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MANGAWHAI'S NO.1 NEWSPAPER
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Gardening with Gael -From wild cat to wildcat.jpg "wildcat rose(copy)") Years ago we owned a ginger cat called George. Bright orange George was a wild cat rescued by Box. He kept rabbits out of the garden, rats out of the houses and I like to think was discerning in the choice of birds he killed, e.g. mynahs and rosellas.Certainly while he was on the property he kept other wild and domestic cats at bay, and the bird population including quails flourished. Since he died the quail have disappeared along with a significant number of birds due to the cats that now roam free through the property. When he died I wanted an appropriate plant to place in the ground over him. He had always retained a degree of wildness appreciated by us but not all of my friends. The rose blackberry nip was the most fitting that I could locate at the time. Since then I have found the perfect plant. I realise that quite regularly I whine away about roses and possums and this week I thought it a good time to mention a rose that I consider to be outstanding. One day the bright colour of a rose in a nursery caught my eye. The colour reminded me of tequila sunrise but this rose was called wildcat. A shrub sized floribunda with reoccurring heads of frilly orange and red blooms, wildcat is a far more fitting memorial rose for George. Wildcat is a tough forgiving rose. It flowers for the entire spring and summer. Endless shoots of glossy small leaves ending in bunches of flowers continue throughout the season regardless of the weather. Even at the height of summer in the heat and dry wildcat continues. I have put gorse around them but when it rots down or blows away, even the possums treat it with a degree of respect and they haven’t been as decimated as other roses. Wildcat deserves repeat plantings. The strength of the colour livens up any corner of the garden. On a trip to Whangarei I called into the nursery Sciadopitys on Maunu Rd to visit their café with my grandaughter Lizzie. There, at the entrance, poised to trap the unsuspecting was a standard wildcat rose in full bloom. Lizzie looked at me and then at the rose and said, “Get it Granny.” “It’s one or three,” I said to Lizzie, instantly visualising them leading the way to our front door. And three it was. I am constantly amazed at what can fit into a little Suzuki swift. I planted them late spring. This summer I have watered them once. Box picks bunches every day. In 2010 the floribunda rose wildcat received a bronze medal in the Adelaide rose trials and an Irwin Award for the Most Pest and Disease Tolerant Rose of the trial. I can heartily agree with them. So far there have been no issues with any of my wildcat roses. The shrub rose sends out shoots to about 80cm and remains about half a metre wide. The shape of the standards stay well balanced due the number of blooms which need picking. Box has entertained the idea of a cat at the Block from time to time. Now that Barney has caught and killed his first rat, I am sure it won’t be necessary, the rose will suffice. REMINDER: The wildcat rose is a fitting tribute, in name and colour, to our deceased cat George. |
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