I was so excited to hear Ben’s update into the world of plant growing a few days ago, that I had botany on my mind today. Here we are, at the end of the first growing season.
Back on April 21st, I wrote about our jump into gardening. We were in the first stages of learning to cultivate different plants, and had one pathway that we wanted to line with roses, which ended up expanding into multiple types of roses and flowers in multiple types of containers; learning about climate zones, black spot, pruning methods. On the day we put the first roses into the ground, this is what they looked like:
The rose bushes I showed you the day we planted them back on April 21st, 2013. It’s now been 5 1/2 months and they have grown into ….
This afternoon, five and a half months later this is how they look. The change was caused by nothing but water, sunlight, and fertilizer. It’s a miracle.
… this. We’re letting them get very overgrown, and slowly forming them into an almost hedge-like structure so they will line the pathway. In two more years, when they have reached their right size, they will be monstrously large. Provided we get the shape right, it’s going to be wonderful. Every few weeks, another huge flush of roses shows up for almost six months out of the year, with very little maintenance.
Roses on the path during the beginning weeks of fall …
The same roses from a different perspective …
These are much easier than the other varieties we are growing, which still continue to do well. I realized the cherry parfait roses are much more temperamental than a lot of other breeds. They are so beautiful but demand attention like you wouldn’t believe. The Dick Clark roses are a joy, but attract caterpillars that want to eat the leaves, requiring the vigilance of a centurion. It’s funny to think how little I knew when we started, given that I was asking questions like this one!
Autumn is definitely in the upswing as the gorgeous flowers I shared with you in the height of the summer are now fading to sleep. Not only will we have to begin preparing the roses for over-wintering, but the burning bush has begun to turn …
The burning bush has begun to turn … in another month, it will go from this lovely fuchsia-like color a vibrant orange, as if the leaves were engulfed in flames.
The leaves are falling off the trees in the back …
It’s been fun. There’s still a lot for us to learn, but this has been a rewarding experience. If I ever end up deciding to build an estate somewhere, with a lot of land, I can say with certainty that the gardens will get a huge amount of attention. I’d love to have brilliantly organized fruit orchards, vegetable gardens, rose-lined paths, natural stone waterfalls … it’s so relaxing, and encouraging, to create something; nurture it; protect it.
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