Latest news with #DavidAustin
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Irish Sun
Shoppers are racing to snap up bargain ‘flower of the month' scanning at top supermarket for just £3
SHOPPERS have been racing to snap up the bargain 'flower of the month' which is scanning at a top supermarket for just £3. Whether set on a table or placed by a windowsill, they add instant style to any space. Advertisement 3 Shoppers have been racing to snap up a bargain 'flower of the month' which is scanning at a top supermarket for just £3 Credit: Getty 3 Roses are the June flower of the month according to Bloom and Wild Credit: Sainsburys 3 Sainsbury's are selling a gorgeous mini rose plant for only £3 Credit: Getty In medieval Europe, the flowers became symbols of love and royalty, often featured in heraldry and art. And they have been cherished for their beauty, fragrance, and timeless appeal. Roses are the most commonly known birth month flowers for June according to The beautiful flowers with delicate petals come in many colours, such as red, pink , white, and yellow. Advertisement The rose is also the national flower of England, the United States and the Maldives but they can be very costly. Luckily, one popular supermarket is offering this stunning flower for a price that's difficult to beat. mini rose plant for just £3 and customers have been loving the bargain. "Bought two of these for Mothers Day. One for me & my Daughter its lovely," exclaimed one happy shopper. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Another added: "This is a beautiful rose perfect for a treat for Mother's Day and can be put outside once flowers have bloomed." "Always try and buy these from Sainsbury's as they are great value and my friends love them as gifts," declared another. Everyone can spot the pot plants - but you have 20-20 vision & high IQ if you can find five red roses in just 19 seconds A fourth shopper said: "I bought this approx ten days ago. Adds joy to my kitchen and incredible value at £3." While another said: "I bought this for my daughter-in-law and she is delighted with it." Advertisement Meanwhile, peony season has arrived and can now get their hands on fresh cut And another supermarket giant - Sainsbury's - sell a similar bouquet for £6. Interesting Facts About Roses Roses are beloved around the world, cherished for their beauty, fragrance, and timeless appeal - here are some interesting facts. The rose is the national flower of England, the United States and the Maldives. Roses are edible and have been used in cooking and medicine for centuries. They are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. The scent of roses can improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety. The world's oldest living rose is thought to be over 1,000 years old. It grows on the wall of the Cathedral of Hildesheim in Germany. The largest rose bush in the world is located in Tombstone, Arizona. Planted in 1885, it covers an area of over 9,000 square feet. The world's most expensive rose, the Juliet Rose, was introduced to the public by rose breeder David Austin at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2006. This unique flower took 15 years to create and cost more than £3 million to produce. Shoppers are also running to Lidl to snap up a "pretty" plant that will give gardens a major flower boost - And Morrisons shoppers have been snapping up outdoor kids toys, including a Advertisement Many parents seemed keen to snap up the items ahead of summer. One person shared: 'The bench is cool.' Read more on the Irish Sun Another added: 'Let's get the garden ready!' And a third commented: 'We need to go in here.' Advertisement
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Stunning 15th century UK castle with a feature that will 'take your breath away'
The 15th century castle is one of the oldest and grandest brick buildings in the country and is a great day out for the family. Did you know that just nestled away in South East England, you can discover one of the oldest brick buildings still standing in the UK? With a sprawling estate covering approximately 300 acres and magnificent gardens, it's the ideal spot for a family day out. Nestled in Hailsham, Sussex - a stone's throw north of Eastbourne - lies Herstmonceux Castle. Pronounced 'herst-mon-zoo', this historic castle was built around 1441 by Sir Roger Fiennes, Treasurer of the Household to King Henry VI. Unfortunately, the castle was dismantled in 1777, leaving only its exterior walls intact. The castle was acquired by Colonel Claude Lowther in 1913, who commissioned its restoration by Sir Paul Latham in 1933. Today, Herstmonceux Castle serves as the UK campus for Queen's University of Canada, welcoming international students who come to study in this Hogwarts-esque setting. Things to do While the castle is closed to the public during the winter months, it opens its doors for all to enjoy once the gardens burst into bloom in the spring and summer. The castle grounds feature a remarkable collection of uniquely themed gardens, reports Surrey Live. Formal gardens with meticulously curated displays contrast with wild meadows sprinkled with wildflowers. There are at least eight different gardens to explore, including the Elizabethan Garden, complete with croquet lawns, and Queens Walk, lined with Irish yew trees and a dry moat. The enclosed garden is home to herbaceous perennials, springtime pink tulips and magnolia trees. Early summer sees rambling roses bloom against the walls. Nestled within the castle's original walled garden is the