|
|
GARDEN 11 |
The Main Rose Borders
Possibly the hardest task I had to face on my arrival at the garden was the complete renovation of the rose beds. The original beds had been planted with early Hybrid Tea roses during the 1920's and by now (1985) they were looking very sorry for themselves.
(L) Fairly modern in Alfriston terms, "Felicia" in full bloom. (R) Close up.
The main beds themselves, are approximately 25' long and 8' wide. There are two smaller beds on a higher terrace which measure approximately 6' by 4'. Mindful of the probability of rose re-plant disease, there was nothing else for it but to dig out the entire lot. Barrow load after barrow load of soil was removed and transported up several flights of steps to the vegetable garden 50 yards away where it formed the basis of the raised beds that can be seen there today. The newly imported topsoil and manure then had to be wheeled in from the end of the garden, some 100 yards away. In total, each of the bottom borders took 9 cubic metres of soil and 6 cubic metres of manure to fill to the top and to allow for settlement. The top two beds took a similar amount of soil and manure between the pair of them.
(L) Although beautifully scented, blooms of "Blush Damask". turn mouldy and brown at the slightest hint of moisture in the air. (R) Honorine du Brabant"
The roses were all chosen for their scent, which can be a little overpowering on a hot, still day. They tend to flower once and can be ruined by rain. "Blush Damask" in particular, turns brown at the slightest hint of dew on its petals. Several of the roses are quite modern, dating from 1925 but in general, they have been in cultivation for hundreds of years.
(L) "Pompon blanc parfait". (C). "Petite d'hollande". (R) With its perfect, "cupped and quartered" flower, "Great Maiden's Blush" is a candidate for the best of the "old roses".
At Alfriston, the roses are normally pruned in an ad hoc fashion during February and March. I threw the book away years ago and prune according to what the roses tell me they want me to do. With judicious feeding it is possible to allow the roses to reach their maximum potential with a minimum of pruning. This consists of a programme of taking out one of the oldest stems in three, on a yearly basis, combined with pruning the tips back to the strongest bud while allowing some room to cut back lower down if these buds are damaged following a frost. I am a firm believer in also doing major pruning work in the summer when growth is at its strongest. I believe that cutting out old wood in July after the main season is over, encourages more good, new, wood from below which will carry more flowers the following year.
(L) "Belle Isis" is another favourite. (C) "Belle Amour". (R) Alba Maxima .
The roses suffer from being grown on a sub soil that is predominantly chalky. They are martyrs to attack from black spot, rust and aphids. Only naturally occurring chemicals such as sulphur are used to keep black spot at an acceptable level and I rely on the large blue tit, ladybird and hover fly population to do the job of aphid clearance. Pruning in July also helps in the battle against blackspot as a significant amount of old, possibly diseased wood and leaves are physically removed and therefore lessen the chances of infection. Good hygiene and a regular feeding programme also go a long way towards keeping the plants healthy enough to fight off anything that nature can throw at them. Alas, there is still no organic method of keeping rust at bay so if you visit the garden in July and August you need to have your rose coloured spectacles with you.
I hate the idea of the formal rose bed, with its large expanses of bare soil between plants. Here, the roses are massed with geraniums and aquilegias, delphiniums and daisies. Herbs like Hyssop and Rosemary have an important role to play in keeping down insect attack and Bronze Fennel has just got to be the plant for showing off the differing hues of pink to perfection. I also plant feverfew in the rose beds as it attracts blackfly in their thousands. This helps to attract more predators and also diverts aphids away from the roses themselves.
( L) "Cornelia" displays a loose charm reminiscent of the wild, "Alexandra Rose". A freak skull has appeared in the larger version of this thumbnail, see if you can spot it. (C) Cornelia close up. ( R) "Prosperity" is the colour of Cornish ice cream.
For a repeat performance there are no better roses than the Hybrid musks and Mr. Pemberton's roses in particular. Invariably, disease free, you can trace the development of the classic Hybrid Tea right back to his efforts during the early part of the century.