Latest news with #Rosarugosa
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners issued urgent ladybird warning as insect loves particular flower
June marks the peak flowering season for roses. Whether they're climbing up walls and trellises or flourishing in borders and pots, roses are the essence of an English country garden and remain a firm favourite among gardeners. But the most common problem you're likely to encounter with roses is greenfly or aphids. These small insects are easy to spot as they gather on new leaves and rosebuds. While they're a natural part of a garden's biodiversity and a vital food source for ladybirds, they feed on the sap of your plants and excrete a sticky substance known as honeydew, which can lead to unsightly black mould. Although aphids typically won't cause serious damage to your roses, it's a good idea to keep their numbers in check. You can simply wipe them off with your fingers, gently hose them away, or make a home remedy by mixing water with a splash of liquid detergent in a watering can and directing it at the affected areas. Deadheading is another important job during the summer. Removing spent flowers encourages the plant to produce more blooms rather than developing rose hips. As soon as the petals start to brown, snip off the flower and stem, cutting back to just above a leaflet. The exception to this rule is for species roses such as Rosa rugosa and Rosa canina, which produce beautiful, ornamental rose hips in autumn. Black spot is a very common issue with roses, appearing as black or purple splotches on leaves, often accompanied by yellowing. This fungal disease weakens the plant over time. If the infestation is mild, you can prune away the affected leaves, though you'll want to avoid stripping the plant bare. Since black spot is fungal, there's little you can do without resorting to fungicides, which tend to harm beneficial fungi in the soil as well. However, some gardeners have success with home-made remedies like a diluted solution of bicarbonate of soda or milk mixed with water. Rose breeders have worked to develop varieties resistant to black spot, though over time this resistance can diminish. In my own garden, I've found species roses to be the most resilient; for instance, Rosa Roseraie de l'Hay is a wonderfully healthy rose that has never shown any signs of disease and reliably produces richly perfumed, beautiful cerise-pink flowers year after year. Maintaining good plant health is one of the best defences against disease. Regular watering is essential through the summer — at least weekly for established plants and more frequently for newly planted roses. Always water at the base of the plant and soak the soil thoroughly to encourage deep root growth. It's best to avoid wetting the foliage, as this increases the risk of powdery mildew. Roses are also hungry feeders, so supplementing with a liquid seaweed feed or a tomato fertiliser during the summer will help sustain their flowering performance. June is a wonderful time to see roses in full bloom across the country, so if you have the opportunity, try to visit a local park or garden over the coming weeks and enjoy these timeless, fragrant flowers at their best. What jobs to do in the garden this week: Most houseplants are in active growth, so need regular watering and fortnightly feeding. Feed tomatoes once a week. Check your cabbages for butterflies laying their eggs – often you will find them on the underside of leaves. Remove by hand as their baby caterpillars can completely denude your plant. Fruit bushes need lots of water in dry periods to allow fruit to swell. Plums, pears and apples can be thinned out this month. This will happen naturally as well – it's called June drop – but if you want bigger fruit, remove some of the smaller fruitlets. Ornamental lemon trees can vacation outdoors for the duration of summer. Plant some seeds – nasturtium seeds are easy and can go straight in the ground now or pots for a cascade of flowers in late summer. Continue successional sowing of salads and sow outdoors cucumber, sweetcorn, squash, French, runner and broad beans. Continue to earth up potatoes. New potatoes may be ready to harvest, depending on when they were planted. Prune spring-flowering deciduous shrubs such as kerria, forsythia, ribes and weigela as soon as they are finished flowering if they are outgrowing their space. Plant of the week: Campanula medium Also known as Canterbury bells due to the flower's bell shape, this biennial has been grown in the UK since the 16th century. It's a graceful and charming plant with either blue, pink or white flowers. To propagate, sow seed this month or in July and plant out in autumn or the following spring where you'd like them to grow. Grow in sun or partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Warning to UK gardeners over mistake that stops beautiful flower blooming
