St. Cecilia gets a second chance

After three or four years in the front garden, my St. Cecelia (David Austin) rose has done little better than limp along. Today she got the heave ho, but with some last minute magnamity I've potted her up. 

The rootstock has been trying to take over from the day this rose was originally planted, so it's had a rather severe bit of surgery from a pruning saw to try to get rid of the problem. Too much? Will she survive? We shall see. 

Fingers crossed. She's bedded in half general purpose mix, half premium mix (because I ran out of GP mix), and a handful of Seamungous pellets to help the roots along. Hopefully some pot culture and a quieter and cooler position in the garden will do her a world of good, and she'll blossom for me. 

I had my usual assistant today too, though not so sure the beloved, white Moomin appreciated being used as a gardening tool. 

(Off topic: how sad is my lawn in the background?! Come back, warmth and sunshine; we need you!) 

Incomparable Sophy's Rose

Funny to think I only bought my first Sophy's Rose (David Austin) because it was on special and I can't resist a bargain. Not a single visible aphid ever, no black spot, no rust, blooms right through our stinking hot summers almost without pause, and now the first to bloom in the season, weeks ahead of the rest. Such a sweet, tireless and bright little charmer, it is! 

I caved in

I bought a climbing 'Dainty Bess' rose. It's early to be planting roses here, and I can find no information at all about the growth habit of the plant (eg best for pillar, arch, shed, or fence). I can only find masses of photos of this particularly pretty single pink rose. It's a terrible picture of the rose here, but a rather accurate picture of the label. I don't know who would ever chose this variety based on this particular label, which, incidentally, says 'climbing' on the front, and then 'grows to 1m' on the back. Hmmm. Anyway, I hope to be adding my own beautiful Dainty Bess pictures to the hundreds already online within a few years, and all things being even, I'll let you know if it's an appropriate climber for a west-facing fence, or a flop, or if I've planted a fence-swamping monster.

Saint Cecilia

Isn't she lovely? I've been waiting several years to see her this good, and at last she has fulfilled her promise. 

Lichfield Angel

Blushing beauty of a rose.