Greetings everyone and a warm welcome to all my new subscribers this month. Warmer temperatures have seen everything burst into colour, it is an exciting time in the garden.
Regardless of how large or small your garden, the conditions are not the same in every corner. Discovering and learning to manage the micro-climates in your garden is both a challenge and a joy. The sunniest position in my garden is always the first to bloom, but the shadier areas give me something to look forward to.
So many of you let me know how much you enjoyed seeing Renoir’s paintings last month, so this time I am featuring another impressionist artist and I think he might be a new one for you too!
The more time you take to sit in your garden and observe what is going on, the more you find to delight you. I discovered a new friend in my garden, who is hard at work assisting some roses who have special issues.
As we adjust to the changing conditions around us, I hope you can take a moment to enjoy this month’s inspiration.
Rugosa Belle Poitevine is always one of the first roses to bloom for me in Spring. It was bred in France by Georges Bruant in 1894. Georges lived in Poitiers in southwest France, a region which is considered one of the sunniest in France, second only to Provence. All this sunshine must have assisted Georges as he bred not only roses, but geraniums, petunias and chrysanthemums too.
Inhabitants of Poitiers are referred to as Poitevins or Poitevines hence the name of the rose.
Not only a breeding ground for new plants, the Poitevin Hound and a French breed of draft horse called the Poitevin also came from this region.
Also in this region of France can be found Marais Poitevin, a large area of marshland which has become a popular destination for boating. Consisting of many islets and criss-crossing canals it has been nicknamed The Green Venice.
Another rugosa rose in my garden which always blooms after the Belle Poitevine, is Rugosa Hansa which is deep reddish purple in colour and has a strong clove fragrance.
This one was bred by Schaum & Van Tol in the Netherlands in 1905. I believe the Van Tols had a nursery in Boskoop.
Since the 1400’s Boskoop has been an important area for the cultivation of plants, and today it is still famous for its nurseries, around 774 of them are situated on long stretches of land, divided by narrow canals (pictured below).
The Belle de Boskoop is an apple cultivar which originated in Boskoop, where it began as a chance seedling in 1856 and it received an Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1897. The aromatic flesh remains crisp and firm when cooked making it ideal for pies.
Some of you have been asking me to show a video of my garden, and so I thought I would experiment with just a small section to begin with, the Sun Border. Apologies about the audio being very soft.
As you will see, the Sun Border is the section along our driveway, and it is the only part of the garden which gets full sun. Consequently, the roses in this section are the first to bloom and bloom freely.
The video was taken before the large wind storm on the 28th/29th October and although I lost a few petals and blooms in the windy conditions, my horizontal stakes, which I had put in the garden just recently to hold up the weight of the blooms, stopped any of the canes from getting broken. Please click on the picture above to view the video).
Some roses need to be fastened to a solid structure and trained to climb where you want them to go, other roses are just happy to find their own way in the world. My Climbing Pinkie fits into the second category, and, in spite of the shady conditions, is thriving as it grows through a correa (native fuschia) bush. It constantly surprises me with flowers appearing almost from nowhere, and this year the blooms began with
this heart-shaped cluster. Below you can see how the correa bush provides an organic natural structure for the rose to climb through.
Capturing the Sea and the Sunshine
Carlo Perindani (1899-1986) was an Italian impressionist painter born in Milan. He moved to Capri in 1924 and stayed there for the rest of his life, where he became known for his paintings of the sea and sunny courtyards.
Below are some of his works for you to enjoy.
I am sure you are all keen to meet my new friend. Her name is Illeis galbula or the Fungus-eating Ladybird. This yellow and black beetle is native to Eastern Australia and you may find her in the vegetable patch feeding on powdery mildew on your zucchini and pumpkin plants or very occasionally roses! Remember if you remove the leaves which are just starting to show the signs of developing powdery mildew, you can stop a
serious outbreak from occurring.
As we head into our final month of Spring, I will leave you with some blossom and bees and my warmest wishes.
Until next time,
Love and roses,
Michelle
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My Novel: Rose Garden Reverie
A story of transformation set in a rose garden with rose care tips throughout the seasons.
The soft cover book is 110 pages long and costs $20 (Australian Dollars) per copy via the button below with free shipping worldwide.
Also available from online book sellers.
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May the beauty of nature inspire you everyday
Michelle Endersby Art
www.michelleendersbyart.com
phone: 0400 473 173
[email protected]
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