinach has a tendency to rush to seed instead of making plenty of succulent leaves if it suffers from a dry spell.

The green leaves can be cooked and eaten as spinach or whole leaves used in salads when very young. The stalks are often used as  a separate vegetable accompanied by a cheese sauce.

To grow an abundant crop the plants need rich soil, preferably one that has been well-manured as this will hold more water.

Swiss chard seeds are large and knobby. You don’t have to sow seeds in a straight line. If you want you can scatter them around or drop two or three capsules wherever you want them to grow.

Sow pre-moistened seeds direct into the garden bed in an open sunny position. Feed with soluble plant food regularly to keep plants growing strongly.  

To harvest, gather two or three stalks at a time from each plant by pulling downwards and twisting them free at the base. Stripping off too many leaves at once can slow down the plant’s growth. 

Especially rich in iron, it’s best to make regular pickings when young because if left too long the stalks tend to become tough and stringy.

December 11:  CANCELLATION.  The Lilium display by The Northern Tasmanian Lilium Society at the Windmill Hill Hall, High Street, Launceston  has been cancelled.

January 7 and 8:  The North-West Tasmanian Lilium Society will hold a  Lilium Show at the Burnie Arts and Function Centre from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday. 

January 7 and 8:  The Northern Tasmanian Lilium Society will hold it’s annual Lilium Show at St Ailbe’s Hall, Margaret Street, Launceston from 1pm to 5pm on Saturday and from 9.30am to 4pm on Sunday. Entry $3.

Daily: The Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden at 55 Breffay Road, Romaine, Burnie is open from 9am to 5pm.