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Saturday 1st July, 2023

Hi

Quite the process
You have seen pics of the setup and I have to pass comment that it's just a delight to have shelter to work in. There was quite a bit in the planning -  deciding the size of the shelter, position and how it was all going to work as all the potted roses have to hauled up the hill to the garden centre to be put away. With this squally weather, it's really nice to be under some sort of cover and protection from the worst of the weather. A concrete floor that sweeps and cleans up beautifully and of course a few extra hands that seem to have made light of this project of potting the roses. There are still some roses to pot, but I think that we have nailed more than three quarters of 24k in approx 2.5 weeks which is a record for us as far as I am concerned.
With Cecilia who scans in, three to four root trimmers, labellers and from 3 to 6 potters there is plenty of time for all kinds of conversations and to chew the fat over everything from...... I will leave that to your imagination, but one of the newbies started the chat about how to grow a rose bush. I know that many of you will have read this spiel before but there is obviously a place for those that haven't.
This conversation started with the root stock and that there are a couple of different ways to produce a stock. One such way is growing a rose seedling and budding into the seedling plant but most growers will grow a cutting. There will be a dedicated bed to Rose Rosa multiflora which will grow very long and thornless canes. In my day in the nursery, these canes are harvested and band sawn into lengths of approx 20 cm for bush roses, 50cm for patio standards and 90 cm for floribunda standards. These lengths have to be blinded or the buds along the stem removed except for the top one so that the root stock doesn't grow. A sharp pocketknife and plenty of patience is needed as you slice each bud off the stem, not to deep but just deep enough to remove the main buds and its associate side buds. When you look at a standard rose you will see the scar tissue from where the buds have been removed, well until they are a few more years on and then they mostly disappear.
 
We used to tie the blinded rose canes in bundles and set into beds of sand with some bottom heat to callus or produce tissue more likely to grow roots. Once this process has happened the canes are inserted into the fields in beds of polythene mulch with the remaining bud facing upwards and this will grow, producing a living rootstock. Over the summer months budders insert into the stock a bud from the rose that they want to grow. A T shape cut is made with a budding knife and a flange on the reverse side of the blade lifts the flaps of the T shaped cut. The knife then slices a bud off the budstick which is then inserted into the stock and either tied in or patched with a special patch.
Once the buds have taken the remaining rootstock bud that has now grown into quite the bush is removed so that the growth goes into the now new inserted bud...once the bud grows these are then headed back to force the now new rose bush to branch. All in all, roughly a 2-year process to when these are lifted in the winter and dispatched to a place like us.
On the whole, our new season of dealing with orders has gone really well and we have put aside all the paid orders and these are being collected or couriered as we get closer to completing the rose potting. As per with all living plants some of the suppliers have cut us back on what they confirmed that we would receive and so apologies to those that may have missed out on a specific rose but it's been beyond our control. Cecilia and I did discuss that it may have been a difficult season for the growers with all the rain that we have had.
Next week it will be the beginning of the trees to pot 
Introducing Glenavon roses, Check them all out by following link
We are lucky to still have some reputable rose breeders in NZ and last week we wrote about the Matthews family and Bob who had bred his "My Collection"  from My Mum. This week, Rob Somerfield, who also has been breeding roses for many years with health and free flowering in mind. Just what we all need as not many plants flower as freely as roses and its better that they are hardy to boot.
"I started breeding roses in 1983 and right from the start I set myself high standards, emphasizing the most important aspect of a rose is good health. It is my long held view that it is pointless producing a stunning flower if the plant on which it sits is a dud. The next most important attributes in my mind are freedom of flowering and quick repeat. However, good foliage, bush shape, weather tolerance and beauty of the flower are also all on the list of standards that must be achieved. To accomplish all of the above, as well as fragrance, is the ultimate success"

  
There are some pretty cool and unique colours in Rob's roses and Lemon n lime is hugely popular as a green shaded rose.. A reputation for health and free flowering has endeared this one to all. A multi award-winning rose bred by Rob Somerfield of NZ that created a sensation at the NZ Rose of the Year trials. The glowing florescent cream blooms with lime tinges are distinctive and certainly make a statement.
Green with Envy is the later addition to green shade roses and again I love this one too. Stunning new release from Rob Somerfield. Green With Envy will delight with tight, long lasting buds that have a touch of colour and open to gorgeous green blooms. Flowers last long on the bush and in a vase.   I can imagine them in a vase foiling off against deep red roses but the floral work applications are probably limitless
Ink Spots won in The Pacific Rose Bowl, 2022, three awards, including The Best NZ Red Rose and the Children's Choice awards and is also stunningly unique with its pretty flowers all ink spotted. Covered in masses of white blooms with a burgundy center. In full bloom, you can barely see the foliage. The compact growing plant is very healthy with glossy dark green leaves.
Some newbies that I haven't seen yet in flower and will look forward to in the garden centre this year