Time to get the secateurs out! If you leave heads to go brown on the stalk you're missing out on a spectacular floral display, says gardening expert Diarmuid Gavin June marks the peak flowering season for roses. Whether they're climbing up walls and trellises or flourishing in borders and pots, roses are the essence of an English country garden and remain a firm favourite among gardeners. Their beauty and scent are unrivalled, but they can be susceptible to pests and diseases, so it's worth knowing how to care for them through the summer months. The most common problem you're likely to encounter is greenfly or aphids. These small insects are easy to spot as they gather on new leaves and rosebuds. While they're a natural part of a garden's biodiversity and a vital food source for ladybirds, they feed on the sap of your plants and excrete a sticky substance known as honeydew, which can lead to unsightly black mould. Although aphids typically won't cause serious damage to your roses, it's a good idea to keep their numbers in check. You can simply wipe them off with your fingers, gently hose them away, or make a home remedy by mixing water with a splash of liquid detergent in a watering can and directing it at the affected areas. Deadheading is another important job during the summer. Removing spent flowers encourages the plant to produce more blooms rather than developing rose hips. As soon as the petals start to brown, snip off the flower and stem, cutting back to just above a leaflet. The exception to this rule is for species roses such as Rosa rugosa and Rosa canina, which produce beautiful, ornamental rose hips in autumn. Black spot is a very common issue with roses, appearing as black or purple splotches on leaves, often accompanied by yellowing. This fungal disease weakens the plant over time. If the infestation is mild, you can prune away the affected leaves, though you'll want to avoid stripping the plant bare. Since black spot is fungal, there's little you can do without resorting to fungicides, which tend to harm beneficial fungi in the soil as well. However, some gardeners have success with home-made remedies like a diluted solution of bicarbonate of soda or milk mixed with water. Rose breeders have worked to develop varieties resistant to black spot, though over time this resistance can diminish. In my own garden, I've found species roses to be the most resilient; for instance, Rosa Roseraie de l'Hay is a wonderfully healthy rose that has never shown any signs of disease and reliably produces richly perfumed, beautiful cerise-pink flowers year after year. Maintaining good plant health is one of the best defences against disease. Regular watering is essential through the summer — at least weekly for established plants and more frequently for newly planted roses. Always water at the base of the plant and soak the soil thoroughly to encourage deep root growth. It's best to avoid wetting the foliage, as this increases the risk of powdery mildew. Roses are also hungry feeders, so supplementing with a liquid seaweed feed or a tomato fertiliser during the summer will help sustain their flowering performance. June is a wonderful time to see roses in full bloom across the country, so if you have the opportunity, try to visit a local park or garden over the coming weeks and enjoy these timeless, fragrant flowers at their best. What jobs to do in the garden this week: Most houseplants are in active growth, so need regular watering and fortnightly feeding. Feed tomatoes once a week. Check your cabbages for butterflies laying their eggs – often you will find them on the underside of leaves. Remove by hand as their baby caterpillars can completely denude your plant. Fruit bushes need lots of water in dry periods to allow fruit to swell. Plums, pears and apples can be thinned out this month. This will happen naturally as well – it's called June drop – but if you want bigger fruit, remove some of the smaller fruitlets. Ornamental lemon trees can vacation outdoors for the duration of summer. Plant some seeds – nasturtium seeds are easy and can go straight in the ground now or pots for a cascade of flowers in late summer. Continue successional sowing of salads and sow outdoors cucumber, sweetcorn, squash, French, runner and broad beans. Continue to earth up potatoes. New potatoes may be ready to harvest, depending on when they were planted. Prune spring-flowering deciduous shrubs such as kerria, forsythia, ribes and weigela as soon as they are finished flowering if they are outgrowing their space. Plant of the week: Campanula medium Also known as Canterbury bells due to the flower's bell shape, this biennial has been grown in the UK since the 16th century. It's a graceful and charming plant with either blue, pink or white flowers. To propagate, sow seed this month or in July and plant out in autumn or the following spring where you'd like them to grow. Grow in sun or partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil.
