Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Strong Roses

Long ago and far away we lived in Germany. It is a beautiful country.  I met several Germans who gardened like there was no tomorrow. They planted the plants much closer together than the instructions say to plant them. This trick makes annuals look full and lush.  Pride of ownership showed in the beauty of even the smallest window boxes that I saw. I love all kinds of flowers, especially roses, it was in Germany, while on family vacation in 1998, that I fell in love with pink climbing roses.


Scanned a photo from our German days, this was taken near Berchtesgaden, 1998.

I didn't count to see how many roses were in this arch. Today I am guessing four.  That summer day I stood there and just stared. I remember taking this picture.  I don't remember a fragrance. Too bad, that's how I select my roses. I just knew that someday I would have an archway like that.

The garden fairy has yet to show up at my place, so I'm trying to recreate that beautiful arch in my own backyard. 

What I have is... well, it's just not there yet. 

I am such a dreamer, but that's a good thing.


Not sure if you can see it, but the right side of this arch is a bit twisted, these roses have already started to grow.  Everything around here is starting to bud and with all the sunshine we've been having I am ready to tackle my winter clean up projects.  Tomorrow most of these weeds will be gone.  They've been protecting a primrose but it's just about time for it to be at it's best so I'm cleaning up the area and getting ready for a spring that already seems to be here.

I usually prune the rose bushes the first two weeks of February, that is when we (normally) get our coldest weather. This year I started trimming in January because it does not feel like winter here. In fact, my climbing roses (which I trim up after their first big bloom) are putting on lots of new growth.  This two year old rose is so strong it's moving my arch. 


New growth on roses January 2012.


So my work this week is to untie the rose canes, straighten the arch, and then retie the little strings that are helping the roses to grow the way I want them to grow.  Sounds cruel?  Hey, I taught my children to pick their clothes up off the floor - I am going to teach these two roses to 'climb' this arch.

I'm off to garden.  If you have snow, lucky you.  I'll be searching the blogs during my lunch break looking (and wishing) for the snow.  But since I don't have it, I might as well get busy - time, tide, and weeds wait for no one.










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6 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

you made me laugh with the comment about teaching your children. good luck with the roses! :)

Denise :) said...

Hey, you've got the arch and the roses; that's where your beautiful German rose arch started! Have fun training your pretties ... hopefully it will be easier than training my children to pick up their clothes was. LOL! Have a *terrific* day, Joy! :)

Annie said...

Wishing for snow here too. I'm just hoping we don't get a bunch of really hard frosts that take off all the buds that are appearing here!

I'm sure that arch will be wonderful when rose clad in summer :D

Mary said...

Today I see my pretty green and white snowdrops (actually galanthus but a type a snowdrop) blooming. My roses have new shoots too, should I prune them now, along with the buddleias? I'm really confused with 70 degrees again tomorrow - this is NOT Winter at all.

Your arch will someday be as pretty as the one in Germany as I can tell you will baby it, and feed it well, just like the kids!

Hugs, Mary

Bev said...

It is good to dream!! Well I know back home...it is unseasonally warm.... but we still don't think about gardening until May...but here in AZ...we forget it is even January!!

Fishtail Cottage said...

i'm a rose lover myself! i host a garden party that is to start back up on May...i can't wait, hope to see you visit & hopefully even link up? xoox, tracie