Sundial and Rose Garden. A central sundial is encircled by six others, with a bust of Sir John Flamsteed in tribute to the Royal Greenwich Observatory that once resided at the castle. From 1946 until 1989, the observatory was housed within the castle grounds. Visitors will discover a vast collection of David Austin English roses, along with hybrid tea and shrub roses adorning the beds in the garden. The Apothecary Garden is a treasure trove of medicinal and culinary herbs. This fragrant garden boasts raised plant beds filled with lemon verbena, tiger grass and bay trees. Guests can immerse themselves in the aromatic scents of the garden whilst learning about each herb and its uses, with informative labels scattered throughout. Several gardens are wheelchair accessible, while others provide the perfect backdrop for picnics and taking in the picturesque scenery. Dogs on leads are welcome, and there's also a play area for children. Those wishing to explore the castle interior will need to purchase a guided tour ticket as free roaming is not permitted. The castle grounds play host to a variety of events throughout the summer. These include falconry displays, comedy shows and exhibitions. A café and terrace, offering stunning views of the medieval castle, is the ideal spot for a slice of cake and a cuppa. More information Opening times April to June: 10am to 5pm (last admission 3pm) July to September: 10am to 7pm (last admission 5pm) October: 10am to 5pm (last admission 3pm) Winter opening times (Nov 2025 to March 2026) to be confirmed Admission and tickets Gardens and grounds admission day ticket: Adults £10, students £8, children four to 17 £5 and free for children under four and for carers Castle and garden tours: £4 Tour times April to June 11am, 1pm and 3pm July to September 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm October to December: to be confirmed Accessibility The main gardens are wheelchair accessible with reserved parking nearby close to the disabled toilet facility Ramp access to the courtyard and café Two manual wheelchairs are available on first come first served basis and can be reserved by calling 01323 833816 Fun for the family Play area for children Marlow Rope Maze Tree swing Activity sheets
The Independent
17-04-2025
- General
- The Independent
Expert shares the top scented plants you need for your garden
Fragrance is just as crucial as visual appeal when creating a captivating garden. Tony Hall, Head of Arboretum and Temperate Collections at Kew Gardens, emphasises that scented plants offer more than just attracting wildlife; they play a key role in fostering a therapeutic and multi-sensory outdoor experience. Hall shares his expert insights on incorporating fragrant flora into your garden, as well as recommending ideal combinations and sources of inspiration. Of course, the more fragrant plants you have dotted about, the more diversity you'll draw into your garden. Typically, plants that have a more intense scent usually look quite similar. 'It does tend to be that most of the plants that produce good scent are single petaled,' says Hall. 'So that means that the senders are open, which makes it much easier for wildlife to get to both the pollen and the nectar.' However, most new plant breeds are now bred for appearance, and the focus on scent is not cultivated. 'A lot of plants that are now bred for show and longevity,' says Hall, 'but they tend to be double flowers, so not only are they not that good for pollinators, they also tend not to produce the scent in the same way that many of the the older single-petal flowers do.' Hall says things like sweet peas have been bred to have longer stems for cutting, for show, but they're not as scented. Breeding out scent has also been the case for lilacs and a lot of other garden plants. 'Lots of the roses now have had the scent bred out of them,' says Hall, such as the David Austin or English rose. 'A lot of the plant breeders have got carried away – with roses in particular – to have more showy, more colourful [flowers]. 'But they've also bred for things like disease resistance. So, obviously those kind of things are good for the garden, but not always good for wildlife.' Annual and biennial plants If you're looking for somewhere to start with scented plants, most of the annuals and biennials are very easy to grow from seed. 'Now in spring, the garden centres do a wide range of things that you can grow in containers, like the tobacco plants and Petunias, which are very centred,' says Hall. 'For beginners, it's really nice to grow – particularly with children – seeds of things like sweet peas, which is so easy. If you pick them regular enough, they'll flower right away through the summer. 'And tobacco plants, again, are easy to grow from seeds and they're a really good one for an even scented annual'. Bulbs Scented bulbs are easily grown in both pots and beds, it just depends on how you want to grow them. 'The nice thing about bulbs is because they do very well in containers and pots,' says Hall. 'So a really good one for a small garden or a patch. 'There's lots of really nice scented Narcissus, one in particular is called the paper white Narcissus, and that's a good one because it has a really long flowering season. 'It will start flowering in November, and it will flower right the way through till the end of March.' Other great bulb choices include the Regal Lily, which can be grown in both beds and pots. 'The nice thing about those – and most plants in general – is most of them actually make really good cut flowers. 