What are you all up to

Bakers2, I wouldn’t worry too much about the roses. They will be dormant now, and as long as you get them planted before the growing season starts, they’ll be fine no matter what you plant them in as long as it’s moist. It wouldn’t hurt to crop them back by at least a third right now, and maybe another third once they start into growth, pruning to outward pointing buds.

Freddy55 I hate to say this but they're already sprouting! New leaves open and spurs!

They'll definitely get a third off, cant keep handling the beggars 😯😢. Sadly I'd not taken my secateurs and those we left at mums weren't 'man's enough for the job. Probably why they'd not been pruned by mum, apart from her not bending too much.

Roses are pretty resilient, just try to get them in the ground early spring👍

We have done Levant, and Geevor. Both excellent visits, full of history both old and not so old. Then of course there is Botallack, you can get into engine houses, but it’s quite a scramble and not recommended for the faint hearted😱 Queens Head pub in village was alright as well👍

Wow, old roses. They are incredibly hardy things Bakers. Try not to damage the roots, get them in ASAP, with a bit of compost, but beware of horse manure. It has to be extremely well rotted or the Urea content burns things. Once they are established and have settled in, don’t be afraid to give them a good prune. They should sprout new growth even from the woody bits. Just make sure you plant at the same level as they came out, otherwise you will get suckers growing. I transplanted my Grandad’s roses into my Mums garden many years ago. They were originally planted at Grandads when they moved into a newly built house......in 1949! So now 70 years old but they are thriving, in fact one of them has flowered all Winter. My roses aren’t dormant, in fact growing new growth madly. 🌹

I too have had a day in garden. Clearing up, removing some fencing between us and next door ready for big chipper to come in. All systems go hopefully tomorrow.

After a lazy early morning we set sail pushed along by a decent southerly to Fountains Abbey, near Ripon, where after an early lunch we went for a walk, initially in squalls, but pretty soon in sunshine accompanied by a brisk cold wind.

Very proud of our soon to be 87 y.o. MiL who managed to walk about 3 miles, firstly because its 3 miles, secondly because she forwent a cuppa at the cafe at the Studley Royal end and thirdly it was without the requisite toilet stop.  So she's been allowed a third glass of wine as a reward tonight. After all of that there's a distinct possibility that she may fall asleep at any moment.

We'll grant her another lazy morning tomorrow.

Beautiful flower, but only one? Any chance of a wider view?

We do not seem to have had the amounts of rain as in some areas,, but as we are very hilly here,   it is quite noticable in the hollows just how wet ,as when Rosa and I are out walking it is like walking on a sponge  ,and even though the winds have subsided, we found one of our pathways this afternoon was blocked by a fallen tree, that was still standing this morning  we have also noticed open views that a couple of weeks ago were not there also several more fences seem to have succumbed,  in the end

I have got a couple of Rose encyclopaedia that I use to use when gardening as a volunteer at Brodsworth. Managed to identify quite a few, but would need photos of flower, bud, back and front of leaf and stems/thorns. Also size, flowering month, any signs of disease. There are just so many new roses nowadays that it can be difficult though.

Freddy55 sadly that’s the only picture I’ve got of it. It only stands about 60cm high and each year ( I’ve had it since 2014) it has only managed one flower. I looked online and think it might be “blue moon”. Very pretty though and I smile and think of Mum each time it manages that one flower!