Rose Garden Renovations-Chapter 1

On my previous post, I mentioned that we will be renovating-or remodeling our rose garden.  Well we started this monster project this past Saturday.  It isn't the best time I know to be moving roses, but I'm dealing with the fact that the irrigation needs repair, I don't like the general layout becuase they're spread out WAY too far from one another.  This makes it difficult (more so) to care for them because just the roses alone in this current layout covers about an acre!  It's too time consuming for me these days, and also, I've got a HUGE long lavender hedge that has become so robust that I cannot see my somewhat little English Roses.  So there...that's why I'm moving some of my roses in July. 

So here's my dear husband...preparing the soil for the new beds that will wrap around a fountain.

The new Rose Garden design will be more compact- I'm planting my english roses in groups of three per variety for a better effect since they're quite small. I'm combining different varieties in each bed....yes, I know I'm not supposed to do that, but in my book, I like it. The taller Hybrid Teas and Hybrid Perpetuals can be in the middle, and I've even planted some of them in groups of 3-5 for a 'wow' effect.  The smaller musks, damask, rugosas, gallicas, and english will be around the borders, and the beds are all color coordinated.  I love this because it makes the bushes seem they've been there for a hundred years.  Speaking of hundreds of years, we're inserting an antique lead fountain in the center (where you see the brick pool) that I found at an old antique/garden yard.

Here's my all-time favorite rose.  Her name is 'Evelyn'.  A David Austin rose.  I wish I had more of her.  You know 'Crabtree & Evelyn stores?  This is the rose they got their name from.  It's fragrance is out of this world!

I'll post more 'progress' later!

Comments

[Fresh Floral Art]

Love your Blog! Just added you to my typepad list and will be checking back in soon.

[Teresa]

Thanks Michelle; and your's is an inspiration as well...gorgeous!