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Monty Don's urgent bee warning as swarms set to appear in weeks
British horticulturalist Monty Don shared advice for gardeners ahead of June for the ultimate outdoor space- from swarms of bees to growing fruit, roses, and allotment care As we near closer to summer, gardeners are urged to look out for these few things that Monty Don warns of. The days are longer and lighter, with dawn as early as four in the morning and sunshine lasting as long as 10, so it's the perfect time to focus on your garden and its pollinators. With a blooming outdoors come swarms of bees, the gardening enthusiast warns. He claimed: "Swarming bees are a sight that can be alarming at this time of year, but in fact, they are highly unlikely to attack or bother you at all. The queen will leave her hive looking for a new home, taking with her thousands of male worker bees". Don explained that the bees tend to circle "furiously", making lots of sound "like a hundred motorbikes", before eventually settling on a branch in a giant cluster. It's then thought that they will leave your plants alone and head off to rest in a hollow trunk or a roof. When it comes to roses, Don states that June is "their time" of the year. In order to keep roses flowering for as long as possible, his secret is to deadhead them on a daily basis. "Do not just pull off the spent petals but use secateurs and cut the spent stem right back to the next leaf or bud below it," the horticulturalist suggests. According to him, this particular method helps to provoke a side shoot, which allows it to carry more flowers. Some types of flowers, such as Rosa rugosa or Rosa moysii, grow hips in the autumn and will only develop later on if the flowers are allowed to set seed and fruit. With this in mind, he suggests basking in the sight of the flowers for as long as possible and not deadheading, so that they can develop their pear-shaped rose fruit. Something to be mindful of in June is weeds, as the warm weather helps give them the boosts they need. Be mindful of this and regularly weed vegetable plots, preferably in dry weather, using a garden hoe. He shared: "The secret of effective hoeing is to always do it in dry weather and preferably in the morning so that the weeds will cut cleanly from the soil and then dry out and die during the day. They can then be raked up in the afternoon and taken to the compost heap." Another aspect of June tends to bring the "June drop", Done explains, where your trees release their fruit, such as apples and pears, but this is not a cause for concern. What this usually signifies is the tree simply reducing the amount of fruit it can carry in order to successfully ripen what is left. It may be a good idea, the expert suggests, to selectively remove the smallest fruit before the tree makes the decision for you, and therefore, you're not losing your biggest and juiciest picks. By reducing the clusters on each spur to just two fruits that aren't touching, you've got the best bet of well-ripened results.
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Forbes
Escape To These Stunning Swedish Gardens That Are Wrapped In Serenity
The grand manor house dominates the property of Hildasholm The Dalarna region is Sweden at its best, with dense forests speckling the landscape, a web of foot trails, dramatic waterfalls, gentle slopes for hiking and skiing, and placid lakes, including one of the country's largest, Lake Siljan. And, though Dalarna is most known for its former copper mine (Falun Mine) that's a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the signature red painted on many Swedish houses actually originated as a byproduct of mining — the district is replete with a wealth of cultural and nature-based experiences, including flower-filled gardens. These are some of the most stellar examples. Swedish botanist Carl von Linnaeus married Sara Elisabeth Morea in the early 1700s in this red timber cottage. Anyone who took high school biology will recognize the name Carl von Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist and physician who is considered the father of modern botanical taxonomy. In other words, whenever an organism, whether a human, a flower or a bacterium, is named, it's referred to by its genus and species names: for example, Homo sapiens for humans; E. coli, a specific kind of infectious-causing bacterium; and Rosa rugosa refers to a Japanese rose. This nomenclature was devised by Linaeaus who is also known as Carl von Linne. At the Linnes Wedding Cottage and Garden, the red-hued timber cottage is where he married Sara Elisabeth Morea in the early 1700s. While the cottage's exterior is quite simple, it's the Baroque detailing inside that reflects what you'd expect