Roses are very old plants with fossilised evidence of the existence of a pale pink wild rose that grew in the Bronze Age dating back some 4000 years.
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Today, roses are still being grown and developed by hybridisers to improve upon this ancient plant, and one plant breeder that has made a great contribution to this genera is David Austin of Shropshire, England.
The exquisite colours, forms, fragrances and long, repeat-flowering season of these English beauties have made David Austin Roses very popular with Australian gardeners. David released his first rose ‘Constance Spry’ in 1961 and since then he has gone on to breed so many beautiful roses.
In 2010 he was given the well-deserved prestigious accolade of ‘A Great Rosarian of the World’.
Some David Austin Roses in local nurseries include the white-flowered ‘Tranquility’, ‘Winchester Cathedral’ and ‘Glamis Castle’; ‘Benjamin Britten’ is a red; ‘Teasing Georgia’ is a lovely soft yellow; ‘Ambridge Rose’ and ‘Wollerton Old Hall’ are both apricot.
In varying shades of pink there’s ‘Strawberry Hill’, ‘Sharifa Asma’, ‘Sir John Benjaman’, Eglantyne’ and ‘Radio Times’ and the stunning double form of ‘England’s Rose’ has delightful rose pink blooms.
If you can get it, ‘William Shakespeare 2000’ has the deepest crimson flowers and is a real show-stopper.
For a visual impact that is hard to surpass plant several of a single variety together or grow in formal or informal gardens, in herbaceous borders, trained to climb over pergolas or arches, as hedging specimens or standards.
David Austin Roses are best pruned in early winter. Cut the stems back by about a third of their length and remove old stems to keep an open framework.
Hydrangea Care
Hydrangeas can be pruned when the flowers fade towards the end of summer or in late June or early July when the leaves have fallen.
Choose which time suits you best and your area.
If grown in the open garden, the flower heads tend to turn brown and papery as they age, losing their ornamental appeal, so they may as well be pruned.
If grown in shade or semi-shade, the flower petals retain more substance and change into a colourful winter display.
To prune, cut away some of the old woody growth down to ground level each year and clear the centre of the bushes of any weak, damaged or spindly growth.
Stems which have flowered are cut back by two-thirds of their length.
The remaining stems of this past season’s growth will each have a strong terminal bud to flower next December and can be left as they are, or cut back by one-third of their length which encourages them to branch and produce two flower heads.
After pruning apply any necessary colouring agents, lime for pinks and aluminium sulphate for blues and purples.
Follow up with a good feed of compost or fertiliser.
A second dose of the colouring agent is given in September, both colouring agents can be purchased as hydrangea colourings from most nurseries.
Diary
July 17: Australian Plant Society meets at the Max Fry Hall on Gorge Rd, Trevallyn at 7.30pm. Guest speaker for the evening is Margaret Brock on ‘Wetlands - Life On The Edge’. Visitors are most welcome.
July 18: The Launceston Horticultural Society meets at Windmill Hill Hall, High Street, Launceston at 8pm. Visitors welcome. Home-made supper.
July 19: The Launceston Orchid Society meets at the Newnham Uniting Church Hall, George Town Road, Launceston at 7pm.
Daily: The Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden, Romaine, Burnie. Open 9am to 5pm. Tea room open 10am to 4pm.
