Summer Tidy in Castle Wood Rose Garden
Castle Wood Rose Garden
Friday 11th September,2026
On Friday, six volunteers gathered in Castle Wood Rose Garden for another session of summer maintenance. At first glance, there didn’t appear to be a huge amount to do. The dry summer has significantly slowed the growth of the roses — and, thankfully, the weeds too. But a closer look told a different story.
The recent rainfall has brought a welcome change to the garden, but it has also provided a boost to some of the plants we would rather not encourage! Volunteers worked their way around all eleven beds, removing encroaching grass, young holly and oak saplings, and the ever-persistent bindweed. Keeping these vigorous plants under control reduces competition for water, light and nutrients, giving the roses a better chance to recover from the dry conditions.
The roses themselves are responding differently to the challenging summer. Pink Martini is looking particularly promising, with lots of buds beginning to form. We're keeping our fingers crossed for a late-summer flush of flowers. Other varieties have been less fortunate. Golden Beauty, for example, has lost most of its leaves during the drought and is likely to conserve its energy and rest until next spring. It's a useful reminder that plants respond to difficult weather in different ways, and sometimes the best thing we can do is give them time to recover.
All eleven beds received a good tidy, with dead or damaged branches carefully removed to keep the plants healthy and reduce potential sources of disease. The finishing touches were to trim the edges of the beds and collect up the trimmings, leaving the garden looking neat and clearly defined.
We then turned our attention to the steps leading down from Severndroog Castle. Since our last clearance in June, a fresh layer of leaves and other organic material had accumulated. Removing this build-up helps keep the steps looking cared for and, importantly, reduces the risk of them becoming slippery underfoot.
We were also delighted to welcome a new volunteer this week, who fitted seamlessly into the team. Our gardening sessions are a great way to learn more about the gardens while making a practical contribution, and we are always happy to welcome new volunteers. oxleas.volunteers@gmail.com
As the year progresses, we'll continue to work with the garden rather than against it — supporting the roses that are thriving, giving those recovering from the drought time to rest, and keeping the competing growth under control.
