(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Lady Emma Hamilton Rose on 2008-03-18, 00:47:00

The first garden thing I did this morning after five hours sleep was to dig a big hole in the left hand border. I moved a few plants around to accomodate the new arrival. The Rose bush Lady Emma Hamilton.I added some home made compost and the last compost from my bag to the roots, then watered it in.
The stones were put back on around the rose's heel to keep the weeds out and as an ornamentation.
The Label reads David Austin Roses on one side, and Lady Emma Hamilton on the other.
I will monitor its growing progress on the Blog, hopefully to some beautifully scented flowers in Apricot andCopper.
Next stop is to buy a bin for storing cleared plant and grass debris from the allotment.Its cloudy but dry at the moment, fingers crossed it stays dry.

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to David Austin, Lady Emma Hamilton Rose, cold frame, seedling, weather on 2008-03-17, 16:08:00

The David Austin rose Lady Emma Hamilton from Harlow Carr last year.I was woken up on Monday morning by the door being brayed loudly. I stumbled out of bed after my last night shift to find a Royal Mail delivery of a large David Austin marked brown bag, about three foot tall.
Inside was a gorgeous bare root Lady Emma Hamilton rose bush. Ready to be planted in the garden when I work out where to put it.
A late birthday present from Cat, that had taken a few weeks to be delivered.It was supplied with a muddy recipt, and muddy roots.I can imagine the Guys digging out bare root roses from the ground, brushing the soil off the roots, ready to be packaged.They describe the rose as being the colour of Apricot and Copper. The scent was divine when I sniffed the Harlow Carr roses.
Its freezing outside now, down to minus four degrees centigrade. March is an odd month where the warmth and sunshine gives way to pouring rain and howling winds.The weathermen have predicted a late winter chill.
I refilled my cold frames paraffin heater, and took two tealight lanterns. One is in the greenhouse heating the air up, and one is in the cold frame on the opposite side from the paraffin heater. My strawberry plants and cabbages are looking healthy in the coldframe. The baby carrots and parsley have grown on.
The beetroot seedlings have darkened their stem colour after being exposed to light. I replanted my Bletilla Striata, the surviving bulb from last years failed attempt. The chilli plants have developed flower buds now, small but perfectly formed. They have overwintered well and should produce Chillies earlier than any plants started from seed now.
In the morning I will go upto the Allotment to try and dig two more beds. I want to buy a bin though for depositing weeds and grasses. I have no where to store them at the moment. I need to find a compost bin, or make one from wood when the weather improves. I think turning the cleared plants, weeds, and grasses back into rich organic compost is a good idea. It will all go back into the ground once it has been transformed into black gold.
I have two days off now, since I slept through Monday..Zzzz.I will need my muscles and energys in the morning to take on the wild side of Nature.