I didn't take as many photos as I normally would. I guess I was concentrating on the job at hand, instead of concentrating on documenting the process.
This is my Before photo. We had about half of the arches in place for months now, but the roses attached to them have grown pretty out of control. You can see in the distance, the rows without arches and their roses on the ground.
Here's one rose after I gathered it up and tied it in place. Every day I have to tie climbers, I thank my husband for buying me my handy taping tool. (If you haven't seen the post where I show this wonderous invention, click HERE.) The leaves look a bit awkward and cock-eyed right now, but they'll settle into place and turn toward the light and look right after a few days.
This is a view of the back of the arches, looking down the rows. It's great to see the roses heading up their arches, instead of sprawling all over their neighbors.
After working all afternoon, here is the result. Doesn't this look fabulous?
Here's something slightly off topic, and puzzling. Some sort of animal has been using one part of the Rose Field as a potty ... and I don't enough about poop identification to tell whether it's rabbit, or deer, or whatever. None of the roses in this spot have been nibbled, either high or low, so there are no obvious clues available other than the poop itself. Anyone know what did this?
(Mystery solved ... a kind reader has told me that this is rabbit poop. Thanks, Darlene.)
(written by Hartwood Roses. Hartwood Roses blog)