Wednesday 16 June 2021

Roses (and others) everywhere

This post is very picture heavy - I love roses and this is their time, so I'm celebrating it.  Above is 'Mary Rose'.
Gladiolus Byzantinus, echoing the pink of the roses.
Rose 'Geoff Hamilton'.
Rose 'For Your Eyes only'.
Rose 'Eyes for You'.
One of the patio peonies 'Athens'.  Again, there is a bit of a pink theme!

Rose 'Cottage Rose'.
Rose 'Constance Spry'.
Rose 'Charles de Mills'.
A white peony 'Madrid' - just coming into flower.  This one is a patio peony but I have planted it in the border.  It has taken a while to get going.
Another patio peony 'Rome'.
Rose 'Bright as a button'...
Rose Ferdinand Pichard.
Lewisia Plum.
Lewisia Plum close up , showing the lovely striped flowers.
Rose New Dawn and Blush Noisette aren't quite in flower yet, but have lots of buds. More to look forward to.
Rose Winchester Cathedral started to develop rust as well as black spot, so I made the decision and it has gone.  However, a replacement white rose, Susan Williams-Ellis has just arrived, so I am looking forward to seeing what she will be like.
The roses are certainly centre stage at the moment and some have grown very tall this year.  I am really surrounded by them and I love it!

10 comments:

  1. Swoon!! Absolutely gorgeous, Ellie! Do you feed your roses or spray them with anything? ~Andrea xoxoxo

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    1. Thanks, Andrea. I feed the roses with a rose food in Spring and I will give them a liquid feed in the next week or so. I do water the ones in pots regularly when they are in flower. I try to choose ones that have a good disease resistance, but I also need ones with scent. If they are not looking happy, I give them another chance, but if they still don't look happy, they have to go. With a small garden, things have to work really hard for me. When they are happy, they look wonderful!
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  2. Oooooh.
    Your garden looks (and no doubt smells) AMAZING.
    I will also confess to a smidge of jealousy. Growing peonies well has so far escaped us. We will (no doubt) try again this year.
    And recently planted another five roses. Or is it six?

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    1. Thanks, EC. The scent from the roses is lovely and the mock orange is also smelling delicious at the moment. My peonies are a bit hit and miss - I love them - but am struggling with one in the border which is not happy at all. If I had more space, I would like one of the old fashioned deep red ones. Still, I am lucky to have the four patio ones.
      I am jealous of your garden and the more tender and exotic plants you can grow outside which we would have to have as house plants! Oh, six more roses - wonderful! I think I am at my limit with roses (and plants generally) in the garden, but I can always enjoy other people's gardens, as well as my own.
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  3. Pink is definitely in! It looks as if your fabulous flowers are competing against each other to be the most beautiful of all, the Queen of the garden. Who will win first prize I wonder? Roses seem to be up there in the lead :-) Enjoy! Amanda x

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    1. Thanks, Amanda. It is definitely rose time over here and it is a great year for them so far. The winners for me are for scent, Gertrude Jekyll and for health, Olivia Rose Austin. For perfect shape, Charles de Mills and for a good allrounder, Ferdinand Pichard. I still have William Shakespeare 2000, Blush Noisette and New Dawn to really get going, so I'll see how they do.
      I am really enjoying the roses this year - can you tell?
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  4. Dear Ellie
    So many beautiful flowers, I love them all so much!

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    1. Thanks, Poirot. For a small garden, I have managed to squeeze a lot in. I love them all too!
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  5. Absolutely stunning roses Ellie! What a treat. Are either 'Geoff Hamilton' or 'For Your Eyes Only' ( I think this one is my favourite) scented at all? Lulu x

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    1. Thanks, Lulu. The roses seem to be particularly good this year. 'Geoff Hamilton' has an 'old rose' scent but is not good in the rain - the flowers ball up and go mushy. It is looking good this year because it has been dry, but the rain we have had over the last few days has made some of the open flowers ball up a bit. However, it is a strong, healthy grower. 'For your eyes only' has a light scent (stronger in the sun) but the flowers are single, so good for bees and other insects. The flowers have apricot, peach and cream colours with that dark eye, so I forgive them for not having a marvellous scent! It seems to be pretty healthy too. For scent, I'd say Gertrude Jekyll every time!
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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