This hardy perennial Geranium is bred by Donald Waterer, and named for his wife Rozanne Waterer, Geranium Rozanne has won many awards including the RHS Plant of the Centenary award in 2013. Since its introduction in 2000, more than 10 million have been sold. Rozanne is protected by Plant Patents, Plant Breeders Rights and trademarks in many countries across the world. Today you find her all across the UK and from Europe to Australia the United States and many other locations.

Rozanne has her own personality on social media like facebook, twitter, etc. You can find out more at Rozanne’s Story.

One of the most versatile Geraniums, Rozanne will flower from late May/early June until the first frost. You can use her in containers, borders, and baskets wherever you need foliage and colour.

Rozanne grows to 50cm high and can grow up to 70cm  wide in any well-drained soil, full sun and also partial shade. It is fully hardy and can be enjoyed year after year.

For the breeder and his family, this had been a great success.

It shows what can be created by plant breeding and making selections from planned crosses.

I trialed Rozanne prior to her being introduced and had the privilege of carrying out the first propagation by division, cuttings are not possible, Rozanne is produced exclusively by tissue culture.

So now is the time to be busy looking at your flowering plants and those that are flowering from your selections and breeding work and making further crosses and selections.

As you can see from the picture and information above, new cultivars can be created from plant breeding and crossing.

Try though to have a plan of what you are looking for, color, height maybe the length of flowering.

With Geraniums some crosses will not work, some will be sterile and some will be fertile so it is worth doing some research before working on any plant breeding.

Keep records of any crossings you make.

Get the camera ready to take photos to record your work.

For developing your new plant breeding selection or new plant discovery I can offer full trialing and new plant development service. More details are available on my website.

JULY GARDENING

Well, the weather has now turned very warm again and dry although we have just had some rain which has been very welcome. Here at home today it is cloudy with showers. In the last two days, it has been clear blue sky and sun.

Plants to look for in July

Anthemis

Dahlia

Delphinium

Geranium

Lavandula

Lupins

Helianthus

Papaver

Buddleja

Cotinus

Hebe

Hydrangea

Philadelphus

Roses

Weigela

 

All bedding should be planted out now and you will need to keep all baskets and tubs watered and checked each day even if it rains.

Apply liquid feed regularly. Once a week is ideal. This will keep flowers and foliage looking good.

Look out daily for slugs and snails, check at your local garden center for best controls, an idea I have seen is to place an old roof tile on the ground, snails go under here during daytime just turn over and pick them off each day.

Pot up any plug plants, that have come in or still left, water in well. We will need regular checking for water each day.

Coleus plants make ideal patio plants. There are many new varieties with many different leaf colour combinations.

Combination planting in containers is becoming popular to look out for them in your local garden center. Create some of your own Geranium Rozanne. Make a good starter and will match with many different plants.

When planting containers use a gel in the compost. This will help retain and save water. Always water in the late evening, even better is to use trickle/drip irrigation on a timer run from water butt or tap. A few of these systems can still be used during hosepipe bans, but always check this first with your water supply company.

Regular weeding and hoeing, whenever you can, will keep weeds under control.

Deadheading will help to prolong flowering, and for some plants like Aquilegia, Linaria cut these back after flowering to prevent seeding in the garden, otherwise, they tend to take over.

You can still take softwood cuttings.

Fill any gaps in borders with summer bedding like Pelargonium.

Cut back spring-flowering plants like Helleborus, Pulmonaria. This encourages fresh foliage.

You can trim evergreen hedges now, but beware of birds nesting you must not disturb these by law.

Look out for Aphids and other pests, black spot on Roses. Check with the local garden center for best controls.

Try making up your own garlic spray. This can also work with keeping Pigeons off your favourite plants.

If you grow Lilies pick off any Lilly beetles seen.

Look out for Vine Weevil damage. Damage shows when plants start to wilt. On inspection roots will have been badly eaten you may also see white C shaped larvae. Apply a biological control, plants in containers are unlikely to recover.

Sedums and Geraniums can be badly affected.

On some plants like Bergenia, you will see notching on edge of leaves, these are caused by the Adults. Another control is to look for the adults, they come out at night so you will need a torch to look for them. Look online for pictures of Adult vine weevil so you know what you are looking for.

Mow the lawn regularly, mulch clippings or recycle. Keep edges neat, don’t mow too short during dry periods, as the grass will die back easier, don’t worry too much though about brown lawns they will soon come back at the first rain as long as you do not continue to mow. Some bare patches though are inevitable, these can be repaired later in the year.

Apply summer fertilizer, follow instructions. Slow-release is best. Do not apply in drought conditions, if using feed and weed avoid getting onto ornamental plantings as it will cause damage.

Use a selective weed killer to kill weeds, not grass, better than using feed and weed most professionals do it this way.

If you have wildflowers in lawn and want to keep them then do not use feed and weed.

During dry periods if you are watering the lawn does this at night when evaporation is low. Better still don’t, the lawn will come back, use water wisely.

If you have a pond then keep water circulating. If you have a fountain or waterfall keep running during the night. Especially during hot periods to keep oxygen levels up, clean filters as needed. Remove blanket weed and skim off floating weeds such as duckweed, feed fish as needed.

Remove any debris leaves etc. This reduces toxins levels build up.

Open greenhouse and increase ventilation on sunny days. Extra shading like shade paint applied to outside may be needed during hot periods. Don’t let greenhouse get too hot.

Damp down the floor of the greenhouse on hot days. This will control Red Spider mite.

Tomatoes will need tying in as they grow and remove the side shoots that grow from leaf joints. When flowering you may need to give plants a little shake to help will pollination.

Give plants space as they grow.

Tie in roses and other climbers.

Remove large clumps of forget me note as they can get out of hand and take over large areas.

Check for pests like Aphids, red spider mite, whitefly regularly. Biological controls are available, look online. Garlic spray will also give some control.

Pick off any dead leaves. Keep floor and pathways free of plant debris, this will assist with pest and disease control.

In the vegetable garden, continue weekly sowings of lettuce, radish, peas, etc. To get continuity of crops, plant out runner beans and French beans from earlier sowings.

First potatoes will be starting to be harvested, garlic will be ready.

You should now have Raspberries, Strawberries, Currents red and Black.

Support peas as needed.

You may need to cover some plants to protect against bird damage, fleece is ideal.

Cover carrots to control carrot fly

Plant out leeks and cabbages.

Take time to relax in the garden at some time each day. Its time for those barbecues and enjoying the fruits of your hard work.

The garden should be an extension of your house an extra room if you like and now it will be looking at its best.