This last weekend I donned my opera gloves and went out and pruned the roses. This year it was 70* and dry so it wasn't the cold, wet chore it usually is. Every year I have to steel myself to go out and do this dreaded chore. Every year I swear, have an extra cup of coffee and go out and do my rose duty. Then I think of all fabulous flowers that pruning will bring forth and spring is just around the corner and it's not so bad.
I guess I have about thirty roses in the back bed and 14 in the front bed. Here they are before I pruned.
And below are the sticks after pruning. It's hard to believe that in couple of months the fence will be barley visible and the bed will be a lush tangle of flowers.
Today the sky is cloudy and hopefully we'll get some rain. I'm not holding my breath, though. Maybe I should set a sprinkler. Sometimes that helps get the rain going. (Just kidding, of course.)
In the picture below there are a couple of dark spots in the tree where I think there might be squirrel nests. I'm not entirely sure about that but they have to go somewhere at night.
In the picture below there are a couple of dark spots in the tree where I think there might be squirrel nests. I'm not entirely sure about that but they have to go somewhere at night.
4 comments:
An act of faith, that's what winter gardening is. Otherwise we'd all stay inside and read a book. You're lucky to have 70*, that would tempt me out from the pages too. Can't wait to see the roses. I bet they bloom early for you. D.
That looks like a massive task. Good for you. I can't wait to see the show.
You have my favorite kind of fence.
That' the kind of gardening task that feels so satisfying afterwards. It must look great when they start to bloom. What do you have underplanted there?
Hi Abigail, it is a tough task but you have mastered it beautifully. I love your opera gloves but those primroses in the pot are fabulous! The traditional rose pruning day here in TN is Valentine's Day, but anytime around then is good. The important thing is to get them in shape before the cutting would spur new growth that could be damaged by our wildly shifting temperatures in spring. I do look forward to seeing your roses thank you with loads of blooms for your good work. Those do look like squirrel nests too. :-)
Frances
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