Roses at Sissinghurst

I went to Sissinghurst last week, one-time home of Vita Sackville-West, gardener, writer, Virginia Woolf’s lover – the norm. I actually went to see the vegetable garden but it was closed. I’m assuming there’s not much to see yet, like in my own garden. So I contented myself with looking at the beautifully trained roses.

They’re everywhere. Short little stubby ones, tall tower-like ones. And all trained in this beautiful fluffy clouds formation. It’s very striking.

They even have them climbing the walls in the same pattern. I have two climbing roses here at mtp. One is doing very well next to my Apple tree and the other is well, doing not so good in a pot on my deck. I’m determined to train them a la Sissinghurst. I’ve missed the boat this year since the best time to prune them is November. But I found a handy guide written by Sarah Raven on this very technique that I’ll be using in Autumn.

Meanwhile, here’s a photo of the craziest bench I’ve ever seen.

Category: Garden Visits, Pruning     Tagged: ,

9 Comments on “Roses at Sissinghurst”

  1. I love the tall tower roses. How wonderful they must look in full bloom. You must go back this year and take more photos!!

  2. I never got to see Sissinghurst but l am looking forward to going to Monet’s garden at Giverny next month.

  3. Oh I’d love to go there, lucky you (even if veg patch was closed!).
    Didn’t realise they trained the roses like that, will be interesting to see the end result.

  6. I don’t have any roses, but I’d quite like a yellow one which would grow in a container. What a bench.

  7. Do hope you go back to see the vegetables and take pictures of those roses in bloom. I am in awe of the design and the work it must take to do that.
    Thanks for the treat.

  9. I have been to Sissinghurst when these roses are in bloom – a magnificent sight. It is great to see your pictures of the structure underneath. I have several climbing roses and two ramblers. I have seasonal tustles with them all, and quite a lot of lacerations. It is so hard to get really in among all that summer growth. After several years persuasion, I have managed to coax a rambler up into our late leafing oak tree, and it is having great fun up there. I’m sorry that the veg garden was closed – you’ll just have to go back. I can also recommend the open days at Perch Hill, Sarah Ravens garden not far from Sissinghurst.