There are no roses in our database with "March" in their names, so the thumbnail photo for this month is Marchenland.



I celebrated the first of March by planting three roses. It was hot out there! I wore a jacket when I first went out, but soon had to take it off and work in just a sundress. We're supposed to have more rain very soon, possibly tonight, so it seemed to be a great time to plant something.

I hope you wore your shin guards with that sun dress!

One shin's still all bandaged up, with lots of "cushiony" stuff around it, but the other one had to fend for itself.

'Märchenland' (with umlaut on the 'a') translated means 'Fairyland' and from the pictures I have seen of your garden, would be an apt description!

Lovely way to spend the first day of March, Zuzu! The arrival of March is such a relief, even though it is spitting snow right now I know spring is practically here. Growth buds are swelling rapidly now, but none appear to be developed enough to be damaged by cold, and thankfully it isn't supposed to get terribly cold.

I started prepping spots for 3 of the new roses due to arrive at the end of this month and found definitive homes for some others.

My roses are leafing out about three weeks early. I thought it was because of the deer prune, but when I went to town yesterday, the forsythia in front of the PO was in full bloom. Mine usually go into bloom about a week after the plants in town bloom because I am at a slightly higher elevation.

It's cold and wet outside and I need to be out there ... ugh !

The sun is shining and the sky is blue, it looks beautiful but that's deceptive- it's 32F and breezy. Supposed to reach 40F, but I don't know if I'll be out there much- that's still a bit chilly.

I ordered 4 Austins from Rosemania this morning, Edith's Darling, Munstead Wood, Mary Rose, and Teasing Georgia. I had also added Lady of Shallot to my cart, but it was bounced back as sold out I may break down and order it from DA Roses site.

Nice order, Neal! I don't know Edith's Darling (and it's not listed on the DA England website), but the others are all great. I adore Lady of Shalott and am sure you wouldn't regret buying it.
For next time, think also about Olivia Rose Austin, which is fairly new (released in England in 2014, I think they take a year longer in the US). It's quite small (3.5 ft high) and an absolutely delicious pink in colour (paler than Mary Rose). It's a Leander type hybrid, so the young leaves are reddish, and the sight of an opening bud against the leaves is breathtaking. It's described as particularly disease resistant, it has a wonderful perfume, and repeat flowers really well. If you plant something blue near it, it stops you dead in your tracks. I have it with geranium Rozanne and Munstead Wood (no photos, sorry); but see it here at David Austin against what looks like nepeta:
http://www.davidaustinroses.co...

I hope you will post a few photos of your first blooms!

Olivia Rose has caught my eye! Such a sweet shade of cool pink, and you're so right about pairing it with blue! Rosemania only offered 5 Austins, but I'm on the hunt for several more.

Mika, are your Austin roses grafted or own root?

I'm fairly sure they're all grafted - all are from David Austin in Albrighton, although we have bought some from nurseries supplied by DA. I've been to Albrighton three times - as you would expect there is an amazing rose garden there - the problem is that every time I visit I come home with a car that looks like a mobile greenhouse...
I felt very pleased with my self-restraint at not having bought any more in 2015, until I went to a local nursery to buy a planter and left with six more DAs Well, they were all half price and I did give two away as gifts, which perhaps justifies my lapse?

Went to pick up the 20 Rosa Canina rootstock I ordered today. Then went to the German equivalent of Home Depot to get some more plant markers. They had quite a few very reasonably priced roses and I was really tempted but thought better of it!
Self-restraint - I am quite proud of myself! Might have been different if they had been Austins;)

Aside from Austin's site, there aren't many vendors selling grafted English roses in the US anymore. The description of Edith's Darling said it is own root, but I believe the other 3 are grafted.

I'm surprised DA website doesn't offer Edith's Darling. Ah, just checked and it isn't an Austin! They described it as an "English style" rose and I assumed it was.

I think the association with "Downton Abbey" probably adds to the confusion. We don't think of Weeks when we hear about roses named after BBC programs.

My sister wrote one of the episodes of Downton Abbey - I'm really proud of her achievement, she's great (but not a gardener!)

Once again, NEal, I wish you lived near me. I would go in on an order with you. I forgot to order Princess Alexandra of Kent from Regan, and they are through taking orders for this year so I couldn't add it on. At this point, the only place I can find to order it is Austin. I want another Heathcliff, Dark LAdy and Pilgrim too. The prices are so high at Austin, and now the 20% coupon is expired, and I told myself I wasn't going to order from them again. Phooey. Fewer and fewer online OR local nurseries are carrying Austins. I'm sure glad I grabbed the new ones from Rosemania and Regan. The Downton Abbey roses I bought last year have not had any winter dieback so far, so that's terrific news.
More hybridizers are releasing roses with the English style now, and scent is back in vogue, so maybe I don't need the Austin name on the rose to have the type I like! I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Austins grow better than any for me, and I don't have to spray them a bit. I've traveled places where they looked awful, but luckily I must have the perfect climate for them. It's harsh enough here that they don't become huge gangly monsters the way they do down south.
Cliftoncat, you made me laugh. I would only call it a "lapse" if I were to pass up any half price Austin roses!

Our winds are gusting in the 40s today, good day to work on taxes.
I wanted to tie up the berry canes today but I'm afraid I would be cut to ribbons if I tried! The canes all went wild last year when I couldn't garden. The plan is to have a double wire trellis and not get scratched up any time I walk through there. The young clerk at the farm store had no clue what I wanted when I asked for clothesline cable. Lowes did have an employee who knew what a clothesline is (was) so now I have the plastic coated wire I prefer. Guess I can't be too critical, because I remember my daughters asking me "what are those wires in grandma's back yard?" My new in-laws had a big laugh about that....
Back to work.....

Cliftoncat, your sister is a terrific writer! Every episode I've seen has dialogue surpassing anything our country churns out.

I love Downton Abbey and I agree with Cindi- the writing for every episode has been superb. Maggie Smith's character has some of the best lines that leave me howling! Of course her delivery is always perfect too.

Cindi, I so wish I had a rose and/or plant buddy nearby to split orders with- wouldn't that be fun!

The large garden centers in Lexington usually carry Austin roses in pots, but I'm too cheap to shell out $50 for a rose.

I also love the writing on "Downton Abbey." You're justifiably proud of your sister, cliftoncat. I hope it was one of the episodes where Mary gets taken down a peg or two.

I was surprised to see my income tax returns had been deposited this morning and celebrated by ordering some roses I broke down and ordered Lady of Shallot and Graham Thomas from David Austin Roses. Then I looked at some selections I had in a wish list with Chamblee's and from them ordered:
Buff Beauty
Zaide
Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Abraham Darby
Belinda's Dream
Plum Perfect
Purple Rain
Nacadoches
and Peggy Martin

I must stop for while- I'm going to have my work cut out for me with 27 new roses on the way! Suppose I'm making up for lost time!

Neal, I can't think of a better way to spend your tax return:)
Like your list, particularly Buff Beauty which I have been considering for a while now. Just need to find the space!
BTW - know exactly what you're in for with 27 roses to plant - I planted 30 odd in November. Wish you luck digging all the holes and hope that your soil isn't stoney (like mine)!!