I’m on my way to Australia for the whole of February and I couldn’t be more pleased. Why am I pleased? Well, for starters we’ve had snow at home for 4 weeks and I’m fed up with it but more importantly I get to see my cousin Chris and my lovely Aunt Trin.

Long overdue visit

I forget but it has been at least 15 years since I saw my aunt which is a shame because not only if she a wonderfully kind human being but she is also very funny.

First leg of the journey is over

I flew from Frankfurt to Incheon in South Korea which was a very pleasant experience and as I write this I am having a 6 hour break in the airport lounge. This is a wonderful airport and it is clear to see that great effort has been put into its design.

So, what is so good about Incheon airport?

The airport is massive, not only in length but in height and breadth as well. It is full of natural light. Like most airports it has huge windows overlooking the airport as you would expect but it also has very high ceilings and the ceiling of the atriums are made of glass allowing more natural light in. They grow real plants and trees and it transforms the airport experience, what a nice change from plastic, metal and artificial light. They also have huge pots full of flowering orchids along the main walkways. It really adds a touch of class and all of these plants and trees, that’s got to be good for air quality right?

Can you name the first plant? I’m signing off now but you can expect more from me once I’m in Australia and have visited some gardens.

Thoughts pondered in the house whilst snow covers the garden.

It is the 3rd of January, the garden has a light dusting of snow and everything is frozen solid. Instead of thinking that it is nice that nothing needs doing in the garden I am sowing Delphinium and lupin seeds and arranging delivery of an obscene number of David Austin roses.  The gardener in me refuses to accept that this is the dormant season, instead I must be looking forward and planning for what is happening garden-wise in March, April, May and June. This ridiculous behaviour got me thinking, am I always like this?  I am afraid we all know the answer, it is a resounding “Yes” from our panel of judges. To garden is a relentless (yet enjoyable) vocation, a painter knows that when he has completed his masterpiece that it is perfection and will remain unchanged.  The painter can allow his work to be admired by those of a discerning nature without worrying that the colours will fade or that additional colours will appear like magic whilst his back is turned.  Maybe this is the reason that gardeners are always looking forward, always planning what comes next.

Gardening books really do not help!

I love gardening books, I love them like the vicar of Dibley loves chocolate.  I add at least 6 books a year to my collection of must have gardening books, eventually we will need to build an extension to the house to store them and it is not a small house, we have 6 bedrooms.  For me, they are my best friends and my worst enemy. A friend kindly gave me the book “Gardens of the Lake District” for Christmas by Tim Longville.  It is a great book featuring some wonderful gardens, I just wish it did not have such wonderful photographs.  They make me think of new garden projects to add to my list of garden projects that I haven’t even started yet.  I am seriously thinking about banning all gardening books from my life, along with gardening programmes (yes even you Monty Don!) and visiting gardens may have to become a punishable activity. Why? you may ask. Well the answer is really quite simple, gardening folks are really very nice people, jealousy is a rare trait amongst gardeners but when we see something wonderful in somebody elses garden we are automatically thinking about how we can adapt that to make it work in our own gardens. This combined with the task of maintaining what we already have is no mean feat, it is a full-time job and for many gardeners who already have jobs it is a huge commitment.  However, us gardeners will attempt the impossible and somehow find a way.

Taking time out to enjoy your creation is a challenge

As we already know I, like many other gardeners, am always planning ahead, thinking about what comes next so that I can try to achieve year round interest in the garden, so that when anyone visits the garden looks wonderful.  I will admit to having garden interest in the Moosbach Garden from May through to October but I fail miserably in the winter.  In the summer I have to force myself to take time-out from the gardening activities to stand and stare at the beauty of it all.  I do this mostly when I am snipping and pruning, especially when dead-heading spent rose blooms but I think a wander around the garden with a cup of tea is a suitable reward for all the hard work.  There is one golden rule though, do not make a mental list or a written one of all the things that need doing, enjoy it as it is.  Do not be your own worst critic, notice the flowers and not the weeds.

