The weather has been wonderful (it actually rained), and roses are still blooming (pictures coming), but first, a brief update on a few projects.
Some of you know I have had a problem this spring with one of my two William Shakespeare 2000 shrubs. It has been in the ground for at least 6 years and growing very well.
This year, something seems to have gone wrong. There were several possibilities (a few very scary ones), but I couldn't put my finger on anything definite.
My mind kept running in endless unproductive circles, and I decided to post some pictures on the rose forum to see if anyone had any suggestions. I realized it would be even more difficult for people to try to pinpoint the problem just looking at pictures and I appreciated greatly the effort some posters made to come up with ideas. At the end of the day, someone pointed out that my rose had a lot of blind shoots (growth not resulting in flowers), and I should prune harder. I pruned harder. Gulp.
Having survived the agony of subjecting an innocent rose to such drastic surgery so late in the year, I decided to tackle my next big project, Maréchal Niel. It is a lovely tea-noisette that, unfortunately, does not perform well on its own-roots for most people. Mine was absolutely beautiful for the first two years, with gorgeous blooms and clean, almost evergreen foliage.
It actually reached the top of a 7-foot arbor and then started on a slow but relentless decline. The blooms balled all the time, there was almost no foliage and no new growth either. I thought I would dig it out and pot it up. Maybe it will grow for me as a big potted shrub, maybe not. My husband took it out today and, in preparation for potting it up, I washed the soil off the roots. Impressive root ball, isn't it?
Another thing that kept me busy today was trying to put together my last order for roses with Vintage Gardens. This nursery has been an amazing source of rare roses and kept my collector's spirit alive for years. There are so many treasures that I enjoy in my garden solely due to the efforts folks at Vintage made in sharing these roses. Thank you, Vintage.
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| William Shakespeare 2000 in its better days |
Some of you know I have had a problem this spring with one of my two William Shakespeare 2000 shrubs. It has been in the ground for at least 6 years and growing very well.
 |
| This time last year |
This year, something seems to have gone wrong. There were several possibilities (a few very scary ones), but I couldn't put my finger on anything definite.
 |
| This spring: very little growth, small leaves going senescent, few and small blooms |
My mind kept running in endless unproductive circles, and I decided to post some pictures on the rose forum to see if anyone had any suggestions. I realized it would be even more difficult for people to try to pinpoint the problem just looking at pictures and I appreciated greatly the effort some posters made to come up with ideas. At the end of the day, someone pointed out that my rose had a lot of blind shoots (growth not resulting in flowers), and I should prune harder. I pruned harder. Gulp.
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| I took out a few old canes, and brought the bush down quite a bit (after cutting out blind growth most remaining canes did not have viable bud eyes until this far down). Gardeners of sound mind do this in winter.... |
Having survived the agony of subjecting an innocent rose to such drastic surgery so late in the year, I decided to tackle my next big project, Maréchal Niel. It is a lovely tea-noisette that, unfortunately, does not perform well on its own-roots for most people. Mine was absolutely beautiful for the first two years, with gorgeous blooms and clean, almost evergreen foliage.
 |
| In its better days |
It actually reached the top of a 7-foot arbor and then started on a slow but relentless decline. The blooms balled all the time, there was almost no foliage and no new growth either. I thought I would dig it out and pot it up. Maybe it will grow for me as a big potted shrub, maybe not. My husband took it out today and, in preparation for potting it up, I washed the soil off the roots. Impressive root ball, isn't it?
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| How did it manage to climb 7 feet? I still potted it up :) |
Another thing that kept me busy today was trying to put together my last order for roses with Vintage Gardens. This nursery has been an amazing source of rare roses and kept my collector's spirit alive for years. There are so many treasures that I enjoy in my garden solely due to the efforts folks at Vintage made in sharing these roses. Thank you, Vintage.