  
Grandma's Rose, Floribunda. This rose clothes itself with stunningly beautiful red-purple flowers that open into an old fashioned style. The dark green glossy foliage compliments the blooms well and it is a highly fragrant variety. I am sure that ‘Grandma’s Rose’ will be loved by all the grandmas out there. Grandma’s Rose, bred by Rob Somerfield, was the winner of the 2019 Gold Star of the South Pacific.
Smart Choice Hybrid Tea. It has gorgeous large fuchsia pink blooms with a lighter reverse.The bush is a medium height with a tidy compact growth habit. This rose is very showy in full bloom. Ideal rose for picking. Merit award in Palmerston North trial grounds, New Zealand 2020
Effervescence is a strong climber with rich cream blooms that age to near white as they open and has dark glossy foliage and the added bonus of having very few thorns.
A couple of my faves that I have watched in the garden centre over the years. Little Miss Perfect, I just love the shade/colour of this one, sooooo pretty. Diamond Design combines that classic Hybrid tea form with a mostly white bloom delicately edged in blush pink. Blackberry Nip has stunning fragrance and that depth of colour in deep purple... imagine planted against yellow roses.
There are many roses that have been bred by this very clever and enthusiastic rose breeder. Too many to list here and we have many of them in stock right now all for the looking. The weather is not meant to be that flash this weekend but gardening  could entail scrolling through all the new seasons roses in stock  and perhaps more specifically Glenavon roses, planning for when its a tad drier.
Got Questions on Roses ? Pruning, Varieties, Care or Feeding
Then mark these dates in your calendar and come on out to the nursery and get the lowdown on all things roses from those that one of their favourite things is to grow perfect roses. With thanks to the Waikato Rose Society members who give up their time to spend with our clients and share their knowledge.
Thursday 13th July 10.30 - 12.30               
Sunday 16th July 11 - 1pm  
Saturday 29th July 1 - 3pm
It's that time of year and so I hope you are managing to get those lime sulphurs or copper and oil sprays onto your roses though it could be a tad tricky with all that precipitation that keeps falling out of the sky. There is still plenty of time to prune your roses so don't stress. In the Waikato and probably in reality for most of NZ just before bud burst which is usually late August. So, if you want some free tips or just some reminders, then come out on one of our July sessions. I know that the guys come out armed with material so that you can actually visualize the different age and types of wood. Register your interest on our facebook events page.
Other new arrivals.. Magnolias, and Judas trees ( Cercis )
If you look around some of these are flowering already and even I think that it's way too early. Maybe it has something to do with the abnormally warm temps that we seem to be having though I do know some of the deep colour varieties like Vulcan are early. Some that have just arrived in are Black Tulip which is one of the best deep purples if you ask me.
 
Denudata alba is another quite early one and still one of the best whites around if you ask me, I do have a soft spot for all the whites and so check out David Clulow with its massive flowers. Limelight with its lemon yellow blooms for something a bit different. Genie and Brixton Belle both have a reputation for being smaller in stature. Genie being again deep purple, Brixton Belle rich pink.
 
Judas trees make for handsome smaller trees and fresh in this week is Hearts of Gold with its heart shaped golden foliage. Merlot is like Forest pansy though maybe a slightly bigger tree but with the same handsome purple foliage. Ruby Falls should be one that I put in my garden being like a weeping form of the popular Forest pansy. lastly Texas White with the traditional green leaves and of course gets its name from the icy white pea like flowers borne along the stems in classic Cercis style.

 
Gosh, these school holidays come around quickly or is it just my age and it's Friday again to boot, the start of yet another weekend if Monday to Friday is your normal routine. On top of that note there is another stat holiday looming on the Friday 14th of July being Matariki and so for the record we are open all day as usual from 8.30 to 5pm.
What ever your plans, have a fabulous Winter weekend, 
Cheers from Lloyd, Tony and the Wairere team.

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Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, R D 1, Hamilton 3281 Ph: (07) 824 3430 Email: