• In the rose garden with Ludwig
• Rose Care for June
• Rose of the Month
• News from our Rose centres

 “When the night has been too lonely And the road has been too long, And you think that love is only For the lucky and the strong, Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows Lies the seed that with the sun’s love In the spring becomes the rose…. “

BETTE MIDLER’S song reminds us to plant roses to give us pleasure…

In the Rose Garden with Ludwig:

Driving through Gauteng lately, seeing the magnificence of the Floss Silk Tree (Brazilian Kapok) I wonder if we will ever have a rose tree of that size. It is actually an amazing tree and reading a bit more about it I learnt that the huge prickles (not thorns) just like a rose, actually serve to store water. Is that the actual reason that roses have prickles? This tropical tree is not evergreen. However, the bark of especially younger trees and the upper branches remain very green and do a lot of photosynthesizing until the next crop of leaves have sprouted. When I first saw this fascinating tree I was given the names Chorisia speciosa (which has officially been changed to Cheiba speciosa), Drunken Man’s Tree (originating in South America where it is known in Spanish as Palo Boacho translated meaning drunken stick) and also Kapok Tree. The very large Kapok tree however grows in the tropics of Asia and is Cheiba pentandra. In South Africa Kapok is often referred to as snow. It is clear that Kapok is the silk floss revealed when the fruit bursts open and is used to stuff mattresses. I suppose when the Malayan slaves in South Africa saw their first snow they said this is Kapok and that is how it came about and not the other way around. It is also interesting to know that Cheiba speciosa is botanically related to the Baobab tree Adansonia digitata.

Drunken Man’s Tree or Brazilian Kapok in full bloom

Actually we also have tree Dahlias. They grew to 5m in one season and are only flowering now.

Tree dahlia in full bloom

And our roses have grown so well this past season that they compete with trees. ‘Rooi Rose’ which generally grows to shoulder height has outgrown our cashier, Emily Sthebe, by far.

Emily reaching up to ‘Rooi Rose’

 

 

Emily posing with ‘Liz McGarth’

Coming into June, the official start of our winter, we still have lots and lots of magnificent, large blooms to pick.

My six month-old grandson Gabriel feels quite at home surrounded by so many roses.

 

 

Gabriel in his favourite spot….

 

This is how these outdoor normal garden rose blooms look when arranged for table decorations. They are for a function at the German School and I wonder if Gabriel appreciates that it is the school where he will likely spend 12 years of his life.

 

 

Gabriel amongst the garden rose arrangements

 

We have secured rose blooms to supply you with for any functions throughout the winter months.

 

In October when all roses are in full bloom even I get bedazzled and obviously overlook some very special flowering bushes. Now, when I come across such super performers I can fully appreciate them. Here are the images of roses that captured me this last week:

 

 

Cordwalles Centenary Rose

 

 

Harmonie

 

 

Johannesburg Sun

 

 

Golden Monica

 

 

Caribbean

 

 

Klerksdorp Horizon

 

 

Spiced Coffee

 

For this year at least it was opportune to have cancelled the rose tour to Germany. From all accounts, they are still experiencing winter weather.

 

Step by Step Rose Care for June:

If your roses are still flourishing there is not much to do in the rose garden in June except to enjoy the last blooms of summer.

 

Your roses might be in various stages depending on their growth, the recent fertilising and watering and obviously the climate.

 

 

Mister Lincoln still boasts many leaves, which are storing food for the winter

 

 

The lower leaves of Nicolette and Lisa are not black spot infected, but are yellowing from

maturity as they have done their duty converting sugar into starches and sent it down for winter storage

 

 

Iceberg: note the difference of every second row that has been hedge clipped

 

 

Simply Charming allowed to go into winter dormancy

 

 

This Bride’s Dream bush has produced hundreds of blooms over the season and carried on flowering into winter

 

Pruning or just cutting back roses in June in most regions when temperatures are still sufficiently high and there is moisture in the ground encourages the immediate sprouting of the eyes. However, without leaves on the remaining stems, such new shoots will mostly be blind and they would have diminished the stored food. These short blind shoots will eventually re-sprout in August, so it is not that the bushes are set back or will die, although they are bound to catch black spot or even worse, Downy Mildew in the winter rainfall region. The most suitable time for rose pruning is the second half of July. Pruning early in very cold regions such as Harrismith or Dullstroom does not encourage immediate sprouting, but may induce early sprouting in August only to be damaged by late frost.

