A new season in May’s garden in British Columbia

Remember visiting May Kald ’s garden on Vancouver Island in British Columbia last month ? ( Refresh your memoryHEREandHERE . ) Back then , we were dazzled by her assembling of rhododendrons . Now she ’s back to bedazzle us with her roses ! It ’s like a entirely different garden !

May says,“Gardeners are always facing unexampled challenges . As year passed and my garden grew , so did the numbers of rabbits and deer in the vicinity . My first resolution was to put barrier around the more susceptible plants . The inclination of vulnerable plants necessitate protection keep increasing , in malice of my choosing “ deer - tolerant ” varieties , until one twenty-four hours I realized that I was not await at a garden , I was looking at a series of wire and mesh barriers .

“ I try using an electric fence around a fresh - planted section . That seemed to wreak for the deer , certainly it zapped me often enough when I was not careful , but it was unsightly and was not executable for most of the arena I want to protect . Next I tried a movement - activated pee spray . Again , it was not the right root as the expanse protect was pocket-size , it overcharge not only the deer but anything else that move , myself include , and was not functional on windy days at all . So in 2002 I started to build fence .

“ Did I mention that this is a rocky , hilly acre ? Digging holes for fencing posts can be unmanageable to impossible ( without blasting or drill rock ) . Wherever it was potential , I put actual wooden fences , in other places I used deer netting or other physical barrier . I designed and built the fence panels myself , prefer an capable airy facial expression , a physical rather than a visual roadblock . And bed the outcome . Both my eastside neighbour and I planted old - fashioned rambler rosebush along that section , which is stunning when they are in full flush . The beauty of those first blush wine lead to a period of pink wine fury for me .

“ I determine about , purchase or propagate roses from friends ’ gardens until I had over a hundred rose , some in new beds , most pucker between other shrub and perennials . Eventually , those areas of the garden looked marvellous during the first boot of rose bloom every May / June . And my fences celebrate the deer predation to a tolerable grade .

“ However , as my young trees and bush develop , they and my neighbours ’ trees created far more shade than most roses opt . They also competed with the roses for water and nutrients . Unhappy rose become weak and diseased . Though some died , mostly I dug up and gave away those that could no longer flourish .

“ At this full stop , I still have a lot of blush wine , but many have been supervene upon with rhododendrons , which I also love , as they prefer the increasing shadiness . And so the garden evolves and matures . Hope you enjoy today ’s glimpses . ”

Beautiful , May ! I ca n’t wait to see what the next stage bring .

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‘Rambling Rector’ was the first rose planted along the east section of fence. Very aptly named, it has never stopped growing. In front of it is a grape vine, to the left of which are blueberry bushes, hidden by the shrubbery in the front.Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of May Kald