Austin Roses and other things

30 Jan '06 8:29 am

I adore the Austin roses-the subtle colours,and the perfume. A wonderful NZ site for drooling is www.wairere.co.nz
The garden is near Hamilton, and the roses I buy there are always vigorous and healthy. Always spectacular is their'crepuscle'on a 2 metre standard next to their house.

I recently mentioned the old gentleman,Allan Scott, whose rosegarden is near my home. He grew roses as a small child,and started judging in 1946 . He wrote about rose care in the 'NZ Gardener' every month for over 40 years ! He started each rose bed by digging a deep trench, and filling the bottom with (how can I put it delicately ?) sheep manure and old clippings from the shearing shed.
After he passed away at the age of 97, about 4 years ago, his daughter moved into the homestead and has carried on the rose garden.With help, it takes 3 days to prune all the roses. I do love visiting as the china tea cups are rose-patterned too (of course !)
Today will be a lovely day !
Dixie.

2 Feb '06 6:41 pm

I remember reading Allan Scott's rose articles! And I like the idea of a Crepuscule standard rose. Crepuscule has such lovely red coloured foliage, and its flowers of course are extremely beautiful.

It's good to know that his rose family lives on, tended by his daughter. Where is the homestead? I'd love to visit.

3 Feb '06 7:41 am

Scotts being the first settlers here, the road is named 'Scott road.'
"He who plants a garden believes in tomorrow"
The 'new'Rose column writer for NZ Gardener is Margaret Liddell, who also lives nearby, and with the true generosity of spirit she has, does the pruning of the Scott roses.
Mr Scott has been quoted as saying" No-one can have negative thoughts in a garden, surrounded by natures beauty,"
Dixie.

3 Feb '06 7:06 pm

Never! And never back pain either! Suffering of back problems after the birth of my third child, I noticed that, I NEVER EVER had any sort of back problems crisis, while working --hard!-- in the garden, 3-5 hours per day during the good season, carrying heavy things ,e.t.c.!! Of course, I do respect and follow all the doctor's instructions about the right movements of my body. And I work on my knees , having always a special " gardening cushion" underneath... But, NEVER back crisis because of hard gardening work. Only when I am stressed for a very serious reason ( like watching my daughter delivering her first baby...). And the doctor explains this reaction of my body to me, that this happens because the muscles around the backbone are awfully stressed themselves (: they are strongly contracted) , when we are stressed..

So! Gardening is..a prayer, a meditation, a relaxation, complete positive concentration, very...zen!! Happy gardening!

Austin Roses and other things

Austin Roses and other things

believing in tomorrow

Never a negative thought while gardening!