'So you can have them in the garden, but you can also cut them and bring them into the house and bring that scent inside.' Herbs When it comes to herbs, most produce scent through their leaves and stems. 'So they're the kind of thing that you would have along a path or in a pot closer to the house, so when you brush against it, it would give off its scent,' says Hall. Hall suggests thyme, fennel and mint. 'Whole fennel is a really nice one, especially in a mixed border, because you can get the green variety and you can get the blonde variety […] fennel is a wonderful kind of liquorish scent. 'You get a lot of scent from mint, so I think things that are actual herbs really need to be along path edges or somewhere where you can brush against them or touch them to release the scent.' However, if you're planting common garden mint, it can be invasive, so it's best grown in a pot. But, if you're using chocolate mint or lemon mint, they're not so quite invasive. 'But also they're not quite so good in taste,' says Hall, 'because, you know, they smell of chocolate – they don't taste of chocolate.' The best scented arrangements It's all very well and good going crazy over scented plants, but especially if you have a small plot, you don't want to overwhelm the space. 'Lavender and Rose go very well together,' says Hall. 'But what I think you need to do is have different scented plants that flower throughout the year, so you don't have lots of things all at one time, particularly if you are in a very small courtyard garden. 'Because, in some cases, the fragrance can almost be overpowering if there isn't any air to move it around.' Where to get inspiration Hall says the more gardens you get to see, the better. 'I was at RHS Garden Wisley and there was this wonderful scented jasmine that I didn't know,' says Hall. 'It is actually quite a common one, called Devon Cream, and it actually produces more scent than the straight common jasmine. 'So I really recommend going to different gardens, not just for scented plants, but for generally looking how combinations of plants go together,' he says. For Hall, a lot of his inspiration comes from the Mediterranean garden, 'a lot of Mediterranean -type plants exude smells, not only from their flowers, but also through oils from the leaves. 'They're very evocative, aren't they?' he says. 'For me, when I walk through our Mediterranean garden here at Kew in the summer, the smells take me back to being somewhere warm in the evening, I just think it's calming and peaceful. 'I think that's what scent does for a lot of people. When you're in the dark, you can't really see the colour arrangements, but the scent is still there.'
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The reasons your roses are failing, and what to do about it
There are many reasons why your garden roses can get sick and die. The National Trust discovered this when it asked top rosarian Michael Marriott to investigate the ailing rose beds at five of its top properties: Mottisfont in Hampshire, Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Sussex, Polesden Lacey in Surrey, Nymans in Sussex and Morden Hall Park in south London. Marriott, an internationally recognised specialist, diagnosed common causes that afflict roses, whether they are planted in private or public gardens. A major issue is impoverished soil from a build-up of fertilisers applied over many years, or over-zealously. This is particularly true of animal manures, which we are told roses need but which lead to an imbalance of nutrients in the soil. Marriott also found that soil was inadequately mulched, leaving it exposed to adverse weather and to harmful compaction from being walked on when gardeners were pruning roses. Other major factors include rose varieties simply not being robust enough to cope with pests and diseases and climate change, and plants that are too old. Traditional monoculture beds, planted only with roses, as at National Trust gardens, also lack the diversity needed to fight off pests and diseases. Skip to: The symptoms The reasons The solutions The following conditions indicate that your roses are struggling. For example, plants that produce few blooms that are over too quickly, or repeat bloomers flowering only once. Polesden Lacey has 28 monoculture rose beds dating from the 1920s. The beds have suffered between 40 to 50 per cent losses, with the rest in poor health. 'When I started here in February 2023 the roses were really poorly,' says head gardener Natan Cointet. 'If you have a healthy rose it'll send out new shoots, but there wasn't much of that going on. The growth that was left was quite old and there weren't many flowers. I dug one up and the roots were rotting.' At Nymans, the original rose garden dates from the 1920s. It was expanded in the early 1990s, and up until two years ago there were more than 600 rose plants including ramblers, damask, climbers, and hybrid musks, says Joe Whelan, head gardener. In 2005 a large quantity of David Austin repeat flowering roses were added. Whelan says: 'Roses are tough work at the best of times and you always expect to lose and replace a few each year. However, since about 2021 we were starting to lose quite a lot each year to the point a plant would be so unhealthy there'd be no new growth. They were so unhealthy they weren't doing anything, they had no vigour and they weren't flowering.' The tips of the stems shrivel and turn black. Leaves falling off of rose bushes can be caused by a number of things including fungus, heat and a lack of water. This includes attacks from aphids and rose sawfly, and rampant black spot, rust and powdery mildew. These were the main issues that Marriott unearthed at the National Trust gardens. Compacted soil: 'If the soil isn't right, that's your starting point,' says Marriott. He always digs a hole of a spit's [spade's] depth for inspection. For example, a rotten eggs smell might be poor drainage; a lack of worms suggests infertility or, as at the National Trust gardens, compacted soil forming hardpans (dense layers). 