- Author: Betsy Buxton
Well, it was supposed to rain today, so I didn't plan on being in the yard working. Alas, it was only gray, windy, and cold –little rain! The roses next to the house and in the large side yard are pruned (all rosarians stay away!), the root rose which keeps coming up next to the deck as been clipped back and sprayed with a product called “Sucker Stop” –it really works, and the last rose in that area is the Rugosa at the corner which grows helter-skelter.
When we prune our roses yearly, we are told to follow the growth pattern of the plant and make our heading and thinning cuts so that the plant is balanced and open. This works for many roses, but Rugosas seem to toss out new growth with no consideration for neatness nor shape. This little guy, it never has grown taller than 2 ½ feet but goes several feet in circumference, is the poster plant for cartoons about roses. There are many thin, extremely thorny branches which delight in snagging clothes and skin, although the deep pink blossoms more than make for the momentary pain from the scratches I endure (the plaintive requests to “give me back my shirt”)! Next up are the OGR (Old Garden Roses that stand guard at the edge of the patio; they have the most beautiful bi-colored roses with wonderful fragrance but mighty wicked thorns. After that I will be the pruning of the ramblers on the pergola which keep the hydrangeas in shade. Still later will be the rose way in the back and the far side yard; these have to wait until the “mud flats” have dried out enough to walk on without “ice skating” on the mud.
We have had 2 large decks at the back of the house for 20+ years, and this might be their last year. Both are in need of decking boards and tweaking to the under pinning and are home to numerous skunks (or some it seems by the smell), and other critters looking for shelter and a warm place to sleep. Also, the steps are getting a little too scary in the evenings and frosty mornings for people of a certain age. Removing the original steps to the back door which are now hidden by the main deck and enlarging them to descend to a paver patio sounds like a lot of work, BUT cheaper and safer in the long run, especially with a handrail or two. I just wonder the critters will go when “home sweet home” disappears.
I'll let you know what the decision is! Don't forget us at the Vallejo Farmers' Market on Saturdays.