Legends

Some will ask what this has to do with roses, well you may ask. Ask away. The word and use of it may/is over used. I believe in this instance it has been used in the right context. So here I go, some will know of one of our members Gary/Balinbear from the Bali Capital of Qld in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast. Gary is one of the earliest members to our forum and has given of his knowledge freely whenever asked.
So down to the reason for this post, I have been pestering Gary for months for a way to draw a large pipeline, 3.62kms. Gary has gone to any length to help me out with programs he uses in his work environs, no Gary is not a full-time gardener for his wife Lee. He is a professional line drawer. He even got his son involved as he is studying and also uses lines in his studies. So in the end I drew a rough sketch of what I need and also mentioned I thought That something simpler than professional type programs might work, so on the hunt for the old fashioned 3 sided ruler with different scales on, Hey Presto we are in business. Gary said this would work and with a bit of his time(not sure how much), but you have to send the bill Gary, he sent me a very user friendly scaled map of my pipe-line. So this afternoon I shall play with it.

So many thanks Gary, you are a "LEGEND" in my mind as the tittle of this thread is named..

Thanks David.

Anytime mate. Glad to help.

But Legend? Not too sure about that.

Good on ya Gary. Yep, legend.

And gardening legend too. And the champion of tea roses of times past.

(Thanks for being the tea rose champion, they really are some of the best in my garden).

Yes, thanks Gary for generously sharing your knowledge and 'treasures' from the past ..

Gary, remember the tearose cuttings you sent me that didn't make it??? Since then I've bought quite a few. They're a nice plant - easy care.

Barbara, in my mind Gary is a Legend in many ways as I have said. I could change the word LEGEND = ENABLER as he has in his own way converted/introduced some members of this forum the the world of "teas", I for one have some teas, some were here when we arrived, some I have planted, some are coming this year.

I like them - the only issue I have now is that some are planted in the rose beds alongside HT's and Floribundas and I'd really like them out in the main property border plantings. I find I don't want to prune them and they grow into such beautiful big bushes that they tend to overshadow the others. Can anyone tell me if they'd have been grafted onto a rootstock? I tried to take cuttings again last year but they didn't take. I must be doing something wrong.

Brabara

Most of the roses you buy are grafted onto rootstock. Not that many places sell "own root" roses.

Some of the teas simply won't grow from cuttings but keep trying. I managed to get one to grow last year that I had never struck before (Etoile de Lyon) and now have had two more strike. I have had my main success by simply sticking them in the ground (its fairly sandy soil and I don't think it would work if you have too much clay as the cuttings would get too wet) in the middle of winter and forgetting about them. I do it in an area that we now have fruit trees in and was horse paddock. I dug the last ones out and potted them up on the weekend. I actually had trouble finding them in the knee high grass that had grown over them.

Gary

I can try that in my vegie garden. It's deep sandy loam and has been very well fed over the years. A question - most advice is to take the cuttings at pruning time but I just have a feeling that if I did it now, they might take. Before their winter "sleep". What do you think?

Barbara

I will be doing mine in late May/June which is before the time they usually say to prune (though up here we can prune virtually at any time). Not to sure about down your way though. The cooler weather give time for the roots to develop but I am not sure whether the longer cool period would have an affect.

I know the people in SA use the bag method with great success (I have never had any success at this) but also put cuttings in the ground at different times of the year. I am not sure when they use which method though.

I think it is just a case of keep trying different methods until you strike one that works.

Which roses are you trying? Comtesse de Larbarthe is the easiest up here but others in your areas struggle with it.

Gary

I don't have her, but I'll try with the ones I've bought: Anna Oliver, Devoniensis, Duchess de Brabant, General Gallieni,Lady Hillingdon, Mme de Watteville, Marie van Houtte, Rosette Delizy and Safrano. I had Maman COchet but lost her.

I'd be interested in how you go with the Teas, Barbara. Oh, and by the way, Duchess de Brabant is the common synonym for Comtesse de Labarthe, so you can see how she goes! I have had no end of trouble taking cuttings up here - am trying again later this Autumn!

Barbara, since your down on the peninsula your soil *should* be sandy enough to try Gary's 'stick em in the ground and forget about them' method.

It wouldn't hurt to stick a few cuttings in the vege garden now, would it? You could try a few more in a months, and so on...

PS. How is a Lady Hillingdon for you? She's on my maybe list for this year.

Yep, I'll go with my gut feel and if the time's wrong - too bad. Then I'll try again when I prune. Lady Hillingdon is a good one here.

Barbara B wrote:I don't have her, but I'll try with the ones I've bought:  Anna Oliver, Devoniensis, Duchess de Brabant, General Gallieni,Lady Hillingdon, Mme de Watteville, Marie van Houtte, Rosette Delizy and Safrano.  I had Maman COchet but lost her.

Our Records
Pink - No Luck - Others Almerta Orchid Pink, Snowflake, Adam, Auguste Comte, General Schablikine, Homere, Hugo Roller,  Lady Roberts, Loraine Lee,

Yellow - Have grown them but not a lot of success - others Etoil de Lyon, Papa Gontier,

Blue - Not mentioned but usually have an up to 50% success rate - Mons Tillier, Mrs BR Cant, Comm Riza du Parc, Mme Lambard, Mystery Cream, Peace, Bon Seliene, Papilon, Baronne Henriette de Snoy, Isabella Sprunt, Souv d'un Ami, Alexandra Hill Gray, Francis Durbreuil, Marquis de Vivens, Mrs Dudley Cross, Octavis Weld, Princess de Sagen,

Green - Usually no problems.- others include G.Nabonand, Cottage Pink Hedge, Souvenir de Madame Léonie Viennot, W R Smith, White Mme Cochet, Camnethan House Red ROR, E. Veyrat Hermoanos, Mme Antonnie Marie, Mme Berkeley, Mme de Tartas, Mme Franziska Kruger, Mme Joseph Schwatz, Sylvia Hannah's Dark Pink Tea ROR,

There are others that we haven't tried them.

Barbara, I take my cuttings at this time of year while the sap is still flowing as I don't have much luck in winter when the plants are dormant although I know that is when you should take them. After all if they don't take you havn't lost anything apart from a little time.

You've both talked me into it. I'll give it a go tomorrow.

Awesome! Let us know how you go