Sunday 12 October 2014

Porch standards

My modest rose tour ends by the porch table where Jack used to have his bed whenever he was outdoors but we weren’t. He slept there practically every summer night and also quite some time in the afternoons all through the colder season.


I bought this bright red standard rose last year keeping it in a pot on the porch until very late in the autumn. Then I took it to the glassed-in veranda for the winter. We are keeping the temperature several degrees cooler there than elsewhere in the house for such purposes as the barn is too cold and the cellar too humid to overwinter plants in.


It survived perfectly and is flourishing on the porch again. The only improvement I’m planning to carry out this wintering season is that I will prune the rose earlier to ensure earlier and more abundant blooming next summer.


As for the porch, no matter what amendments I made in our eyes it will never again meet its former standard of joy now that its most frequent occupant is no longer with us.

Roses for Jack 5/5.




4 comments:

  1. Although your beautiful rose is no substitute for Jack, it is beautiful to look at. xx

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    1. It being a potted rose I can take it with me so it will remind me about him in our next home, too.

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  2. Your rose is such a lovely rich colour, I'm glad you will be able to take it with you to remind you of Jack. Sarah x

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    1. We have no idea where we'll be living next spring but I'm sure it will be a place with some space for a few potted plants at least.

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