Re: roses

Peter and Margaret Moir wrote:
>
> The David Austin English roses are a pet dislike of mine because so many
> seem so unpredictable in their growth, many needing only the very most
> refined care to give anything........and they will certainly not get that in
> my garden! Rough and ready would be a better description. I even have a core
> list of roses that will go on blooming minus deadheading for years. Good
> stuff.

 .
Hi Margaret
I have found them a bit the same, but one at least (said to be Fair
Bianca, but corresponds to the description of The Pilgrim) has suddenly
come on  after years of hanging fire, but only after a cocktail of sheep
manure pellets and mineral and seaweed powders, all topped with a
bark/fish waste spread - fussy eh? I wouldn't have persisted with it if
the flowers had not been so delightful..

At the opposite extreme is Graham Thomas which one of my friends grows -
and grows - and grows. It is not only super vigorous and healthy but
seldom without a flower. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have a big
enough space available in my rather crowded patch to do it justice.

Your address brought back very pleasent memories of a visit to W Oz in
spring '87 when we stayed with friends at Busselton and were driven all
round your area, visiting wineries and also a very upmarket furniture
factory (our host has an interest in wood and does turning as a hobby),
and of course having a several fascinating sorties into the local bush,
so different from ours.

I don't suppose we shall pass that way again, but we had just been to
the UK and called in on the way home, not just to see the Busselton
crowd, but also to visit much older friends from our African days who
live just outside Perth (The wife had actually been at school with me
and was also one of my bridesmaids). We had not seen eachother for
nearly thirty years, so it was a great reunion. We were also there just
at the right time to catch the spring wildflower show, which was a
marvellous if frustrating experience as, alas, almost none of those
stunning flowers will tolerate our local climate.

Cheers
Moira

-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata (near Wellington, capital city of New Zealand)
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