 

 

A denuded rose plant re-sprouting before winter

 

 

A denuded rose plant re-sprouting before winter

 

If you are worried about their lack of performance, replant them according to the procedure we have detailed on our website:  Here is what one of our readers residing in Westville, Durban wrote.

“You won’t be surprised to learn that you’re right yet again.

When I asked you what I should do about my infestation with downy mildew you replied that I should bury cardboard boxes, fill them with potting soil, and plant the roses in the boxes. That would seem to be a crazy answer unless one interprets it as saying that my roses are under stress because of poor soil conditions, and that the stress makes them susceptible to disease.

You may have forgotten, or never known, that when we moved in here about thirty years ago there was no soil at all. The house was sliced into the top of a shale hill, and the bankside was raw shale. What I did was to dig the shale out (personally), in beds when I was still entirely vigorous, and in holes later, to thigh depth. Then I imported soil, mixed it with compost and supers, and so made beds in which the roses flourished for many years.

Since then I’ve been using a garden fork in the beds at pruning time, to loosen the top soil but in order not to disturb the “wood-wide web” below that level.

So when you recommended the box trick I got a strong labourer in, gave him a spade, and told him to dig. He got down to the level of the garden fork I’d been using. The rest, below that, is hard clay again. Heavens knows how good garden soil can transform itself into rock-hard clay! Anyway, I’m going to ask him to do all the beds, and we’ll see what the roses look like in spring. Thanks for your advice.”

 

 

Digging in an old rose bedding for new roses

 

I recently came across this information below, which coincides with my observation even though I didn’t know how it worked. I suppose this interconnection is difficult if each plant is in its isolated hole in rock-hard shale.

 

Carried out by researchers from the University of Aberdeen, the James Hutton Institute and Rothamsted Research, the study demonstrated that the plants are able to send warnings of incoming aphids to other plants connected to their network. The plants then send out a chemical signal that repels aphids and attracts wasps, a natural aphid predator. The research follows previous findings that have shown plants can communicate similar chemical warnings through the air. The new study says plants can connect with other via a common fungus known as mycorrhizae. “Mycorrhizal fungi need to get

from the plant, and they have to do something for the plant,” John Pickett of Rothamsted Research told the BBC.”In the past, we thought of them making nutrients available from the [roots and soil], but now we see another evolutionary role for them in which they pay the plant back by transmitting the signal efficiently,” he said. University of Aberdeen’s David Johnson added, “Our understanding of ecological systems has not considered the fact that plants are interconnected in this way. It could have major implications for our understanding of how one organism affects another.” Conversely, the plants in the study not connected to the fungal network did not send out warning signals to other plants after coming under attack. The in-network plants were also covered with bags to ensure that they were not actually sending the signals through the air. Pickett said the discovery could lead to farms using the fungi as an advance warning system for their crops. In theory, one “sacrificial” plant would be kept at a distance from the crops. If it fell under attack from insects, it would warn the rest of the plants, giving them time to mount a viable defence.

 

Every year we plant Namaqualand Daisies at the edges of our prominent rose beds, Primula malacoides in some shady spots and even some Calendulas, which are starting to flower. There are also Poppies in between the roses in of some of the beds. It is getting late and if you haven’t yet done so, purchase flowering annuals from a local nursery.

