Checking the orchard roses...
There's been a lot of lovely early summer rain. Then warm sun, and then some more rain. So everything is growing extremely well, and this will certainly include the orchard roses. Time to check on them, get some photographs (if they've started flowering), see if Madame Caroline Testout needs spraying, or any random rose canes need tying in...
Green Hazelnut Trees
The dogs and I will enjoy the walk. The Hazelnut trees are thick and green - might get wet from the vegetation. Not a problem.
We're back. Oops. Oops. And another oops. It's a rose riot. Oh yes, everything is flowering madly, but wildly, with no sense of shape or discipline. Canes heavy with wet blooms are drooping this way and that. Not one rose has obeyed my clear instructions to climb up and over its sturdy metal archway. Oh no. Not us. We are free-spirited roses. We don't need to use our 'listening ears'. We choose how we grow, thank you very much. We'd much rather climb over the neighbouring Hazelnut trees, or spread out over the ground. Climbing roses can do a great 'ground cover', hee hee.
Parkdirektor Riggers is completely dominating his archway - it's leaning over, at thirty degrees to the vertical. He is the worst wanderer, too - each nut tree within reach is smothered in red. Oops.
Supposed to be easy-care...
The concept was that the roses on the archway avenue should be 'easy care', not needing to be poked, pruned, sprayed, or dead-headed. The gardener (me) would glide through the archways holding a pretty little cane basket, pausing to sniff a fragrant solo beauty, or snip off a pretty little cluster. Right. This action now requires wet weather gear (thanks to the rain) and a stout stick (to move thick rose canes blocking the pathway). And when, after much ducking and diving and a few dripping detours, I reach the tenth archway, there is absolutely no way through. Hello, Chevy Chase. Aren't you doing well!
Orchard rose Chevy Chase
I distinctly remember dragging the stepladder through here in spring, armed with loppers and rose ties. I filled my wheelbarrow time after time with prunings. Or was that the year before? Oops.
A lovely reminder...
Actually, it's a rather lovely reminder that these beautiful roses have life forces of their own. They will grow their own way. And who am I to try and tame them? Just a daft older-lady gardener with visions of dripping, rose loveliness...