Cyndita - yes the second flush of Munstead has much stronger scent. I hear the fragrance will get better as it gets older. How’s yours for fragrance?

Kristine - I hope you love Desdemona as much as I do. So pretty and smells beautiful. :)

xx

Darren , as always I love your garden !!! You have put an incredible amount of work in . I’d love to know more about the stems in boiling water, how far up the stems do you do that ? Thanks for the tip !! Give Ava a kiss for me !

For a first year plant, my Munstead Wood is nicely fragrant - I'm not good at describing fragrance, but it's a lovely classic rose scent.

Hey Jen

Just dip the tips in boiling water. I got this tip from rose growers on the DA Instagram page.

Theres ither things you caN do too. Adding bleach.... which kills bacteria. But I don’t like the idea of that for some reason? People swear by it. But I’m not sure on how much they use. I imagine only a tiny bit? I guess google could bring up more info?

Ava sends lots of kisses to you and your family. Loving your garden too, as always! Xxx

Cyndita -

marvellous! Mine smells very fruity. I get berries.... mixed with old rose. Smells Good enough to eat haha

Wow, Darren, absolutely beautiful!! I've been trying to get my roses/leaves to look like yours -- ready to pull everything up and start all over again. Your roses are fabulous! Thanks for sharing. We're going to England in late September hopefully it's not too late to see some lovely gardens. Enjoyed the breakfast tea / garden pic!! Patti

Jen, I had replied to your msg on here but now I’ve just noticed it doesn’t show up in the thread. How annoying!

dip just the tips of the stems in hot water.... :)

ava sends lots of kisses as do I

xxxxx

Dear Patti,

Have a splendid time.... take lots of photos. I hope our weather will be kind to you. Wishing You better luck with your roses... im sure it has nothing to do with you. Weather plays such a huge role in success/failure.

All love and safe travels,

D xxx

Dear Patti,

Have a splendid time.... take lots of photos. I hope our weather will be kind to you. Wishing You better luck with your roses... im sure it has nothing to do with you. Weather plays such a huge role in success/failure.

All love and safe travels,

D xxx

thank you - i know hot wind, clay soil don't help much... will keep composting and trying and dreaming of beautiful gardens.

Patti, hot winds sure don't help, but clay soil is great once the roses get their roots into it. I'm lucky to have around 8" of topsoil over clay. I know it's hard if you happen to have no topsoil at all, but there's lots of info on how to deal with it. And compost will certainly help. I'm sure you know all this!

Also, I've grown roses for well over 30 years, in various gardens, and I've never even had one that comes anywhere near to Darren's first year roses! But I still try...…. Once the bug gets you it won't let go! Trish

Darren, I have looked at all of your first year blooms with my jaw dropping all the way.

You are making a paradise there in Merseyside. Many, many congratulations.

I gave a big sigh, when I saw your Rosa Mundi, Louise Odier, and Ferdinand Pichard. These were some of the roses that I grew in the UK and miss still. I will be able to enjoy them in your garden now. I love your lavender walk and of course Ava.

harry edland rose I’m the garden today

Double delight

Autumn is here!

Roald Dahl from the garden today.

My new Hebe statue is now in place. I’m growing Olivia Rose Austin all around her.

I have also cut out another new rose bed at the side of her.

My autumn spire sorbus tree today.

Absolutely gorgeous, Darren! It’s been a long time since I’ve gone through your thread, so I had lots of wonderful new things to see. I do believe you could retire and charge admission once you’re finished, if not already. I know I’d be first in line to buy a ticket! You certainly know how to take lovely pictures, too.