Accept praise graciously

I have the VERY annoying habit when garden visitors say to me “your garden is so beautiful” of replying, “oh it is full of weeds” or “it was at its best in June”.  Why can’t I just be gracious  and say “thank you, that is very kind of you”.  It is almost like I feel that the garden and therefore the gardener are unworthy of praise. This year I am going to try harder to just say “thank you”.

This gardener is shortly off on holiday

I am off on holiday in February to visit my lovely Aunt Trin in Australia, like me she has a good-sized garden, with flowers, fruit trees and of course chickens.  I have already made inquiries as to what needs doing in her garden (you can’t keep a good gardener under control you know) but I’m sure that we can fit in a few day trips in as well.  I will be staying south of Canberra about an hour away from the town of Orbost.  Anyone with knowledge of the area please provide suggestions.  I am sure Australia with be a horticultural challenge to me as Im used to English gardens but I am definitely going to enjoy my trip and the delights (gardening and otherwise) that Australia has to offer.

And Finally….

A picture from the south balcony, do you thinks it’s too cold for a bit of light weeding?

I wish everyone a Happy New Year, may your gardens bloom gloriously and may your hands frequently be immersed in good soil.

 

 

Firstly I would like to thank David Austin Roses for kindly supplying all of the following rose images and of course the roses!  We have placed our rose order for delivery at the end of March next year and there is nothing like ordering roses for next year to lift the spirit on short, dark days.  I started writing this article in November but had to delay finishing it due to work commitments and as many of you will be aware, Sir David Austin passed away on the 18th December aged 92.  It is always sad when someone passes away but Sir David Austin has left a legacy that has undoubtably made the world a more beautiful place, did you know that he created more than 200 new roses?  His work will be carried on by the Austin family and hopefully there will be a new rose named in his honour  in the near future.  If your spirits need lifting and you long for the rebirth of spring just take a look around your garden, if you are lucky you will find signs of life.  I walked around The Moosbach Garden this morning and found masses of peony and rose buds, these are the promise of glorious flowers in 2019 and it made me feel joyful.  We will be making all of the following roses available on our website as soon as they arrive from David Austin Roses in late March, until then they will show as out of stock but we are happy to take pre-orders.  We will also be sowing an array of delphinium seeds in february which will be available from around May-June.  We hope that you have all had a good Christmas and let us all look forward to a fantastic 2019.

 

Seasons are good

You hear lots of people complaining about the cold weather and the short days and for those that suffer with winter depression it is no laughing matter.  However, there is so much to be said for seasons.  I wonder if we would appreciate the beauty of flowers and our gardens if it was summer all year round?  What would there be to look forward to and how would we ever get to rest our tired gardener’s bones and muscles?

A few notes on roses

The performance of roses will vary depending upon your location, soil type and altitude.  So do not be surprised if the colour of your rose blooms are a little different  to the photographs but generally speaking they should be pretty close.  My experience with growing roses is that they need plenty of watering in the first year after they are planted. The best practice to follow is this, roses mustn’t be allowed to dry out in the first year but neither do they like their roots sat in water.  The dimensions quoted for the height and spread of roses is a guideline and given a good supply of water, feed and at least 4 hours sunshine per day they should thrive.  I’ve included some basic notes on each featured rose but you can find more detailed information on the David Austin Website. All of these roses will be available from The Moosbach Garden from April 2019.

 

Bobby James is a very healthy rambling rose which can grow to 11m (35 feet).  Once flowering with a very strong fragrance. Ideal for covering a fence or building with attractive hips in winter.

Etoile de Holland is a beautiful red climbing rose growing to 6m (20 feet)> it is a repeat flowering rose with a strong fragrance.

Frances E Lester is a Rambling rose suited to pergola’s and large buildings, it grows to 6m (20 feet) and is a once flowering rose with a strong musk fragrance.

