ROSES, ROSES EVERYWHERE
I haven’t posted for a couple of weeks as we’ve been away on holiday. When I left there were only a couple of roses in flower, but. I got home (only 12 days later people!) they were all out. I watched Gardeners World on Thursday (not Friday because of Glastonbury which is fine because I enjoy the music and there’s no way I would want to be in those crowds in person). Adam Frost talked briefly about how lovely Peonies are despite their short flowering season. Too right it’s short- I’d missed mine entirely. There were just shrivelled brown petals left and did I mention that I was only away for 12 days?
For me, holidays can be a time of reflection and on this one I did ask myself why I spend so much time on the garden and whether I should reduce it a little. On my return home I found the garden battered and bedraggled with heavy rain, the ground scattered with fallen petals and the warm moist air heavy with the perfume of roses. It all looked wonderful to me at least so the answer seems to be carry on as I was!
Very short video of glorious heavy rain
It is of course terribly fashionable to grow the old roses from the 19th century and I was intending to make this weeks six about them. But while I can manage the odd picture of a perfect bloom, they don’t seem to have coped well with the rain and the more modern roses have (due to their shorter sturdier habit) so you’re getting those instead.
This is probably ‘Frensham’. The only rose in the garden when we arrived, swamped by a spotted laurel and sending out one solitary bloom on a long stem like a distress signal. I moved it here where it has done ridiculously well ever since. A skirt of Munstead Wood lavender sits under it happily growing in the piles of builders rubble that lurked below the surface.
Champagne Moment is a beautiful creamy floribunda which is smothered in flower and doesn’t suffer from the dreaded black spot. Its only downside is that it’s not scented. It seems that when it comes to roses you can’t have health and beautiful flowers and scent, and of course we want all three with repeat flowering too of course. If you’ve ever found this holy grail of roses do let me know.
Next to it, and very similar in colour is the hybrid musk, Buff Beauty.
In this one Iceberg is surrounded by some sisyrinchium which have flopped all over the place.
I’m finding it very difficult to keep it to six. My last choice must go to Jude the Obscure. I love the tropical fruity scent of this one and its colour and the cabbage rose blooms. Of course it isn’t healthy (remember you can't have all three attributes) and is no longer sold. The new rose launched by David Austin this year called 'Dannahue’ looks like it may be a fine substitute.
I can’t leave you without showing you a picture of ‘our’ hare. At least we sincerely hope it’s not a rabbit in disguise. It seems to enjoy the grass on the front lawn very much and we are wondering whether he would be a good substitute for a robot mower.
Thank you for reading, and don't forget all the Six on Saturday posts can be found on Garden Ruminations where Jim collates all our garden ramblings. See you next week.
Such beautiful roses, and it looks like a hare to me. I'm sure he/she could replace a robot mower but I think you'd end up minus more than just grass!
ReplyDeleteSo far he/she has only been seen nibbling the lawn. We've had real problems with rabbits eating everything in sight in the past though unfortunately.
DeleteThe reflection you had during your holidays, I often ask myself it at the weekend and especially on Monday morning : why do I spend so much time in the garden ?!... but on Monday evening I found the answer . It's an excellent relaxation and decompression after work. All these roses are really beautiful! The plants are healthy and flowering this year? They are really very successful thanks to the beautiful weather we have had so far
ReplyDeleteThe rain we had in the Spring does seem to have set them up well and I've done a lot of mulching this year.
DeleteFor all that I love roses your hare has the star spot today. What a privilege to have such a rare animal in your garden.
ReplyDeleteWe've had an adult one here before though he's mostly just passing through. This younger one has been around each morning for a few days now.
DeleteYour roses are divine! And the best thing about rain in summer is the smell - petrichor the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jude
DeleteA beautiful selection of roses. It is tricky finding a rose with all the desirable attributes (I'd add thornless to the list too!)
ReplyDeleteGosh - I'd forgotten that one.
DeleteOh ny God, you grow good roses! 😘⚘💞 I love them all! I love, love Raubritter but she's doesn't seem to grow for me! In my own garden, I've had the chance to choose roses from scratch and I swing between the oldies and the very most modern shrub/floribunda roses that have great vigigour and often old style blooms. I always buy ones with a good fragrance but if one that slips past that has none I forgive him.
ReplyDeleteThe above comment was me! 😘⚘💞
ReplyDeleteI think a mix of the moderns and the oldies is the way to go.
DeleteSuch beautiful Roses, impossible to choose a favourite.
ReplyDeletethequiltinggardener
Thank you
DeleteLove all your roses, especially Champagne Moment, delightful! I have Buff Beauty, such a lovely rose too, like you I'm very fond of peachy ones. How fantastic to have a hare, I just have rabbits which are rather a nuisance when they chew my new acers!
ReplyDeleteRabbits are a complete pain. Our garden was over run when we moved in and we thought they were so cute. Now - not so much.
DeleteFingers crossed your rose will recover. I've realised over the years that some are just more robust than others and it's not our fault if they do not florish.
ReplyDelete