Standard rose.

very nice almost peachy.

It's a beautiful rose - I love it!

It`s a real stunner Spritz. :o)

Thanks, Sandra. x

10 foot tall standard! That must be something to see and the scent too....sounds heavenly!

I inherited this - they planted two roses in steel 'supports' which look really good and keep the roses upright and happy. I can reach the other one...on steps...but not this one. You'd laugh at the contortions and almost acrobatics I do to dead-head and prune it! I need my son here at pruning time - he's 6'3"...LOL.

Oh yes, he will come in mighty handy!

It's a bit far from Harwich - and he's never pruned a rose in his life - so can't you imagine the scene, Karen - me telling him what to do, and him chopping the wrong bits off....Nightmare!

Might lead to some family dischord! :))

Hmmm...just a bit!!!!!

B, can you have a look at my recent photos please and see if you can id the Astrantia.....thanks ;)

OK...not too good on them, but I can try!

Thanks! :))

I've just read an article in a magazine - by Carol Klein - and it is definitely an Astrantia major. Her photos is very clear and the flower does have pink pins!!

:))) Mystery Solved!

Wasn't that a strange coincidence, though.

Yes it was! a good one too!....btw...I don't believe in coincidences...only blessings and heavenly interventions!

I could do with some of those for tomorrow, Karen. It POURED here, just before lunchtime, hailstones as well - my car alarm went off, and OH was stranded in the garage...At this time tomorrow, the poor NZ group will be arriving.....I hope the flowers recover before then, too!

Oh yes, your group! Oh gosh, lets hope so! Steady drizzle so far here today but nothing very exciting. I'm glad the wind has kept down, I hate the wind, it's so destructive.

Steady drizzle = good for plants. Pouring rain and hail = v.v.v.bad. And I STILL have to clamber up on the wall to pull out a) some bindweed, and b) old pampas grass stems! I'm not sure I can do it holding an umbrella, though....but it could come in useful to battle the bees...lol.

Oh good grief! Images of you climbing a wall with an umbrella! lol....we need those ones that you put on top of your head like a hat! Yes, steady drizzle is what we rather needed. I fed the garden with liq. feed yesterday so this will get it all down to the roots.

I did it! The heavy rain turned to mild drizzle, so I climbed up and heaved out the old stems and bindweed - more than I expected! It was hiding under the pampas grass. What a mess I made, throwing them onto the grass. H. didn't help, he thought they were sticks and therefore fair game to chew up! Two barrow loads of soggy stems - yuk. :-((

Bees? Oh yes - they're still there...I tried to ignore them, and they didn't sting me.

Nope - I haven't fed anything yet - too wet today...not sure what the rain gauge is measuring now, but last time I looked it was 20 mm since this morning.

Two barrowloads! My!

Have you ever tried to pull dead pampas grass stems out? Not easy at all...

Erm....Pampas Grass.....er....no! ;S

I've chatted to OH about cutting it right back to the ground and letting it grow back, as I really hate raking out the dead stuff and... oh dear - what a mess it all makes!

You could...er.....burn it!! :::))))) (...snigger snigger, runs off quickly to avoid getting battered)

Oh, I would if I could., Karen - believe me! It's right next to the fence, though - so maybe not such a good idea....:-/

OK.....weedkiller then, right down the middle!!

Hedgecutter....we've decided. Guess who'll have to clear it all up, though. SIGH.....

Good plan. How did it go with the NZ's? It's horrid here, blowing a gale. You just think you've got it all sitting bonny and then the wind flattens everything! :( grrrrrrrrr waves fist towards the sky.....

Very well ,thanks- we had a pre-arranged visit from two neighbours who couldn't make either Thursday first, then the group arrived, plus two ladies who followed the convoy from the stately home the NZs had just been to! So we ended up with 44 visitors today. Weather? Cloudy to start off, then the sun came out, so we were v.v.v.lucky!

Sorry you've got a windy day - I agree - it's upsetting to watch the plants waving about!

Oh, that sounds great! So glad that so far the weather has smiled on you! :))

Thanks, Karen. Fingers crossed for tomorrow, now. :-)