You may remember a couple weeks ago when we went to go visit Chileno Valley Ranch and I gushed about their roses. I mentioned how I came home and immediately started cleaning out my chicken coop and putting the ‘cleanings’ all around the roses as Sally Gale suggested I do. In addition to that, Cathy left a comment here and suggested that I cut them all back by one third. I did that too. And I added in a little extra watering during the week. Just a little bit more, we are in a terrible drought, as you know. (anyone else feel majorly guilty every time they turn on the hose?) And four roses bushes re-bloomed. Hallelujah! I know now, where my chicken coop cleanings will continue to go.
Most didn’t re-bloom and I guess we can officially categorize them as once-flowering roses, rather than repeat-flowering shrubs. Since those non-blooming roses are right smack dab in the middle of the flower bed, in the direct view from the house, they will be going under serious scrutiny this spring when they do bloom again. It’s going to take a might gorgeous rose to earn their right to look ugly for the other 10 months out of the year. Watch out roses, I’m warning you! I can’t blame it all on the roses, the trees growing on either side and to the south have grown quite tall and this section of flower bed is actually starting to turn into a shade bed.
The second two pictures are of our deck beds, which I am so very thrilled with. I might have mentioned this before to you, but whenever I look at these new beds and then back behind them at the rose flowerbeds, it’s so tempting to remove all the existing plants and start fresh. It’s tempting in a big way, but also an incredible amount of work and it’s so hard for me to remove existing plants. I tend to assign sentiments over plants that I don’t do with other possessions. I can ruthlessly clean out my closet (more on that later!) and declutter knick-knacks with gusto, but feel guilt over ripping out a plant. Maybe that’s a sentiment I need to rid myself of. How about you, do you have a guilty conscious over removing established plants or are you able to wipe the slate clean and start fresh?
Your roses are beautiful! Hopefully the rest will respond nicely, too. Sometimes I feel guilty; but sometimes I don’t and that is usually when something seems to want to take over everything. I planted some Sunshine Mimosa, which is a ground cover here in Florida. It just loves the flower beds, but not so much the bare patches in the yard. Go figure! If the weather ever cools off here, it is in for some serious removal.
Beautiful roses! We’re loathe to move our plants too, once established. In fact, I don’t even like to dislodge a volunteer plant that springs up in our landscape…we currently have several cleome located around The Squirrels’ Nest that planted themselves, but looked so happy we couldn’t bear to dissuade them 😉 Cheers, Ben
I see your roses look like mine. Burnt leaves and just surviving. I live here in Sonoma County too. The drought has been bad for roses. But I can’t give up on them yet. Maybe, hopefully we will get rain this winter and the roses will be happy once again.
I’m with you on the silly sentiment on a plant. It took quite a while for me to thin out seedlings. I’ll blame it on Disney. Beautiful photos of the angle of the sun during this time of year.
Ha! Yes, Disney! I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels guilt over plant removal.
Many of the great gardeners such as Vita Sackville-West, Christopher Lloyd, and Penelope Hobhouse would say that if a plant is not performing in the garden after a year that you should remove it. Gardeners have to be a bit ruthless! There are so many wonderful plants why not grow something that thrives in your yard. Sometimes a particular plant just does not like the spot you put it in and you can move it to a better suited place. I for one move lots of plants around in the winter dormancy period especially roses which can easily be dug, pruned and moved. Just remember to prune the plants back when you move them to off set their reduced root structure. As my trees have grown and I have less sunny spots I have moved dozens of roses and perennials around. As for plants that over seed I have Nicotiana, Impatiens, Verbascum, California poppies, and tons of Borage which seed all over my garden. These I keep in check by thinning and removing the ones I don’t want but allowing plenty to grow where they wish! If you have two Cleome rest assured you will have hundreds before too long and then you will not feel so bad about grasping handfuls. I always tell my garden helpers “one persons plant is another persons weed!” Purslane and dandelions are common weeds but great in a salad!
ps I like your new look to the blog!