Well they said it was Spring 16 days ago, but I’m still waiting for mine to arrive. We’ve had as many frosts in Spring (4) as we had all Winter. The “Spring” frosts are a lot harder on the plants too, as they believed the daylight hours and earlier warmth and thought they were safe to start growing sappy new growth. Sucked in! so many plants are looking pretty dismal this week, ready for people to come and see them in their disgrace this weekend!
Luckily roses don’t mind a bit of frost, so they’re moving on unharmed, but no sign of the crazy Spring growth yet, a bit of rain would help things along I’m sure. Keeping my fingers crossed for some mooted for Friday.
I’ve been flat out in the garden and nursery preparing for our first Open Day on Sunday. I’ve had some visitors recently who all get roped in to fun jobs like mulching or weeding or potting up roses. If I was them I’d never visit me…
The Spring bulbs have been legend this year, they’re still filling parts of the garden with their showy flowers, which is a great boon for August and September till the early perennials like the aquilegias and Irises take over and then of course the roses. The early Species are flowering, some started ridiculously early, like in July! And the Teas are mostly still having some last Winter flowers amidst their burgeoning red Spring growth.
What a wonderful family they are, it’s hard to imagine they were superceded by Hybrid Teas, but then of course for the most part they don’t thrive in England or anywhere colder and the early 20th century Kiwis were obviously slaves to Commonwealth fashion and didn’t notice they were replacing their magnificent year round flowerers for a very inferior substitute!
Anyway, on with the show…I have to mention the plum blossom which I have failed to catch on camera, but believe you me, it is astounding. Leaves any cherry blossom for dead! I’m almost glad it has been so horrifically windy this last week as it might slow pollination down…Luckily I now have a resident lamb in the orchard…one of the many orphans we save annually before sending off to the sale or locally for kids to raise for calf club. Unfortunately Henri had a damaged spine and wouldn’t have been up to calf club, so he’s on orchard mowing duty (much to the chagrin of the chooks as he chases them mercilessly trying to play) I’m sure he will oblige with the excess fruit problem this season.
Better get this baby published as I wanted to mention if you’re coming over for the Open Day Sunday we are always on the look out for any unwanted plant pots. Everything is recycled here to keep prices down!
So, hopefully when next I write Spring will really have sprung and the roses will be preparing for magnificence…