Giardino di Speranza

Hi all,

2nd go at posting on here tonight. Lost the first one in cyberspace when I tried to append some photos.

At last I have some garden shots to share, not many mind you as its still all a very slow work in progress, but at least it is starting to look like a rose garden now.

Simon, thanks for sending me Christopher Marlowe earlier in the year, he is now in the ground and is producing quite handsome blooms.


Here are a couple of before shots:



and here is what it looked like this morning:




And The Dark Lady doesn't disappoint even in her youth ...


The back garden is still a very slow work in progress and far off becoming the enclosed walled rose garden that I dream of. Still there is hope.

David, RR is powering on in growth, there is still some balling but some nice blooms in between. Fingers crossed!

ciao - Rita

The 'tapestry' is coming together beautifully Rita Which DAs have you got now? I actually have a new DA seedling here that I can't wait to see... I'll send you a plant of it as soon as it matures

Thanks Simon, yes, its a joy to wake up and see the sun beaming down onto the roses 1st thing in the morning. This garden faces east so it gets almost all day sun. Its equally delightful to come home and be greeting by an odd bloom or two.

Apart from CM and TDL (x2) I also have Abraham Darby (x3), Pretty Jessica, WS2K, Falstaff, Canterbury, Brother Cadfael, Othello, Belle Story, Radio Times, Kathryn Morley, Prospero, Lilac Rose, Sceptr'd Isle, Chaucer, Cymberline, Sharifa Asma, Fisherman's Friend, Swan, St Cecilia, The Reeve, Lilian Austin, Evelyn, Lucetta, Charles Darwin, Jude the Obscure, Troilus, Darcey Bussel, Jubilee Celebration, Emanuel, Mary Magdalen, Redoute.

The roses that didn't make it are: Charles Rennie Mackintosh, TDL (x1), Lady of Megginch, Sir Walter Raleigh, Windrush, Evelyn, Tradescant.

In the back I've got a few of non Austins: Clair Matin, Renae, Buff Beauty, Clg Lady Hillington, Red Pierre, Burgundy Iceberg and an unknown yellow and a red HT, both natives of this garden.

I may have left some DAs out, its late and I should be off to bed, busy day tomorrow.

Hope to post again soon. Again, thanks for your

Rita,

Your garden is coming on beautifully and you certainly have a good selection of D.A's.

WoW what a change, I love your birdbath

Rita, garden has changed a lot, is it patience or perseverance, maybe a bit of both. As you would know there are 3 David's on here now maybe 4. Is the David you spoke of me or one of the others, if it is me I am not sure of the RR you mentioned, if not me could you tell me the RR meaning, I assume it is a DA rose ?

By the way have you heard from Larry, and if so how is he.

Hi Dave. Cheers...Dave. Hehehe.

How fantastic to see you here again. Your garden looks great Rita, plenty of growth and blooms.
You didn't get Imorto Juno ? My one own root of it eventually died because of the dry weather up here. I should have sent it to you instead. I do have a young grafted Imorto Juno that is doing alright.

Thanks for your encouraging comments. Karen, I did order an Immortal Juno -but none were available. I kick myself for not digging my own root up, but thought I would kill it so left it behind. I think Donna from Hedgerow Roses should have some budded by next winter, so hopefully will be getting one next July.

I'm sorry folks, I've never been one for using pen names, handles or pseudonyms right from the onset of using the Internet in the mid 80s- hence I always use my real name. The David I refer to is my old friend from Port Macquarie, I think he took on the name 'Dave' here because 'David' was already taken. Apologies for the confusion.

Its been a while since I've had soil problems but I seem to be having problems with this latest batch. Some of the roses and companion plants are producing yellow growth - is that a lack of iron? Your suggestions and assistance welcomed.

psssst... Port Macquarie = Lake Macquarie

Hi Rita, what a lovely rose garden you have! I am envious of all your DAs, you have a great collection
Val

Dave Clark, Lake Macquarie here! Good to see you here, Rita. Your garden has made amazing progress since I saw it last. FYI Rita is a friend from previous forums, and she introduced me to the vices of roses years ago. I've been in rehab ever since LOL.

The rose in Rita's avatar - RR = Rita's Rose - is one I bred from Duchesse de Brabant x Wife of Bath. I called it Rita's Rose out of gratitude for sharing her DA addiction! This year my RR bushes have been the most floriferous in the garden. Under 1m high, the first flush had over 70 blooms (destroyed by thrips) and the second flush, equally large was fried by 40 deg heat!! Ah well, autumn is only a few months away!

Thanks Simon and "Dave" of course its LAKE Macquarie not Port. My apologies for the gaffs (David, David & Dave) which I seem to be prone to when posting late in the evening when the grey matter is ready for la-la land.

I'm having a short 'forced' break over this Christmas period so hope to get on here more often. Today, my first day is dedicated to all things Christmas ... cards, deco and maybe a bit of late shopping. I was just writing a card back to Roger Mann and wanted to send him this link in the card. I hope he will drop in sometime in the future.

Carole & Val, tks, yes not a bad little collection and in spite of the heat, most are doing well. A few a stunted but hope that with regular seasol they will thrive like the others. It is still a mystery how plants can behave so differently inches or feet away from each other with in the same conditions! And also why some die and others prosper! I guess it has to be the same reason why humans react differently to the same medication ... answer ... dunno!

Dave, the RR trio are looking decidedly healthier and the blooms, whilst small look more like the avatar pics. I have surrounded them by a Pineapple Sage, some Digitalis and blue Iris. Have you grown the Pineapple Sage?

Better finish doing the Christmas thing ... wishing you all a very Rosey Christmas

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too Rita !
That sure would be great if Roger Mann visited Rose Talk. I really enjoyed reading his Rose book. I would love to get his new book on rose names.
It is great your rose is doing so well compared to other roses in your garden. Dave are you going to probagated your rose and sell it as I would be interested to buy a few. Also, you had another lovely one that was a cross with Old Blush , I think ? The one your mother liked. Any of your roses that you are very happy with now, I would like to buy. Or if you sold budwood of them.

Finally got a chance to upload the picture story of my front garden on PhotoBucket rather than innundate this site with loads of them. I had no idea how long it took to categorise the millions of digital photos I have accumulated in this short time.

Anyway, if you are interested in seeing start to last Spring (Oct 2010) here is the link: http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r204/Rita_G/Giardino%20di%20Speranza%20-%20the%20front/

I've added the most recent first.