Rose hips are mostly an ornamental second display from Autumn into Winter, but all rose hips are edible if you want to go through the trouble of preparing them And almost all roses will make hips if they get pollinated and you allow them to develop, which is not usually the case with a typical… Continue reading Rose Hips are Pretty & Good to Eat
Category: Roses
Using Epsom Salts in the Garden
Don’t bother. Using Epsom Salts in the garden is a waste of time and money: may my grandparents (and renowned scientific journals like The Mirror) forgive me for contradicting them like that. Since the dawn of time, the Epsom Salt industry has had one overarching vision for mankind’s destiny: to consume even more product by… Continue reading Using Epsom Salts in the Garden
Roses for Buttonholes
Buttonhole flowers are a classic and elegant touch for formal occasions, especially weddings. Strictly speaking, a buttonhole is a single flower, perhaps with some of its foliage, and a boutonnière (which is French for buttonhole) is several flowers tied together, typically with foliage from other plants, such as asparagus. Many flowers could be used, but… Continue reading Roses for Buttonholes
Coming up Roses part 3: Fabulous Floribundas and Super Shrubs
Fabulous Floribundas and Super Shrubs It’s hard to imagine any British garden without roses somewhere in the mix – for many, their beautiful blooms are a must-have in any self-respecting summer border. Whether you’re a first timer or an avid rosarian, planting bareroot is one of the best ways of adding a rose to your… Continue reading Coming up Roses part 3: Fabulous Floribundas and Super Shrubs
Coming up Roses Part 2
Hybrid Tea Roses If you are going to say it with flowers, say it with a rose. Imbued with centuries of symbolism, roses speak volumes when words aren’t quite enough, and with Valentine’s Day and Mothering Sunday on the horizon (and bare root season in full swing) now’s the perfect time to think about giving… Continue reading Coming up Roses Part 2
Coming up Roses
Part One: Climbers and Ramblers Gardeners love nothing more than dreaming of summer in the middle of winter – it’s a delightful antidote to a cold, dreary day. And counterintuitive as it seems, now’s the perfect moment to think about which roses will be the stars of your garden later in the year. Roses are… Continue reading Coming up Roses
Stop and Smell the Roses
I like to remember my mum smelling the roses, stopping to think, breathing in a lungful of sweet morning air (or the sharp, rich fug of a strong coffee) and listening to the excited trill of the blackbirds. She savoured the simple pleasures of life; even before the intrusions of phones and apps, it was… Continue reading Stop and Smell the Roses
Organic care of roses
Roses, apart from being beautiful are also probably the most loved flower in British gardens – and one of the most useful. Rose petals are commonly harvested for use in cosmetics, dried for pot pourri, or added to jams, syrup or water for flavour. You can also crystallise them for use as cake decorations. Rose… Continue reading Organic care of roses