 

We are often asked when is the best time to plant roses and my standard reply is “today”. In the old days when roses where sold as bare root plants the only planting time was July or August. Planting out roses from containers (nursery bags) the timing truly does not matter. However, for the rose that still has its leaves, to be planted out in autumn to early winter is most advantageous. It will concentrate in developing new roots and only then new growth. Here are images of roses that were planted out about a month ago and have already put on beautiful new shoots that will likely flower before we have any severe frost. Even with early frost arriving they would not be harmed and would get going in August again to look like an old established rose bush in October.

 

 

Granny’s Delight newly planted is flourishing right into winter and will be covered in blooms by October

 

Rose of the Month: 

 

GARDEN and HOME DELanac(N)

 

 

 

Named for the 50^th anniversary of the well known gardening magazine in 2001 this variety has become a true favourite. It is tough, healthy and produces bunches of charming, fragrant blooms of the full nostalgic shape. The colour is a blend of soft apricot to cream with a touch of pink in bud stage.

 

News from our Rose Centres:

 

Ludwig’s Rose Farm north of Pretoria on the N1 motorway: Looking back, our Spiced Coffee Restaurant was “full house” on Mother’s Day for breakfast and lunch and it was nice to see that most if not all enjoyed a walk through the flowering roses and made use of a tractor train ride through the farm.

 

 

Wine tasting at our Mother’s Day lunch

 

The restaurant will be hosting a special Father’s Day lunch this 16th.

Bookings are necessary: Contact Talhat at spicedcoffee@ludwigsroses.co.za | 012 544 0144

 

We also had a mountain bike race all around the roses and they had to do a couple of laps to make up the kilometres.

 

 

Mountain bikers unwinding after the race

 

Coming up on Thursday 6 June is an adventure race duo of mountain bike, trial run with a twist of Airgun action!

There is also a fun race for the kids. Enter online www.cyclelab.com or on the day. Read more here

 

Sungarden’s Hospice hosted a fundraiser wine & cheese tasting event at our dam side. It is a lovely autumn spot.

 

 

Relaxing at the dam side

 

Pruning will only start in July and, weather depending, the roses will keep on providing a show.

 

Our tour to Italy is rather popular and so we shall be offering Autumn tours this September

The first tour leads us to Florence, Lucca, Viareggio and Livorno where we visit famous rose gardens, live and cook in a villa, and enjoy cultural sights. When: Sept: 11- 20 Sept More info

The second tour will around Tivoli, Pienza, Montepulciano and other towns where we visit gardens, cook and enjoy cultural tours.  When: Sept 21 – 30 2013 More info

 

 

La Foce garden in Tuscany

 

 

Entrance to La Foce gardens

 

 

Historical Garden, Ninfa

 

 

Fountains at Villa d’Este

 

Ludwig’s SOLEIL Cut Roses in Lynnwood Road, Pretoria: There will still be cut roses available out of the enclosed greenhouses. The garden roses do well and it is of course a convenient place to stock up on Planting Mix (which is the very best soil conditioner), Peanut shell mulch, sprays and not to forget the best pruning tools.

 

Ludwig’s Roses EGOLI in Glenferness, JHB:  The roses still look good and our landlord has started with the construction of a shop and tea room.

If this gets to you before Saturday 1^st June I will be giving a presentation on the whole gambit of rose care to the Gold Reef Rose Society at 10h30 and you are welcome to join in.

 

Ludwig’s Roses Winelands near Stellenbosch: Despite the winter rains having started the roses are flowering and fresh stock has arrived from Pretoria.

 

Ludwig’s STAR Roses in Hillcrest, KZN: I will be giving my annual pruning demo at Star on Sat 29 June, 10h30 and Sun 30 June, 10h30.

 

We will have a stand with plants for sale at the East Coast House & Garden show from 28 June to 7 July. I will be there on Sat 29 June from 14h00 – 16h00 to meet and greet rose lovers at our stand.

 

And finally, we welcome Jans Delport to our team at Ludwig’s Star Roses.