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Mme Bérard, my favorite Vintage rose
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| Ulrich Brunner, fils |
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| Prinzessin Marie von Arenberg |
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| Surville |
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| Mme Plantier |
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| Julia Child and Wild Blue Yonder |
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| Schön Ingeborg |
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| Wild Blue Yonder |
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| Souvenir de Mme. Boullet |
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| Lyda Rose, 'Benny Lopez', Penelope, Crépuscule, Rosette Delizy |
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| Regensberg |
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| Sharifa Asma |
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| Penelope and Crépuscule |
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| Pretty Jessica |
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| Sharifa Asma |
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| Rosette Delizy |
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| Climbing Cécille Brunner with a spray of Lyda |
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| Pat Austin, Buff Beauty on the fence behind, and 'Secret Garden Musk Climber' trying to eat the house |
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| Jude the Obscure |
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| Memorial Day with Buff Beauty |
Ahhhh... Once again, I can't pick a favorite. Too much beauty! It sounds like you're on the right track with your techniques! Keep us posted on the results.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear of your troubles with MN and WS, but the rest of your roses -- oh my, so gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteYour rose garden is always such a joy to behold. I hope your potted up roses do a bit better for you.
ReplyDeleteI discovered your blog a week ago and have been avidly going back through all your posts. Your garden (and your photos) are an inspiration, thank you :)
ReplyDeleteKatie.
Love-love-love it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic blooming post))))
xoxo, Juliana | PJ’ Happies :) | PJ’ Ecoproject
Hi Masha, that is really a wired and sad development of your 'William Shakespeare 2000'. It is odd that only one rose is showing this behavior. I am wondering if it was accidentally dosed with a pesticide or weed killer or something like that. Hope that your radical pruning helps. It was such a wonderful rose in your garden!
ReplyDeleteThe sight of the tiny root ball of 'Marcheal Niel', if you can call it like that, is a big surprise. Hope you can rescue the rose by potting him up. Do you think something was chewing on its roots?
But now to the pleasant stuff, which there is plenty of in your post. Your roses are a great joy to see in their spring flush. You take such amazing care of them that they are truly showing their full potential. What can I say, they are just beautiful!!! My favorite today is 'Surville', which is a new rose to me. I will look it up when I have a little bit more time. Wishing you a good week!
Christina
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteChristina, I am afraid a tiny rootball is another thing MN is famous for :)
I am not sure Surville is available commercially, but maybe you can still find it. If not, I can send you cuttings...
Hi Masha
ReplyDeleteGosh, I'm always stunned about your roses. This variety is just incredible and they look so healthy! Well, except Willi Shakespeare of course. I've got one too and have only problem with it, but I guess it doesn't like its location or the soil. But still, I can't dig it up when I see that it produces some new leaves (I know I should anyway).
Have a rosy week
Alex
I hope you find the problem to your WS rose. Everything is so gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteMasha you have great roses. I always envy seeing them. Mine are not such well as yours, my favorite floribunda Fashion when I dug it out and all the roots were died.
ReplyDeletemy best favorites are wild blue yonder and Mme Plantier, you have very beautiful garden of roses Masha
ReplyDeleteYou are a rose Queen!
ReplyDeleteWow....I am stunning, and your pictures are gorgeous!
So beautiful ;-)
Brigitte
for a person that doesnt care for roses Im blown away..if one I could smell it all the colors are the bomb!!
ReplyDeleteA perfect post thank you ! I learned a lot from your trouble shooting with young 'Willie Wobblesword', and have stowed that info deep in my brain in case I need it some day ! Then I got the eye candy of your gorgeous roses, a few of which I also have but LOADS which are on my wish list.I have mainly DA English roses, but have just started to get interested in the Old roses and their history. I planted a Charles de Mills hedge last year which is coming along nicely. If you have time to hop over and have a look I am at http://hoehoegrow.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteMash, good luck with your WS and MN. Gardeners prune the roses like that in winter just because they want to enjoy the spring flush. Most roses won't mind being pruned like this in the height of summer. I have done this even in August (the hottest time of the year in my med climate). I hope it was just a matter of he rose canes getting old and the rose will recover. Is your MN own root?
ReplyDeleteNik
Your roses are magnificent, as usual. I had to prune all of my roses severely to help control blackspot and they're all rebounding. I think your W. Shakespeare will be ok, too. I really love your Julia Child rose. So beautiful!
ReplyDelete