Pruning, pips and planting

Life at Towerwater has its unique rhythm. Although many of the tasks on the homestead are repetitive, there is always something new to the routine. Mid-July sees ten intensive days of pruning, cleaning and preening in readiness for spring.

Everything gets pruned, cut back and cleaned. Fresh manure, compost, broken apricot/peach pips and mulch are brought in by the ton. Last year, we used horse manure in the garden with good results for the fruit trees but not quite the desired effect for the roses. This year we decided to use cow manure in the hope that it will have a different result. We prefer sheep manure, but that seems to be very illusive to source.

In the rosarium, we decided to replace Satchmo in the red section. Not because the bush had died, but after 26 years, the plant was not performing well anymore. We decided to replace Satchmo with an old-style English rose, L.D. Braithwaite. The rose L.D. Braithwaite was cultivated from `Mary Rose' and `The Squire'. It is loved by rose-growers the world over. The bright crimson colour and fragrance seduced us into introducing it into the rosarium.

Although the roses did not respond positively to the horse manure in the early season, the plants were stronger in the end. This provided for a lot more to work with when we pruned. The pruning of the roses becomes an activity shared with the town. Friends and neighbours walking by exchange encouragements and some, strangers among them, stop to ask for cuttings.

Through the exercise of pruning and sharing cuttings, we meet other gardeners who share their plants in return. The good karma of gardening is spread around the neighbourhood.

Freshly pruned roses with the mulch raked back and soil turned 

Freshly pruned roses with the mulch raked back, soil turned and manure placed in bed

After pruning the roses, the old mulch is raked aside, and the soil is turned before the manure is fed into the bed. With the manure in place, the mulch is raked back into position and is refreshed with new mulch added.

The roses with their layer of mulch

With the rosarium pruned, pipped and planted, the winter routine for the roses was complete. Now they can rest and prepare to enchant passing townsfolk with their spring display.