Member rose garden   Listing last updated on 18 Apr 2024.

Dean Park,
Sydney, New South Wales
Australia

Alas I left this garden in 2008, but in leaving it, left some of my soul behind. I have now given birth to a new garden and named it Giardino de Speranza which is somewhat on a smaller scale. The 80 roses patiently share their space with my two beloved furkids and some feral giant salvia plants which I am having to to allow my climbers more light, water and feed. No mean task, and I will miss the salvia who brighten up the dullest winter day here with their cheerie blooms which fall to form a vast colourful carpet on the lawn.
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This garden comprises [around 300] mainly David Austin's "English Roses" on a very small block (557 sq mtrs) in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The roses are offset by plantings of perennials, some native shrubs (mostly prostanthera's & small growing scented or varigated folliage types), some vegies (lettuce, chives, red cabbage, spinach, tomatos, strawberries etc and a few annuals. It is landscaped in a curving manner to maximise the use of available space. The majority of roses in this garden are now 8 years old whilst some are older and some as young as a few months.

Apart from English Roses, the garden also has some Tea, China, Rugosa, Portland, Bourbon, Gallica, and other Antique roses and have to confess to a HT (Peace) and some miniatures (gifts from well meaning friends & relatives). The garden is also host to several specimen trees, azaleas, fuchsia's, bulbs, helleborus, orchids, geraniums (pelargoniums & cranesbill), ferns, begonias. various climbers and other odds and sods.

Maintenance notes:
It is worth noting that I do not use any form of chemicals whatsoever on this garden and usually feed organic pelleted manures containing essential minerals etc. I generally feed in September only. I do not use any so called "organic pest/fungal" control either. I am much, much too busy (work full time) and far too lazy to spray. The roses are clipped using hedge shears whenever the mood takes me and time is ample, other than that the only pruning they get is when I pick bunches of blooms.

Sydney has a high humid climate in the summer with little rainfall (& we usually have water restrictions for months) and high temperatures, and whilst most of the roses get some blackspot, they get over it in around two weeks time and put on new leaves and growth. Aphids get gobbled up by the Ladybird and bird population, so only appear for a week or so in the early spring.

In general, I believe that roses are tough and don't need the mollycoddling most inflict on them, after all, the antiques survived for thousands of years without our aide. (Oct 2003)