Rosy days.

I wasn't working today and now the bank holiday is over the sun has come out. Unbelievable.

We've also been promised highs of 24 degrees centigrade by the weekend. So, three days of downpours and the promise of a good few days of warmth means it's a great time to get on with moving the roses. I'll soon find out how many roots have escaped through the drainage holes of it's pot to put proper roots down. Basically, I bought the roses last year as I couldn’t choose between the ones I loved so I bought one of each. However I had them in a holding bed until I knew where I wanted to plant them without realising that the onset of new neighbours would mean I'd have to rush and wouldn't have the luxury of planning where to put them. So instead of planting them out in the front garden as originally planned because it needs levelling and stripping of it's turf before conditioning I have kept them in the back garden.

I have used the beautiful, pale, creamy apricot rose, Claire Austin, in the pastel friendship border. Spirit of Freedom, (which was already planted up in it's right place), Munstead Rose, Geoff Hamilton and Winchester Cathedral have been dotted along the long border with the white Winchester Cathedral rose in the clashing corner to tone it down somewhat. I've added some sand, some compost, a good slug of water and made sure each hole is very well dug over so the roots do not have to fight to get through clay soil. I've also teased our the roots to ensure they grow down and out rather than becoming root bound. As always, once planted I gave it a good soak to establish itself.

When planting these roses in the border I had to take into account that not only will they hopefully grow but that the plants around them, out at similar and different times of the year also need to have enough space. So I've cut away some of the lawn to allow enough room for everything. I know I've said before that I favour the jumbled way of planting; cramming lots of things in so you see very little earth and everything has to fight for space but I do believe in giving them a few years to get their strength up before the jostling begins.

I also moved a few plants to accommodate the new additions and also I moved the two huge Allium, Mount Everest from where the raspberries will need to be moved to over to the conservatory view in the pastel border. Jumbled in with the two purple Alliums and tall foxgloves makes it look more lush and less sparse. I need to plant plenty more for a show of lolly pops in the spring and will do that in the late Autumn ready for next year.

The peas had new string wound around the bamboo supports so they can climb up them easily and I added extra kitchen waste to the compost bin. I could spend another four days in the garden before I'd be where I want to be with it but sadly work calls for the next three days and I've got three late nights in a row. Ah well, there was just enough time to swing in my hammock whilst reading my book in the late afternoon sun.

I'll add some photos soon but I have just added some photos to the last few posts - the rain drenched plants and the space where the conifers were are now uploaded on earlier posts.Check out Hens v delphiniums, Two down one to go and the Rain post.