in an upper class dwelling at that time. The botanically inclined will adore the recreated and restored 18th century garden in the rear for its variety of plants as well as its peacefulness. Trees of all sorts can be found here: lime, ash, apple, elm, maple and pear, to name a few. Other sections grow medicinal plants, such as rose mallow used to treat digestion issues and master wort for muscle cramps; as well as produce such as wild strawberries, gooseberries; raspberries, string beans, kale, kohlrabi and carrots, as well as aromatic herbs. (You're allowed to sample the fruits and vegetables.) Behind the house is this recreated and restored 18th century garden. Lime, ash, apple, elm, maple and pear trees are just some of the many types of trees found here. This is where the artist couple, Carl and Karin Larsson, lived Touring the Carl Larsson House estate where the artist couple Carl and Karin Larsson lived offers insights into what would later become known as the Scandinavian style of interior design. After moving into what was a simple cottage (Lilla Hyttnas), they renovated, designed and added additional rooms over the years, using the interior as an artistic canvas, creating something very different in terms of aesthetics. Among the details are floral-shaped orange pendant lights in the sunny dining room; hand painted dishware, sometimes with a sense of whimsy; storage drawers inset under the bed — as you'd expect to find in IKEA; and hand-loomed, brightly-colored curtains. Whether on ceilings or furnishings, they mixed an array of different and vivid colors even within one room, such as a forest green ceiling, cherry red columns and dusty teal chairs. Even the furniture in this garden that sits along the banks of the Sundbornsan River is hand painted. The informal gardens — they are often seen in Carl Larsson's paintings of family life — grow daylilies, globe thistles, larkspurs, coneflowers and many other types of blooms, along with trees and shrubbery, and a kitchen garden that all represent specimens that were found in the late 19th century. The garden is set along the banks of the Sundbornsan River. Many types of flowers grow in this informal garden including daylilies, globe thistles, larkspurs, and coneflowers. All the plant life represents what one would find in the late 19th century. Lilla Hyttnas is the original name for what was a simple cottage. Carl Larsson painted these informal gardens in many of his works of art. This is another historic property that's next door to Lilla Hyttnas. Next door to Lilla Hyttnas is another historic property on the river banks: Stora Hyttnas. The owners, Henrika and Pontus Linderdahl, were Larsson's aristocratic neighbors and friends. Henrika had landscaped this much more expansive property that now grows dozens of types of trees in a woodland as well as raspberries, aronia, grape elder, colorful perennials and an array of apple trees. (An old apple tree bearing a gnarled trunk may be about 350 years old.) The setting is quite bucolic, with a whitewashed double bench swing, a grassy waterfront path, and a lovely meadow. Henrika and Pontus Linderdahl were not only the aristocratic owners but they were friends with the Larssons. This large property was landscaped by Henrika, and my types of trees can be found here especially in the woodland. This setting is quite bucolic with a waterfront path and a meadow. This is a well preserved and restored wealthy mine owner's property that dates to the turn of the 18th century. Dating to the turn of the 18th century, the Staberg Estate, a preserved and restored wealthy mine owner's property with a Baroque garden design, references the symmetry of Versaille and other French gardens. Facing a duo of tiny ponds are an array of brightly-hued blossoms (such as orange cosmos, ox eye daisies and sunflowers) as well as patches with such vegetables as beets, fennel, squash and zucchini. More than 70 varieties of fruit trees can be found in this garden, including such old apple varieties as rose haw and gray gylling. Facing this splendid garden setting is a cafe with a popular smorgasbord that, of course, includes not just entree items but also coffee and cake. For those who want to spend most of the day here, two short, family-friendly walking trails beckon. You'll navigate through dense conifer forests; cross a running stream on a footbridge; pass clumps of ferns, moss-covered rocks, and a broad field; as well as clumps of blueberry and lingonberry bushes. Since this entire property was a master miner's estate, it's not at all surprising that at the beginning of the trails you'll spot slag stone leftover from the mining days. Vivid blooms such as sunflowers and ox eye daisies as well as vegetables can be found in the plots