New dawn for my New Dawn

Weather: Mild and cloudy - no frost last night


After a long absence from the blogosphere I have a lot to catch up on! I have been busy at work and gardening conditions weren't perfect in early February. See photo! In fact it has been the hardest winter since 1996.

We had snow more than six inches deep in the first week of the month and it hung around for nearly a fortnight. I am hoping it will have put paid to some of the pests that have managed to overwinter in the last few years but my main regret is that I lost several frogs in our tiny pond which I couldn't prevent from freezing solid. I am too ashamed of myself for allowing this to happen - although I'm not sure I could have prevented it - to say how many we lost....

On a happier note I hope the rose sawfly that has plagued my old 'New Dawn' rose - that featured this time last year in my blog - has been knocked back. I also made a new year resolution to risk giving it a very severe pruning this year and take out all the old wood. It is after all nearly 50 years old!


So here is the 'before' photo - although by the time I remembered to get the camera I had already taken off a couple of lower branches under the window.


I find with pruning that I start off gingerly and then it takes hold of me. Just in case I go too far and the old thing dies of shock I took some insurance out at the end of the summer - not of a monetary nature, but soft wood cuttings - and put them in a trench in the vegetable plot. I am delighted to see that one looks as if it has taken. My mother tells me that I shouldn't be tempted to uproot it yet but leave it until next spring before attempting to move it!

So how did the New Dawn prune go?


Well - better than expected. There was more new green wood than I had realised - enough to train up over the door. Time to give it a dressing of bonemeal and some compost and I will keep my eyes peeled for the dreaded rose sawfly that despite my efforts with the Derris last year still took a considerable hold.


I've just reviewed my blog posts from last February - and see I'm a little behind in the vegetable garden when it comes to sowing etc. We are creating raised beds this year and Bill has taken down a huge 'Russian Vine' which will allow much more light in so I have high hopes for it....I'd better stop typing and get out there with a spade and a rake because if the spring weather continues in this vein the soil will soon be good enough to get seeds in!