It is the reference rose garden in the Oise.
To learn how to prune rose bushes on a site as prestigious as the rose garden of Chaalis Abbey, there were many volunteers, even if they had to endure the rain.
This week, the Domaine de Chaalis organized a participatory pruning of this garden with 150 different varieties of roses.
Enough to obtain valuable advice while participating in the beautification of an emblematic heritage site of the department.
“We had already done participatory pruning for the orchard but this is the first time that we are doing it for the rose garden,” says Alexis de Kermel, general administrator of Domaine de Chaalis.
We hope to finish pruning the rose garden in a week while it takes almost a month for the two estate agents to do it.
On the other hand, people are learning to prune their own rose bushes.
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“We learn from our mistakes”
This Tuesday morning, more than twenty people responded to the call.
“We learn while serving,” summarizes Claude, a resident of Fontaine-Chaalis, who arrived early to continue the pruning he had attacked the day before.
Conductor of this first participatory pruning, Natacha Muzard, head gardener of the site and landscaper, will share with humor and kindness her knowledge of pruning rose bushes.
This is the first year that the Domaine de Chaalis organized a participatory pruning of the rose garden.
LP/HS
“We are going to cut between 50 and 60% of the rose bush which has the capacity to regenerate,” announces Natacha Muzard, while keeping an eye on everyone to prevent the rose garden from falling victim to the enthusiasm of volunteers armed with pruning shears.
We start by eliminating everything that is dead, but we will take the time to look at what is happening on each rose bush, starting at shrub height.
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Observe before pruning, valuable advice to avoid embarking on untimely and excessive cutting.
“You learn from your mistakes and you have to remember that it’s just a garden,” reassures the landscaper, aware that cutting errors will inevitably occur.
This does not prevent possible excesses in the cuts, for example a volunteer the day before having cut a little too short a rose bush climbing on an arbor.
“I should have been more attentive,” Natacha puts things into perspective.
“We’ll come back and see in the spring”
Attentive to the explanations, Gilles and Delphine don't miss a beat.
“We have a remarkable garden in Gerberoy, the Jardin des Ifs, we have some knowledge but we came to get some advice, Natacha is really very knowledgeable in pruning rose bushes.
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Among the first in action around a rose bush, Céline is also looking for as many details as possible about pruning.
“I have rose bushes at home but they were not a plant that I particularly liked.
But now, I'm learning more and I'm enjoying taking care of rose bushes more and more.
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Read alsoRose Days: in the footsteps of Natacha Muzard, head gardener of the Chaalis estate
At his side, Valérie appreciates being able to help the Chaalis estate.
“It’s a real pride to be able to contribute to promoting a heritage like this.
We will come back to see in the spring and we will be able to tell ourselves that it is a little thanks to us if the flowering of the rose garden is successful.
» Enough to highlight the rose garden for the next Rose Days which will take place in June in Chaalis.