Monday, November 24, 2014

Roses.

Yesterday we had the first sunny ( non windy ) day in ages. So good!  I spent many hours over the weekend gardening so no sewing. ( I'll get back to your question soon Isabelle. )
 As we have had lots of rain during Spring the roses in my garden are doing well. I'd like to share them with you.
 If I had to have just one rose it would be Charles Austin because of it's amazing perfume and hardy nature. ( I have 2 )

 Also flowering well are the 3 Graham Thomas roses on a fence at the edge of the garden near a Kiwifruit block.
 As there are 3 plants I can go out and pick a great big bunch to bring inside.
 Many of the roses have people's  names.
 Meg ( below ) has the prettiest face of all.
 Its the stamens and the colour I like.( not much perfume )
Her neighbour is called Penelope , she has a much paler face.
Pink Sparrieshoop  ( below ) almost died some years ago but recovered and is looking lovely beside the driveway.


 Crepuscule is up over a pergola - seen here photographed against the sky and the gum trees.
 Only the bottom got pruned as I can't reach the high up parts ; but it hasn't minded.

Also hard to control is Cecile Brunner ( the sweetheart rose ) . It frequently scrambles up into the surrounding trees.

 Lavender Dream is planted in the wrong place and is overshadowed by tall trees but manages to put out some flowers.
 Finally here is one of the Apple Blossom flower carpet roses that sprawl everywhere and can be pruned with loppers.I much prefer it's colour to the original cerise flowercarpet .
 These are just some of my rosy friends. 
 There is also Sally Holmes;Cornelia; Aryiles; Mutablis;Annais Segalis; Complicata; Veilchenblau White flower carpet and Petite Penny.

 Still living but not thriving are Sweet Juliette; Juliesquel;Wise Woman;Depres a Fleurs Jaune ( It  got damaged) and Loving Memory.
 When they are doing well Roses are a delight. I am battling bronze beetles which chew them - they have only been in my garden over the last 10 years - never had them before that. I can't spray them ( which would be the solution )( I digitally kill as many as I can ) because of the bees. It is just coming up to kiwifruit pollination time ( very late this year )and I cannot kill any of Wal's bees. Bees must be looked after.
 Do you like roses? What one is your favourite?



4 comments:

Mystic Quilter said...

Stunning photographs of the Queen of flowers!
I adore roses especially the older ones and the David Austin roses. Veilchenblau I have along our side fence, Crepuscule is by her side, both flowering beautifully at the moment. Picking my favourite rose would be tricky - Abraham Darby, Buff Beauty, Sharifa Asma to name three, there are so many more that I couldn't choose!!

Jennifer said...

I love your cream-apricot-yellow roses - we have a few here but I didn't plant them, so I don't know their names. Give me a shady tree any day!

shirley flavell said...

I love roses as well. We have quite a few bushes and climbers in our cottage garden and very much enjoying their beauty right now. I too love David Austins and have a few. Etiolle de Hollande is a beautiful perfumed deep red rose, climber.Adore white, Margaret Merril is lovely.We are having a beautiful show of Graham Thomas and Abraham Darby.Your garden must be really wonderful and a credit to you. Hopefully the weather is more settled now, have had a trash spring in the Waikato.

Ali Honey said...

Thanks for your comments ladies. I like the sound of Etiolle de Hollande Shirley, as I don't have a good red ...perfume too!. I know Margaret Merril is lovely and a favourite with many.
We too have had an awful windy wet Spring. Thanks. I wasn't able to comment on your blog.