'With a hardpan, when you plant a rose, if the roots can't go down they grow sideways,' he explains. 'This caused major problems with plants in the hot, dry summers of 2022 and 2023 because their roots hadn't gone down enough to get water, nutrients and anchorage.' Over-fertilised soil: Tests at the gardens revealed high levels of phosphate and potash [phosphorus and potassium], preventing plants imbibing essential micronutrients including iron, magnesium and zinc. The imbalance is caused by an excess of chemical fertilisers and animal manures, applied over many years or used excessively. Animal manures, traditionally recommended for roses, are high in phosphate and potash. Exposure: Inadequate mulching and interplanting between roses leaves bare soil which compacts from being walked on and suffers weather-induced hard crusts and erosion. Many varieties at the National Trust gardens are not tough enough to cope with our changing weather, or with pests and diseases without chemical help. 'A lot of roses introduced during the 20th century don't have a good level of disease resistance because they were bred at a time when fungicides and pesticides were used,' says Marriott. Some varieties are unable to cope with increasingly hot, dry summers and excessive rainfall. Roses like sun and a moist but well-drained soil, but at Mottisfont, for example, the walled rose garden gets too hot for some varieties and the garden also suffers from waterlogging due to inadequate drainage. Species roses – original wild roses – can live for a hundred years. But many, especially hybrid perpetuals and bourbons, deteriorate after 15 to 20 years, and once-flowering varieties after 20 to 30 years, says Marriott. 'I've seen roses in the ground which in human terms are 150 to 200 years old, well past their sell-by date.' The following are Marriott's suggestions for improving rose performance. 'Go round and score the roses for flowers, vigour, health, etc. If one has produced half a dozen flowers and dropped its leaves, think why: is it too old, overcrowded, or a poor variety? You've got to assess the whole thing.' Phosphates and potash linger for years, and soil naturally contains both, so if you have an excess, leave them to dissipate naturally. 'If the [soil analysis] index for phosphate and potash is two or three that's fine, you can carry on fertilising. If it goes up to five or six, you shouldn't be putting in phosphate or potash. Nitrogen is important so apply an organic, slow-release version such as dried blood fertiliser,' says Marriott. Polesden Lacey is implementing a cover-cropping programme – adding plants to cover the soil – with sweet clover in rose beds. Clover's long roots break up pans and absorb phosphorous, so when it is dug up it removes the excess. Cointet says: 'Hopefully by autumn 2025 we'll notice that the soil health is better. It's a succession of taking out older roses that are sick and dying, cover cropping, then replanting with newer types of roses.' This will protect soil, boost biodiversity and add nutrients. Marriott recommends phacelia. Other options include geraniums, Salvia nemerosa, nepeta and lavender. This will help improve resilience, but avoid planting too close to the rose base, says Marriott: 'For most shrub roses 4ft tall by 4ft across, if you have the other plant about 30 to 40cm from the base, the roots won't interfere with the rose.' Cushion it against compaction and retain moisture. Partly decomposed bark is good because it does not break down too quickly. A mulch needs to be at least two to three inches thick to be effective. Marriott suggests applying foliar feeds, such as organic seaweed-based liquid feed, which boost the immune system of leaves: 'You're only putting it on the leaves, so even though the foliate feed might contain phosphate and potash, nothing reaches the soil.' 'If you start controlling pests it breaks up the eco system and beneficial insects that help to control them will die of starvation,' says Marriott. 'I have Rosa 'Adélaïde d'Orléans' in my own garden which is one of my favourites. One day I noticed there were bad outbreaks of aphids on the young stems. I didn't do anything about it and the next day I walked past and they'd been eaten and were gone. Just hold your nerve.' Breeders are producing tough varieties now, says Marriott. For example, David Austin; Dickson; Kordes; Noack; Tantau; Velle-Boudolf (Louis Lens nursery); and Warners. Select varieties to suit your needs. Polesden Lacey has already removed Rosa 'Frensham'; 'Lady Marmalade'; 'Freedom'; and 'Lovely Lady' and started replanting with Rosa 'Ice Cream' and 'Bride & Groom', chosen for good disease resistance and compact shape. It has also selected 'Queen of Sweden' and 'Desdemona'. Cointet says: 'Modern shrub roses are a lot more robust, and easier to look after, so we shouldn't have the same problems again. It's a 1920s rose garden so it's not easy to have to say that 1920s roses aren't going to cut it any more, but we have to make it future-proof.' Michael Marriott's report will be published in early March 2025.
