To some extent the whole garden could be said to be a trial area as one of the aims of the Society is to establish which plants grow well in Lakeland conditions.

 

Over the years the LHS has also been involved in formal trials of such herbaceous plants as poppies, delphinium, agapanthus, asters and others for the 'Gardening Which?' magazine and has published reports on these in its own journal.

 

The Society has conducted and published the results of its own trials on phlox, viola and strawberries and is, at present, running trials on David Austin roses.

 

 

Trial of David Austin Roses  - Update Summer 2009

 

At last!  A year when it's actually possible to enthuse over the roses!

 

After a cool May we (like everyone else) had a hot June, but with enough heavy showers to avoid any drought problems.   The roses have responded accordingly, the only problem being that green fly have been particularly prolific, so much so that the roses have been sprayed a couple of times.

 

Before last November's planting, the fence was extended to include the whole bed in an effort to keep the deer away. It worked, while we had lots of damage elsewhere in the garden.  Happily the Society has now invested in a proper deer fence round the whole of the garden, and all fencing from round the rose trial bed has been removed.  Rabbits are still a problem in parts of the garden, but don't seem interested in the roses at present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feeding and pruning regimes are the same as in recent years.  Generally pruning is fairly light where there is healthy, vigorous wood, whereas it is heavier where growth is weaker.  

 

For the first time, the Crocus Rose was cut back to about half its height and quite a few of the older stems were thinned.  This treatment has also been given to The Mayflower.  Any plant which was moved, of course, was cut back harder.  The one exception was Wild Edric, which is only pruned to keep within the space available - it doesn't seem to mind (or even notice!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several varieties, both original and more recent plantings, have been real stars: Port Sunlight, Crocus Rose, The Mayflower, Wildeve and Wild Edric (now about six feet in every direction) - all lovely healthy plants with masses of flowers and lots more still to come.  November 2008 plantings were slow to get going (we had a prolonged very cold spell through January/February) but now look healthy.

 

Wisley 2000, the slowest off the mark - still no buds (as of July 2009) and stems to no more than a foot, but healthy and progressing.

 

Lady Emma Hamilton and Sir John Betjeman - still small, but healthy and beginning to flower.

 

James Galway - now developing nicely with plenty of buds.

 

The Alexandra Rose - the best, to date, of the new plantings - nice leafy plants with a sprinkling of pretty flowers.

 

The original plants were moved last November (Golden Celebration, Crown Princess Margarita, The Pilgrim and Noble Antony) and are all doing well in their new positions.  None seems set back or to be suffering from any soil problems.  The Pilgrim, in particular, seems happier in its new position (rather less exposed, but also less sunny).  The other original variety is Mortimer Sackler, which is again proving a reliable, healthy performer, now stabilised at a bit over six feet on the trellis.

 

Darcey Bussell was rather slow into flower, but soon caught up - good plants, lovely flowers, gorgeous scent.

 

Munstead Wood has lots of flowers on low, rather floppy bushes, but the colour is very special.

 

Queen of Sweden and Benjamin Britten have both made good, four-foot bushes with lots of gorgeous flowers.

 

Benjamin is less well leafed but appears healthy and vigorous.

 

Princess Alex. of Kent has huge flowers on healthy bushes.

 

 

If you would like to see the roses, they are in one of the trial beds above the paddock.   Roses are also growing in other parts of the Gardens including the walled garden.

 

  

Click here to see our rose trials gallery.