The Big Ramblers

Above: Multiflora Cathayensis.

Above: Silver Moon

Above: Francis E. Lester

Above and below: Rambler Francis E. Lester, a very strongly perfumed Spring rambler.

The track leading into and out of our garden is well-travelled by cars, tractors and motor bikes, and along its edges we have planted the big ramblers of the rose world, such as Francis E. Lester, pictured above. The track follows a 'sort-of' teardrop pattern, and one half of the outer 'teardrop' was lined with small gum trees, whilst the other was lined halfway with prunus trees. Under the gumtrees we planted Silver Moon, Apple Blossom, Tausenschon, New Dawn, Wedding Day, Multiflora Cathayensis, Multiflora Platyphylla, Multiflora Carnea and several understocks that murdered their grafts and were unwelcome in the civilized section of the garden.

Of these ramblers, still in the land of the living are Silver Moon, Apple Blossom, Tausenschon, New Dawn, Cathayensis, and two Multiflora varieties.

In the 15 years since the initial planting of the big ramblers, a five year drought played havoc with both the ramblers and the trees. The gum trees became sickly, stunted and infected with borers, as did the prunus trees. We had to have the gums cut back to ground level, from which some have regenerated, and the prunus trees exterminated themselves quietly and without any fuss. I am glad to say many of the ramblers have survived, despite getting no water beyond what falls from the sky, nor any mulch, fertilizer or pruning. The Cathayensis was even happy enough to start suckering (all of these ramblers were purchased as own-roots from Hedgerow Nursery, which is probably why they survived drought and neglect).

Above: The line of ramblers minus their gum trees. In the foreground is Silver Moon just beginning to spot flower. We are hoping that the ramblers will build themselves up into self-supporting mounds now that their gum tree support is gone.


Above: Some of the ramblers that were planted under a line of Prunus trees. Although most of the original prunus trees have died, the understock trees which they were grafted onto have survived and are doing beautifully (truth be told, I like these better than the maroon -leaved pink-flowering variety that was grafted onto them)

Under the Prunus trees were planted Francis E. Lester, Tumbarumba Schoolhouse, Kew Rambler , White Cottage Multiflora , Stonelea Rambler, Donna Marie and several others who remain nameless because I have forgotten their identities.