Introduction

[Trevor Ellis]

Hello all

my name is Trevor and I live in North Nottinghamshire UK. I currently help to maintain three gardens - my own and two others ranging from about a quarter of an acre up to three acres. My own garden is on a hill exposed to winds from every direction and has agricultural land on the north and east sides so it's a bit testing. What would life be without a good challenge though and I love every minute of it (well almost). The exposure hasn't stopped Rosa Mme. Gregoire Staechelin from flowering at apple harvest time though - strange things are happening in our gardens!

[ideasguy]

Thank you for joining us here Trevor, and thank you for your lovely email today. It brightened up a dull November day!

A number of visitors to my www.ideasforgardens.com website have made contact and asked me for advise in choosing plants for windy and exposed sites. I would be very interested to learn from your practical experiences.
Do you have favourites?

I imagine you have to stake most of your tall flowers. Do you choose plants which dont need staked? If you have recommendations, I would be very grateful! Personally, I hate staking plants, and the need to stake is one very conscious consideration when choosing plants for my garden.

Ive checked out your Rosa 'Mme Grégoire Staechelin'
Its already in the master database. (If you have a photo, it would be much appreciated for inclusion there)
However, it led to yet another bag of worms in plant names 
The RHS Plant finder lists it as Rosa 'Madame Grégoire Staechelin'
The RHS A-Z lists it as Rosa 'Mme Grégoire Staechelin'
From a computer entry point of view, they are quite different.
Its in the Master Database as 'Madame Grégoire Staechelin'
I'll leave it like that, unless anyone strongly objects!

Is it a good plant? I notice it has the RHS AGM award.

Three gardens! Gosh. I'm sure it is a pleasure. Do you get to choose the plants?

[Trevor Ellis]

Hi George,
sorry for my late response to your question but things have been a bit hectic and I've also been away in Wales. Here's a bit of info about Madame Gregoire Staechelin if it's of interest. Dot, Germany, 1927. A cross between 'Frau Karl Druschki' x 'Chateau de Clos Vougeot'. The specimen in my garden was given to me by Betty Jones (b.1914 - d.2004) who lived in Newstead Abbey Park, Lord Byron's home. Betty had lived there for many many years since she was a young woman, was a wonderful and gentile lady, a natural gardener who from being a child had very much a 'hands on' approach. I had the privilege of tending Betty's beloved garden and gained from her wisdom and knowledge for some three years until her death days before her intended 90th birthday party. So Betty was in her 89th year, the plant that she gave me was then about 18" high and propagated from the plant which grew on the wall by her kitchen door. It was one of her favourite roses. A magnificent climber with billowing masses of flowers hanging from it's branches. It flowers only once per season and is one of the early flowerers (or so I believed until this year when it flowered again at apple harvest time - see photo). Long shapely buds open to semi-double flowers that are five inches or more across and it has a delicious sweet-pea scent. I'm again short of time but will refer to your other questions later.

Best wishes

Trevor

[greenfinger]

Hello Trevor, nice to meet you on the screen. I read you work in 3 gardens. That's just like me. Sometimes I think I'm a bit mad to do so, but when I see the results it all keeps me running (in more than one sense).
It's very interesting to grow plants with a personal history like the Madame Gregoire Staechelin. Was Betty Jones the owner of Newstead Abbey Park? Is that house still in private hands or was she a tenant for the National Trust?

[Trevor Ellis]

Hi - nice to meet you

In answer to your question, Newstead Abbey Park is now owned by Nottinghamshire County Council but withing the park there are several private residences. Betty lived in the stable block which is a large quadrangle the drive through entrance to which is under a huge clock/bell tower. In Byrons time, it provided stabling for the horses and coaches with accomodation for the grooms, coachmen etc. and is located just opposite to the Abbey itself. Betty's father, who was an artist (war artist also) owned most of the block if not all of it at one time but parts of it were gradually sold off as private residences. Betty looked after her father until he died and at that time she owned the clock tower and the other accomodation immediately attached to it. Since Betty died, I believe that a room in the Abbey has been given over to an exhibition of paintings etc. by her father though I haven't seen it myself (it's difficult for my wife and I to go back there - we miss her so much).

Best wishes

Trevor

[ideasguy]

Heres a few loinks I found from a quick surf on Newstead Abbey Park Trevor

http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/newstead/gardens/default.asp
with a story of the Webbs, who appeared to have more interest in the gardens.

http://www.britannia.com/tours/rhood/newstead.html