Notes from the Rose Nursery - July '26

If there's one word to describe July so far, it would have to be hot.

Here in the Usk Valley we've been treated to week after week of glorious sunshine, with temperatures regularly climbing into the high twenties and beyond. The skies have been an uninterrupted blue for what feels like an age, and while it's wonderful to see I think it's fair to say we're all beginning to look skywards in the hope of some rain.

Not just a passing shower, but a proper week of steady, soaking rain. The sort that has time to work its way deep into the ground, replenishing the soil and giving the trees, hedgerows and gardens a well-earned drink and to dampen down all this dust that seems to be covering the trees and hedgerows. After such a prolonged dry spell, everything is beginning to feel just a little thirsty. And I know that makes me sound like a right grumpy old thing - who wants rain in the summer? Well.... me.

The roses, of course, have responded to the warmth in the only way they know how — by flowering with enthusiasm. One thing I've noticed this year is just how quickly they're moving from bud to bloom. It almost seems as though you can admire a perfectly formed bud over breakfast, only to find a fully open flower by the afternoon. It's a spectacular display, but one that passes all too quickly in the heat. Many blooms simply aren't lasting as long as they would during a cooler, more typical British summer.

If your own roses seem to be racing through their flowers this year, don't worry — it's not just you. The combination of high temperatures and intense UV levels has encouraged them to get on with the job as quickly as possible. 

Keeping roses well watered is particularly important in weather like this. Rather than giving them a light sprinkle every evening, they'll benefit much more from a really good soak every few days. Watering deeply encourages the roots to grow down into the soil where moisture lasts much longer, helping plants become far more resilient during dry spells. A little water on the surface may freshen things up for a few hours, but it rarely reaches the roots where it's needed most.

The dry conditions can also encourage pests that normally remain fairly unobtrusive. Spider mites, in particular, thrive in hot, dry weather and can become troublesome surprisingly quickly. If you've noticed leaves looking slightly speckled or losing their healthy green colour, it's worth taking a closer look at the undersides of the foliage. Catching them early makes all the difference.

Away from the rose beds, the surrounding countryside is quietly reminding us that the seasons never stand still. The elderberries in the hedgerows are beginning to ripen, their clusters slowly darkening from green towards deep purple. The wild dog roses have finished flowering too, and their bright red hips are already forming, promising colour long after the last petals have fallen.

Even the blackberries are beginning to swell. It won't be long before they'll be ready for picking, and before we know it the hedgerows will be full of the familiar sights and scents of late summer. It's hard to believe when the sun is beating down, but autumn is already beginning to make itself known in these small, quiet ways.

That's one of the joys of growing roses. However busy the nursery and the rose fields get, there are always little moments that encourage you to pause — the hum of bees drifting from flower to flower, a breeze carrying the scent of a rambling rose across the garden, or noticing that the hedgerows have changed almost overnight.

For now, though, we'll continue watering, deadheading and making the most of these long summer days. And perhaps, just perhaps, by the time I sit down to write next month's journal, we'll have had that much-needed rain. Gotta keep doing that rain dance.

Until then, I hope you're finding time to enjoy your own garden, wherever you may be.