Probably the most famous Rambling rose available, it grows to 12m (40 feet), flowersonce per year and has a strong musk scent.  Ideal for covering a large tree or a large building.

Graham Thomas is a vigorous upright climbing rose, it grows to 3.75m (12 feet) and is a repeat flowering rose.

Spirit of Freedom has beautiful soft pink blooms and has a myrrh fragrance.

Strawberry Hill is abailable as a shrub rose and as a climber, we are offering the climbing variety, it grows to 3m (10 feet).  It repeat flowers and has a strong myrrh fragrance.  We have the shrub variety in our garden and it is wonderful.

The Generous Gardener is a very popular climbing rose, we love it so much that we have 2 planted in our garden.  It grows to 4.5m (15 feet), it repeaat flowers, has a strong old myrrh fragrance and beautiful large hips in winter.

Wollerton Old Hall is a wonderful climbing rose and is another favourite in the Moosbach Garden, we have 3 planted here!  It grows yo 3.75m (12 feet), repeat flowers reaally well and has a strong myrrh fragrance. Highly recommended.

Emily Bronte is a shrub rose that is very beautiful, we will be planting some next year I’m sure.  It grows to 140 x 120 cm, it has  a strong old Tea rose fragrance and repeaat flowers.

Boscobel has a beautiful colour, we have a number of these planted around the garden and I find that the blooms last very well in heat.  It grows to 120 x 110cm, repeat flowers well and has a strong fragrance.  Highly recommended.

Desdemona is simply a beautiful rose, it grows to 110 x 110cm and repeat flowers well with a strong old rose fragrance.  Highly recommended.

Gentle Hermione is  lovely rose, we have 3 planted and they reached 1.5m in their first year, it has beautiful blooms and repeat flowers well with a good strong fragrance.

Gertrude Jekyll is probably the most fragrant of the English roses, it’s quite vigorous, we have 4 planted here and they are 2m tall. A good repeat flowering rose, plant it somewhere you pass everyday.  Must have rose, highly recommended.

Golden celebration is a good addition to any garden, wonderful scent, beautiful roses and flowers from June unil the first frosts.

James L Austin bears large, many petalled, deep pink rosettes, each with a buton eye.It forms a neat and tidy shrub (120 x 110cm)

Jubilee Celebration produces large, domed, delicously fragrant blooms.  The colour is best described as coral pink.  It has a strong fruity perfume.  It is a good repeat flowerin rose (120 x 120cm).

The Lady of Shalott is a striking rose, with beautiful chalice-shaped blooms.  Rich orange-red buds open to chalice-shaped blooms filled loosely with orange petals (140 x 120cm).

Bears medium-sized, neat rosette blooms, (90 x 90cm)

A favourite here in The Moosbach Garden, this is a stunningly beautiful rose that is disease resistant (120 x 110cm).

Another favourite here in The Moosbach Garden, also very disease resistant (110 x 110cm).

A beautiful rose which bears numerous cupped flowers.  A strong myrrh fragrance (150 x 120cm)

The Lady Gardener bears large, quartered roses ach about 10cm across. (140 x 120cm).

Thomas A Beckett is just a wonderful colour and akes a good addition to any garden (150 x 120cm)

Brother Cadfael is nother great rose, it has very large, peony-like blooms, with a strong old rose fragrance, (140 x 90cm).

Large cupped, yellow flowers with a strong delicious fragrance, (140 x 120cm).

One of our favourite roses of all time. Beautifully sunning rose with a gorgeous perfume and a very good repeaat-flowering rose,  (120 x 110cm).

Lady Emma Hamilton has glorious blooms of tangerine-orange and aa strong fragrance, (90 x 90cm).

A tall and airy shrub with clusters of graceful, semi-double flowers (170 x 150cm).

For those who love dark red roses then this is a good choice(125 x 100cm).

