Time to feed roses - Oct 19, 2018

"Dark Desire” doesn’t disappoint

I can’t believe how quickly gardens have responded to this beautiful rain. We’ve got Camellias here at the nursery that have dropped all their leaves and then these have been replaced with fresh new growth almost overnight. You will notice that your Camellias at home will be covered in fresh new growth too.

We’ve also noticed that our potted Rose Bushes have never looked better. They are all covered in fresh new growth and they are bursting into bloom with fragrant flowers. If you love roses visit us now and you can sniff test before you buy.

The Macarthur Rose which is growing in our carpark garden has never looked better. It’s got the biggest flowers I’ve ever seen on a Rose. I took a photo up above to share with you. The Macarthur Rose has more petals than almost any other Rose, and that’s why the flowers are so big.

But it also has long stems and this makes this rose perfect for picking. It can last up to 2 weeks in a vase. You will enjoy the beautiful red blooms and the fragrance.
We have beautiful potted plants in the nursery today and they are covered in buds and flowers too.

If you’ve got roses at home, check the new growth for Aphids. These sap sucking insects attack the new growth and the buds. This causes the foliage to grow twisted and distorted and often the flowers just don’t open.

Aphids can be controlled using non poisonous sprays like Pestoil.
We use Yates Rose Gun in our nursery because it controls all insects and fungus. When you get wet weather like this black spot is sure to follow.

A new rose bush called “Dark Desire” burst into bloom this week. This roses has the most amazing write up on the label.
It was bred by Kordes Rose Nursery in Germany and it’s in their Parfuma Series. These roses must have amazing fragrance and high disease resistance.

Well this week I got to sniff test Dark Desire and it didn’t disappoint. This rose has a 5 star rating for fragrance from me.
It has almost black buds that open into a petalicious maroon coloured bloom that really packs a punch. We have nice plants in the nursery covered in buds and blooms. If you love perfumed roses then add this one to your collection.

The “Blue Girls” came in this week.
Ruth and Sharon are mother and daughter. They don’t live together, but when Sharon turned up today her mum was dressed just like her. I must be part Bower Bird because I was attracted to them.

Ruth lives in Ruse, and she was after two plants to grow in pots. It was in the sun, and the pots were at least 50cms across the top.
“What can i grow?” was Ruth’s opening question.

We started with Geraniums, Ruth wasn’t impressed. She hates the smell of the leaves, but she did admit that they looked fabulous.
I showed her other flowering plants, but then she told me she was after something on a stick!!!!!

So you want a Lollipop Plant?
“Yes that’s what I want”
I show her these Lillypilly’s and she said
“I’ll take them”. Just like that.

I love a customer who can make up their mind. Ruth knew what she wanted, she just didn’t know what they were called.

The Blue Girls have been out to lunch.
Sharon takes her mum to West’s Leagues club every week. They are usually a blue club of three, Ruth’s sister Mabel, usually comes too.

Ruth didn’t muck around.
Once she got the plants, it was home time.
Just like that.

This week we’ve topdressed our front lawn.
We had bare patches caused by the drought so we spread our Tim’s Topdressing over these patches with the back of a yard broom. We spread it thinly so the tips of the grass show through.
This amazing product will make the grass spread quickly and the bare patches will disappear leaving no room for the weeds to grow. If you’ve got bare patches in your lawn come and get a few bags of Tim’s Famous Topdressing. It’s cheap. 2 bags for $16.00. It’s great for fixing holes dug by dogs too!!!!

Have you heard about a plant that’s commonly called Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow? The flowers come out dark mauve then fade to white as they age. It makes the plant look like it has 3 different coloured flowers on the one plant. Which it does.
Its botanically known as Brunfelsia. It’s in the nightshade family, and like other plants in this family it’s poisonous to dogs, cats and horses.
I spotted this beauty (see photo above) growing in Menangle. There are some beautiful old world plants in these gardens.
The best Brunfelsia you’ll see are nearly always in morning sun positions like this one.
They come in small, medium and tall growing forms. This beauty is at least 3 metres high.
It has a sweet perfume too.
You will see them flowering throughout the Macarthur District now. The rain has transformed plants like this into a floral splendour.

It’s going to be the best season on record for Jacarandas and Crepe Myrtles too.
If you love Jacarandas don’t forget my son Dan rescues them from gardens then pots them up for you to buy. He sells them for $5.00 at the nursery. These plants have never been pot bound so they grow super fast when you plant them. We have about 200 at the nursery today. Do a guerrilla tree planting in your local park or school.

Have you planted Cucumbers yet?
These fast growing ground covering plants produce sweet tasting cucumbers all summer long. Grow them in your veggie garden or in a pot. Pick the cucumbers early then slice and add olive oil and salt.
It’s the quickest salad on the planet!
We have seeds and plants today.
Lebanese cucumbers are my favourite.
There is still plenty of time to plant tomatoes. They are loving the rain.
You’ve got no excuse now not to plant up the veggie garden. We’ve got the rain now, and everything you plant is going to grow.
Come and see us for the best seedlings.
Lisa can help you choose.

Dig our Tim’s Cow Manure into your soil first for best results. It’s real Cow Manure.
It’s fun to be back in the garden.
Come and see us if you need help
Happy gardening
Tim