Although I love my garden, it's just not quite right. But it's getting there. As the borders have been widened, it has meant that low growing plants that used to be at the front of the borders are no longer at the front. They need moving forward. It hasn't been possible yet because when the borders are widened, the grass turfs around the edge of the lawn are turned upside down and left to rot naturally. There's no way of planting in them until that has happened. Also, the replacement of 6ft fencing (5ft + a 1ft trellis) with 5ft fencing has meant that climbers no long have quite the same height to climb. I got rid of three jasmines which were taking over the old fence and instead, on the south-facing fence, I planted two lilacs (
Syringa vulgaris 'Andenken an Ludwig Spath' and Syringa vulgaris 'Madame Lemoine') and Buddleja davidii 'Empire Blue', leaving the various clematis in place. As the lilacs and buddleia mature, I will allow the clematis to latch onto them, I think. Meanwhile, all that remains of my collections of roses from several years ago are
Wild Eve and New Dawn. I shall, disease and disaster excepted, never let them go. I love them too much. However, I did have to cut them back when the fencing guys came to replace fencing, and I also severely cut back the honeysuckle,
Lonicera periclymenum 'Scentsation'. To my surprise, the honeysuckle has more flowers now than it ever had.
REMEMBER! Bees love honeysuckle.
Save our Bees (Friends of the Earth link).
 |
New Dawn and Wild Eve roses with honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum 'Scentsation'
July 2017 |
I do appreciate that the roses look leggy but it is a north facing border and the fence previously did not allow the passage of light and air. I am planning, when I have the next opportunity to prune, say January 2018, to cut back a couple of rose stems almost to ground level in the hope of encouraging more shoots from ground level. Right now, I am just seeing how they go. At least, so far this year, there is no sign of pests or disease. Now, is that the climate or is that because the roses now get more light and fresh air coming through the slatted fencing?
Below you can see how the roses and honeysuckle have grown in just a few months. Nature is great, isn't it? Mostly.
 |
New Dawn and Wild Eve roses with honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum 'Scentsation'
March 2017 |
