I have been so busy lately that it has become an achievement just to complete each day's basic chores. Tasks I have neglected for too long are finally coming back to haunt me, and subduing the exuberance of over a hundred overgrown prickly roses is just one of them :).
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| Rosette Delizy never stops blooming. Unfortunately, it never drops spent blooms either :) |
After months of giving the garden nothing but a passing glance it was a revelation to come out today and discover that camellia season has begun...
.... most roses look as if they have not been attended to all summer ....
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| Mme. Bérard should have been deadheaded a long time ago, but the hips are pretty :) |
....but quite a few lovely blooms are waiting for me nonetheless....
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| Rosa minutifolia |
...even if most of them are 15 feet up in the air.
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| Surprisingly good late fall rebloom on my Elie Beauvilain this year. I am not looking forward to pruning all 40 feet of it though :) |
The task of bringing under control many roses that have enjoyed a long season of good growing conditions seems as intimidating as ever.
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| Souvenir de Victor Hugo |
Like many other warm-climate gardeners, I am going to spend the next few months pruning, weeding, tying in canes, cleaning up and spreading compost, fertilizer and mulch by the wheelbarrowful - if I can find the time, that is.
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| Tiger's Eye abutilon |
Despite all the daunting work ahead, I am looking forward to seeing the garden restored to order. Until spring...
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| Mme. Berkeley |
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| Rosette Delizy. Pristine foliage year round |
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| Elie Beauvilain |
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| Jude the Obscure |
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| Hips on Francis Dubreuil/Barcelona |
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| Regensberg |
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| Foliage turning on Persian Yellow |
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| Rosette Delizy |
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| Mme. Bérard |
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| Elie Beauvilain |
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| Mme. Edouard Herriot |
