[Closed] New Zealand Flax

ahh I have no idea... but if were going to have a gardening thread I'll join in & give it a bump:
What do I do with the 10 rose plants my brother just dropped off to us.. I know they shouldn't be left in water for long but it far to cold (for me) to be digging the garden @ the moment.. thought? Do I need to MTFU and get digging?

You should be able to cut it back a leaf at a time from the bottom. Maori's (sp?) harvest it this way, which they shred length ways to weave into 'fabric'.

We've cut ours back, but it keeps on growin with no ill effects.

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McMoonter is that your garden? complete with classical folly?

McMoonter is that your garden? complete with classical folly?

Yep, however the folly isn't classical. It's made from telegraph poles and salvaged wooden cornicing.

Here is another

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Re New Zealand Flax - we have lots of them an the grounds that I like them, the kids play hide and seek round them and I have this faint hope that if I give her memories of home Mrs Ratadog won't insist on emigrating back to NZ without me.

Wait until the frosts have passed and done their damage and if its like last year wait another month or 6 weeks for some new growth to appear, then, cut out the dead leaves as low as you can go with a sharp knife and while wearing a stout pair of gloves because the old leaves can be sharp. Cut them at a slant so as to stop water getting in and rotting the base of the plant.

As for the roses, it is probably MTFU time I am afraid. Don't plant them back where there have been other roses already, or if you must then dig a big hole and re fill with top soil from a non rose area. Plant the newbies in a mixture of topsoil and well rotted horse muck and retire to the bar with the air of a job well done and the happy thought of years spent fighting off the greenfly, blackfly, aphids, mould etc and all for some rather nice flowers for a couple of weeks each year.

Frankly, I'd go for the flax every time.

Our garden is infested with these, but then i do live in New Zealand. I'm always chopping away at them at any time of year with no ill effects. Ours our in flower now, mid summer. They seem to flower every year. Maori (no plural!) have some ritual before cutting them down. I have one too, which involves a hell of a lot of swearing, as i hate gardening.

In fairness, if I lived in NZ I'd be happy to chop them back as and when. I made the assumption that the OP was rather nearer to Yorkshire than NZ. We got down to -15C at worst so far this winter and they do have a tendency to sulk if wet cold and frozen.

Thanks for the feedback all, will leave for another month as we have a couple of hard frost here in NE Wales over the last few mornings, however tackled the leylandi hedges yesterday.

Strange how it didnt flower last yesr, not sure of variety, plain green leaves flower spikes black with orange type flowers. Perhaps its the prune that forces the flowers?

Mcmooter, lovely garden, is that your own or do you work as a gardener at someone else place!!

If it's a big one and the old leaves have gone brown and curled up then it is worthwhile wearing some goggles when you get in to prune it as it is quite easy to poke yourself in the eye as I found out last year 😐

Mcmooter, lovely garden, is that your own or do you work as a gardener at someone else place!!

Its our long standing family home. The garden took a battering under the December snow. We lost a lot of important plants, so there is some serious head scratching going on trying to work out what to replave them with. The garden will be open to the public this summer under the Scottish Garden Scheme.