How to make your garden look rosy …

It’s time we talked about roses – not just because it’s Mother’s Day on 10 March – but because they are such a traditional garden staple that in our newsletter we’ve tended to focus on less well-known beauties.

Apart from being the UK’s national flower many polls show the rose is still the nation’s favourite. But recent reports have prompted statements from the likes of Charles Shi from Kew Gardens to note that climate change (rising temperatures, changing weather patterns, disease etc) is having a detrimental impact on rose cultivation worldwide.

So, if you haven’t already, grab the opportunity to love and showcase roses in your gardens. Read more below about the amazing diverse varieties you can choose from.

There’s plenty more to consider for your March gardens as well, and we’ve got some ideas about that too – so enjoy the glorious onset of spring!

Chris & all the Bushy team

Spring-flowering anemones

Whether you’re looking for a splash of colour in a larger garden or for pots and smaller areas, anemones are great to brighten up spring. Depending on which variety you get, they have buttercup-shaped blooms or daisy-like flowers, usually in beautiful purples, pinks and whites.

Which rose will you choose?

Plant a rose and it will give you many years of fragrant splendour, with some blooming twice a year and retaining flowers well into November.

You don’t have to opt for the traditional standard rose (Floribunda and Hybrid Tea); there are many other types to choose from, including modern bush, small bush (Patio, Polyantha and Miniature) , climbing, rambler, and shrub.

As well as considering your favourite colours, chat to us about what space you have in which to plant the rose/s, as they come in many different sizes. Also, think about the site conditions as what might suit one rose may not work for another.

Quintessential UK spring at Petworth

The National Trust’s Petworth House invites you to celebrate the new season at its Spring Festival from 23 March to 14 April, which will include talks, demonstrations, art and craft workshops and family activities. So, if you like the sound of a day out – and also the idea of enjoying a golden carpet of daffodils – details are on the link.

A little help for your feathery friends

The RSPB’s Garden Birdwatch 2024 survey found that fewer wild birds are visiting UK gardens, with greenfinches, starlings, and sparrows in decline. However, goldfinches, woodpigeons, and parakeets are thriving. The RSPB reports they have benefitted from the increase in birdfeeders in the UK. So do put out food and give birds some plant cover – dense bushes and shrubs are great, especially if they produce seeds and berries birds can eat.

Bushy Beverage

As well as Mother’s Day this month, there’s also Easter – and the finals of the Six Nations rugby on 16 March. So, in homage to roses everywhere (sorry other rugby teams), try celebrating with this thorny rose cocktail.  Mix 2 oz pink gin, 1 oz maraschino,2-3 dashes rose syrup,1/2 oz  lemon juice, a handful of muddled raspberries and 1 egg white.

Until next time!

Whether you’re after an anemone or relishing a rose – or fancy something completely different, we can advise, plan, supply and plant any garden or area of the garden that you wish. You can have a look at some of our planting projects on our website here – or just contact us for a chat.