Monday, December 28, 2009

A beginning at long last...

Seven months ago I set out to share my experiences as a rose gardener, but the garden is an unforgiving taskmaster, and has kept me occupied. As I began my winter cleanup and pruning in the garden, I returned finally to the notion of sharing the experience of a rose garden with you.

Rose pruning holds a mystique that for many is daunting. I hope to help demystify this process for you, to give you confidence that you can do it—that anyone can prune. More importantly I hope to explain to you why pruning is not a requirement, and how it may in fact do less good than bad for the plants.

My challenge (a challenge I put to myself every year—so far without completing the task) is to prune 4000 rose plants in the next 80 days. I'll have a bit of help; some days with Juan who works with me at Vintage Gardens; some days with Teresa, and others in the Friends of Vintage Gardens, who will come to give me a hand. I won't prune every day, as the demands of running Vintage Gardens nursery will occupy much of my time. I'll travel a bit as well, to talk about roses, old and new, and to teach my ideas about rose pruning to others around the country.  Perhaps one of you out there may want to join in and help prune some of the 4000 one day as well. Just let me know. Can I do it this year? We'll see...

1 comment:

  1. Very interesting and hard task, and a great ideea to share it with us, the oher rose lovers.
    I am very interesting in your posts ad mostly in pruning old roses, as i have some myself.
    Keep up informing us so nicely.

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