I so enjoy seeing the perfect neatness of everything, even when it’s a project underway. I don’t know how you do it. Don’t you EVER have a mess anywhere?:). It’s so different from my own hodgepodge, cram it in wherever style garden. I’ve learned to just admire gardens like yours, and face the fact that I just don’t have that in me, no matter how much I wish I did. About how many hours per week do you spend working in your garden? Sorry, if someone has asked before. To me it looks like a full time job for a full crew! lol

Everything is fantastic looking, and I so love that you really grasp the importance of shubs, trees, grasses, and perennials. I see too many gardens with gorgeous roses, but that’s all there is. You have a wonderful eye for combining colors, textures, and heights. The way you place these plants amongst the roses draws the eye along, while stopping for a closer look along the way. I do believe I could spend hours in your garden. I imagine it brings you great satisfaction and joy. It does me, and that’s just from looking at your pictures. Well done, Darren! I look forward to seeing more as time goes by. Sorry it’s been so long. Lisa

Dearest Lisa, I’m going to private message you now. Big BIG love for you ... and huge thanks xxxxxx

Pink pegoda sorbus tree in my garden today. Berries turn from pink to white as they mature.

Blue For You still flowering !

Lovely autumn colours displayed on my blueberry leaves today

I made a necklace from conkers I picked up from the local forest floor. :D

Darren, these pictures are sumptuous! What zone are you in?

Darren, you are so creative. I love your necklace and of course your roses and garden are breathtaking

Aww thanks Karen :) I’m in the UK and confess im not sure what zone I am? 8A, maybe?

Kristine,

You’re always so lovely. I hope you’re keeping well my friend. Sending love and thanks xxxx

NEW Rose bed planted up consisting of -shown in order of planting... #susanwilliamsellis #peacerose #princessalexandraofkentrose

conkers, we call those buckeyes in Ohio, USA

Darren: I was just going through the DA website trying to decide btw Lady of Shalott, Lady Emma Hamilton and Roald Dahl. I am looking for fragrance and good disease resistance. Do you have any personal opinion on the 3? Thanks so much!

Of these 3, I’d go with Lady Emma Hamilton. Smells great and healthy for me. :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! Thanks for coming along on my gardening journey with me.

Love you all xo From Ava and I xo

Merry Christmas Darren, thank you for inviting us on this journey with you.

Merry Christmas to you too, Darren! Hope to see more pics of your awesome garden and roses next year!

Merry Christmas, Darren and Ava! I love seeing each and every one of your pictures and posts. You’re a wonderful gardener and photographer, an artist really. I know I’ve been tardy in writing you back, but it’s coming. The hustle and bustle should end after today. You know how it is, right? Have a wonderful day! ❤️ Lisa

wow! amazing thread! Do we have an update from your garden Darren?

Hey! You can find up-dates on my garden on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC16o5VOHSFaEYSpSP-wiaMw

Please subscribe for new vid alerts. X

I just watched it . Great information

Darren

Thank you dear Kristine! Hope You’re keeping well? It’s been a long time! XO

Hi everyone! I now have a YouTube channel for my garden Vids. Please take a look at my latest vid - Rose Cuttings tutorial: ROSE CUTTINGS VIDEO TUTORIAL - 95% SUCCESS RATE

So here it is! My video showing examples of David Austin Rose Cuttings. I hope my video helps 🙂 Please subscribe to my channel for more gardening vids!

https://youtu.be/QyfqA3oKQ5M

Much love xx

I think this is the first time I've seen this thread and your garden. You have a wonderful eye for gardening and photos. I think Monet would have liked to paint awhile in your garden. The picture of borage might be one of my favorites, and pond shots with all the textures and colors. Also the rain spotted Munstead Wood. The blueberry leaves in fall. All really a feast for the eyes.

What a delight, Darren! Gorgeous garden.

I don't know why i forget about YouTube - it adds so much dimension to virtual walk through the garden with sound.

Where are you Darren? I miss you!

Christian, Darren posts regularly on you.tube showcasing his beautiful garden. Well worth watching and his garden never fails to delight.

ingrid_vc zone 10 San Diego County, All the content from Darren's channel was taken down a few months ago, I believe. I really enjoyed his videos and have missed him. I hope he's OK.

Hey Darren, I miss you on Youtube. Hope you are doing well. Groetjes, Eline

@Darren Harwood was my favorite confort blogger during covid, what happened to the content?

Rose, I'm not sure why he took all his content off of YouTube, but he still maintains an Instagram that's focused on his professional photography.

https://www.instagram.com/darrenharwoodphotography/

I miss his garden tours, as well. He has some Instagram Stories up today that show some glimpses of his garden.