The Mixing and Matching Forum.

[Simon]

My latest brain explosion is the inclusion of the 'Mixing and Matching' forum to discuss how we use our other favourite plants with our roses. Roses are not the unsociable plants we are lead to believe and if, like me, your passion in roses is shared with a passion for all kinds of plants and you don't want to limit yourself to just one thing... then this is the place for you. This was partly inspired by Deb Kelly posting photos of her rose garden which includes Australian Natives Thinking about this it makes perfect sense. If a rose garden is getting mulched frequently with natural materials then it really is getting all the nutrients it needs... natives like to be mulched too. If you can keep the phosphorus levels down then the two should cohabit nicely. This also opens things up to other unlikely combinations such as my other passion... protea which often flower in winter giving the rose garden a much needed lift at this time of the year. These honey producing plants attract loads of small birds which will clean any aphids off your roses while they are there... the possibilities are endless. I love Bearded Iris too and these pose a few problems as far as growing them with roses. I have however, been successful in doing so by making the mulch layer thinner in parts allowing me to keep the iris rhizomes above ground to avoid the problem of rotting rhizomes. I think tall spire-type plants such as lupins and strap-leafed plants like iris and other lillies really set roses off nicely.

So here it is... I look forward to seeing what inspires you and the ways you get around growing the things you like growing

[rosemeadow]

Simon, this is a good idea idea for a forum. I look forward to what will be posted here in the future.
Also I enjoyed reading your begining post to it.

[sueanne]

thanks simon ,I dont get on here very much or as much as I would like to ,as we are doing a new garden here in town ,so am doing a lot of mixing and matching lately or trying to ,after having acres and acres to play with we have downsized so its finding places for everything so as I go I will post what I have mixed with what ,hope thats ok

i also have a huge amount of bearded iris so need to fit them "somewhere'

[orchid40]

I grow lavender in one of my rose beds, it looks good if you keep it tidy. The foliage fills the space a bit after pruning the roses.
Spring bulbs fill the bare spots too, Daffodils, Jonquils, Freesias, Hyacinths and a few others. I also grow my Garlic in the rosebeds.
I have also got a lot of Tall Bearded Irises, which I may find room for in one of the beds - might be pushing it a bit though!

[Guest]

Well most of you know how crowded my garden is I mix and match all types of plants

[orchid40]

I've just got Tempo Two's iris catalogue in the mail. OMG!!! All so beautiful, all so expensive!!! None of the ones I have are listed there
I shall make a shopping list and take it to the GA Expo on Friday, maybe they'll be cheaper there!

[orchid40]

I had a great day at the GA Expo! Tempo Two had a stall there and I got 3 Tall Bearded iris and 3 Pacific coast iris!!
Sweet Geisha and Decadence were on my list and I got Mesmerizer as well cos it was cheaper to buy 3.
They are having their open weekends this month so you can't keep me away from that!!