Of Roses, Mulch, Birds and Tulip Trees

This is the current view out from my front door. This bed is usually bulbs, so is brilliant in spring, an very dry otherwise. In my current mulch shortage and weed excess I have laid newspaper with lawn clippings on top (except where nerines are still growing, and I usually water it by slipping the hose under the newspaper - watering on top would just wet the newspaper.

Then, when winter comes the newspaper gets thoroughly wet and breaks down more, the bulbs push through and any unsightly newspaper still in big gobs gets composted. And maybe I will have some spare mulch by then of a much better sort. But this works after a fashion, and I have got away with it in a few years.

The roses are thriving now they are mulched, although the ones on the shady side of the tree are finding it hard. A combination of previous dry (weed competition didn't help), shade and the birds decimating the ones nearest the bird feeder - doubt if one of my Mr Lincolns is worth persevering with.

The Tulip Tree (Liriodenron sp?) is about fifteen to eighteen years old now, and has been flowering beautifully for years.