facing the twin ponds. There are many old apple varieties found here, including such old apple varieties as rose haw and gray gylling. This serene park dating to the 19th century can be found in the middle of the city of Falun. Smack in the middle of the city of Falun, Laroverksparken, a placid park, dates to 1867 when it was set up as a garden to teach lessons in botany. At one end of the park is a public high school that retains the elegant mix of Neoclassic, Italianate and Classicism styles from the days when it was a school for boys. Having been renovated many times, the garden is blanketed with flowers, many reflecting those you'd expect to find here in the 19th century, such as marigolds, garden phlox, irises, wild ginger and lilies, as well as dozens of trees: red oak, Manchurian walnut, horse chestnut, mountain cherry and some very old silver maples — some are original. With a small fountain and several picnic tables, it's a lovely spot to enjoy lunch in nice weather. This public school has a mixed architectural style: Neoclassic, Italianate and Classicism. Many of the flowers in this park, including marigolds, irises and wild ginger reflect what you would see in the 19th century. The first site you see on the property is the lovely allee of silver birch trees Visitors driving down the long allee of silver birch trees will be captivated by the beauty of Hildasholm, a property once owned by Hilda Pennington-Mellor, an English aristocrat, and her Swedish physician husband. (He gifted her the property for their wedding in the early 20th century.) With a grand manor house built on the five acres — it served as a summer residence — she landscaped the gardens in the Arts and Crafts style, creating numerous garden rooms, each bearing a different theme. For example, rimmed with black-eyed susans and low cube-shaped hedgerows, the Peacock Garden is given that name for the 18th century stone peacocks. The labyrinthine Juniper Garden is planted with some very old (and original) junipers as well as perennials such as torch lily, peonies, foxglove and goldenrod, while a Roman-inspired statue can be found in the Sunken Garden that's surrounded by spruce hedges. A ravine that's lush with ferns separates the gardens from the woodlands that have additional design elements. Forest trails bring visitors to more garden rooms, such as the Fountain Garden where flower-bedecked urns stand atop stone pedestals, and the Well Garden that's ringed by arbors and tree trunks that were fashioned into rugged benches. Another delight for visitors can be found in the rear of the manor house where lookouts provide scenic views of Lake Siljan. On this five-acre property is a grand manor house that served as a summer residence. This garden room is the Sunken Garden with its Roman-inspired statue. The lush gardens were landscaped in the English Arts and Crafts style. Among the many garden rooms, is a Peacock Garden bearing 18th century stone peacocks. Beyond the gardens is a woodland separated by a ravine. Visitors are delighted by the additional gardens beyond the ravine as well as the scenic lookouts. This expansive property was a wedding gift to the English aristocrat, Hilda Pennington-Mellor, from her Swedish physician husband This large property is home to the manor house and the museum dedicated to the renowned portrait painter, Anders Zorn. Side by side on this expansive property is a museum dedicated to the renowned portrait painter, Anders Zorn, and the manor house — he designed it — where he resided with his wife, Emma. The tour of the Zorn House interior reveals all sorts of surprises, including the Great Room that's decorated with ephemera from his around-the-world travels, including a cabinet with Etrusian artifacts. The house, though rustic, also radiates a sense of the refined with walls hung with rich tapestries and old masters' paintings. Also on the property is a 13th century timber cabin that Anders had relocated here from a nearby village — he used it as his studio. In front of the manor house is a heart-shaped lawn that Anders gave Emma on their silver anniversary in 1910. On the tip of the heart is a fountain with a figurative bronze — 'Morning Bath' — that Zorn created in 1909. An aesthetic contrast to this is a pair of contemporary bronze sheep by Annika Masolle Skarendal. Much of the garden retains the original garden design, including plants that you would find here in Zorn's time, like old-fashioned roses, lilies, irises, fruit trees, berry bushes, and a huge oak tree. This is figurative bronze that Zorn created in 1909. A heart-shaped lawn is set in front of the manor house. The original garden design is still evident on the property. Anders Zorn, who designed the house, lived there with his wife, Emma.