Clearly there are so many wondeerfful David Austin rses available that it can be hard to choose which is right for you but winter is the perfect time to research which one is perfect for your garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve been a hobby gardener for over 30 years now, goodness putting that Statement on here suddenly makes me feel old and I have come to realise that working in your own garden is a bit like wearing your favourite jumper or sleeping in your own bed. What am I going on about? Have I finally lost the plot? Well not the gardening plot at least.  I have a feeling that sanity is relative. What I mean is this, when you have created a garden, you know all its quirks, all of its bumps, you know where the perennials are planted when they can’t be seen in the depths of winter. Your garden has all the familiarity of an old friend, you knows its ways. I do garden for other people but it’s not the same, it’s like sleeping in a strange bed and you long for the familiarity of your own garden.

Gardening for other people demands restraint

I’m 50 years old and yes I know 40 is the new 30 and all that but would somebody please tell my bones and muscles. The thing with working in your own garden is that you have freedom that comes with deciding what you plant and how long you work each day, when you’ve had enough you can down tools and get yourself a nice cup of tea. Gardeners are artists, we work with colours and textures to create our masterpieces and we pour as much of ourselves into our works of art as any painter does.

We all have our own perception of what makes a glorious garden and there is no right or wrong, it’s about personal taste and the limitations of time and lifestyle.  When I’m driving through my local town and I see new houses with a postage stamp size of a garden I feel sad, I grieve for the inhabitants of the house who will be deprived of the beauty that a garden provides.

Clients often ask me how I know how to create a beautiful garden, how do I know what plants works well together.  I guess it is partly intuitive and partly comes from years of experience, I know that the current gardening me is very different to the gardening me at age 20.  I suspect my tastes have changed and the gardener in me has evolved.

The problem with designing gardens and advising clients is that you have to restrain your natural impulse to create what you love and instead design what the client will like, sometimes you have to count to 10 and bite your tongue when inside your soul is crying.

I will admit to failing slightly in this , I tend to give clients options including what I feel would work wonderfully for their garden and what I think they truly want.  In this way I am not making assumptions about what they really want, sometimes, let’s be honest the clients don’t always know what they want.  I tend to thumb through my gardening books, marking relevant pictures with post-it notes, I find that pictures help clients visualise what is possible.

The restorative powers of working in your own garden

I don’t mind working in other people’s gardens, I’m not that fussy. I really don’t mind weeding, pruning, edging the lawn and I don’t even mind the endless task of raking up leaves in the autumn.  I compartmentalise things, it’s treated as a series of tasks to be completed, a task list in my mind that gets ticked off as the day progresses. However, it is very different to working in my garden.  Working in my garden is like writing a love letter to my soul. It’s a real symbiotic experience. I feed the garden and the garden feeds my soul.  I think feeding your soul is so important.  I was once asked at a “meet and greet” session on a leadership course “what makes you happy?”, most of the people replied money, holidays, getting drunk and chocolate.  When my turn came around I answered ” bees and butterflies in my garden”, the other people looked at me like I’d been sniffing fairy dust and they asked me why and I replied “no matter how crappy my day has been, no matter what horrendous news stories bombard me about our self-destructive nature, when I go home and I work in my garden and I see bees, bumblebees and butterflies in my garden I somehow feel that everything is alright with the world.” When I immerse myself in the garden, when is see how wonderful the flowers are and what a wonder nature is, I realise how insignificant we humans are.  It is a real shame that we are stuffing up the environment, I wish we could learn to be happy with what we have, to cherish the wonder of nature and especially our garden spaces.  When I listen to the news and I hear all the nonsense, the fake news, brexit, the European Union, Russia, China and Korea I want to retreat into my safe garden. All of these people who fill the media with their nonsense and bile have, in my belief, lost touch with th wonderful planet, with their souls and with me.  I’d really like to take these people out of the mainstream for a month, take their phones away with no access to the Internet just access to gardening books and get them all working together, working on a garden together. No talking about politics, no blame culture, no spinning of facts, just working together to create something of value. Wouldn’t that be just great and no using chemicals for impressive quick fixes, you see it is the process that is important.  I know it will never happen but what if it did?