I have a sadness to report. My wonderful rose has gone from this photographed in August of this year (and representing perhaps one quarter of the entire bush), to photograph two, courtesy of ME!!! My gate has now been able to be locked and now I have spent several hours on each of six days, I have at least removed the canopy. Many scratches, much tiredness, and thorns needing to be removed from my hands. All up, filled five large bins. Did this because I think the fence builders blanched when they saw the enormous plant this rose was and would make fence building very problematic indeed. My gardener came today and said, "No time. I haven't time. In a rush now....." etc. Besides if he removed the remains to its base, I think the fence was just collapse everywhere.
Interestingly, the gate is now able to be locked given the weight I have removed from the structure......still haven't found a workman
who knows about fences and is mutually agreeable. Sigh....
This was no ordinary rose bush. It measured almost five metres in length (yes, measured it) to its shrunken frame you see here.
It was very dense and probably two metres of canopy covered in hundred of blooms. Sheeesh. It will be the last time I will ever undertake such a job again. Six days of effort, although probably 3 - 4 hours per day? When my body was aching, I stopped cutting.
