Everything's coming up roses...and alliums (part one)

Roses are a bit earlier this year, probably due to the very warm and dry Spring we had. I absolutely love my roses and often wander round the garden just to look at (and smell) them.  They are a joy.  On my wander round the garden this morning, I took my camera to capture the roses out at the moment. Above is Ferdinand Pichard.

This is Mary Rose, usually overshadowed by some miscanthus, but the grass is smaller than usual, which gives the rose more space.

Cottage Rose, about half way down the garden.

Here is one of the gorgeous alliums which is planted in the rose pot. It is sharing with rose Susan Williams-Ellis.  I think it is a Christophii, but it is huge!

Here is Susan Williams-Ellis again, on her own this time.

My favourite for scent, Gertrude Jekyll, looking and smelling wonderful.

Kew Gardens, which seems to be struggling a bit for some reason. I will be giving them a final feed this year soon, so hopefully that will help. 

Finally for now, William Shakespeare 2000, flowering earlier than usual and with lovely velvety petals. 

More to come in part two.

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!

Roses and Peonies

 So far, 2018 has been a wonderful year for roses.  Everywhere you look, roses have been blooming brilliantly.  I have been really enjoying mine and above is a collage (created by using picmonkey) showing some of the beautiful flowers.
Left column: top, Darcey Bussell; middle, Jacques Cartier; bottom, Ferdinand Pichard
Middle column: top, Rosa Mundi, bottom, Pride and Prejudice (that was a birthday present this February)
Right column: top, Winchester Cathedral; middle, For Your Eyes Only; bottom, a vase of Gertrude Jekyll, Cottage Rose, Mary Rose and Ferdinand Pichard.

The peonies were a bit slow this year, probably due to the cold snap in February and March, but they were worth waiting for.  They may only flower for a short time but they do provide a 'wow'.  These are patio peonies, Rome, Athens and Madrid (not necessarily in that order!)

Other roses have started to flower too and the clematis are also making their presence felt, so there may well be more photos to come.

A Riot of Roses!

Collages created from my photos using picmonkey

So far, 2015 has been a wonderful year for roses here in my garden.  I have managed to squeeze twenty-two into my garden, adding to the collection over the years.  There is a pale pink theme going on, but this wasn't a conscious decision - it was mainly about the scent.  I have got one yellow rose and I have added some white and deeper pinky red this year, mainly in pots.  Most of them are in flower now and I am really enjoying the colours and perfumes.
Above top row from left to right: Gertrude Jekyll; Mary Rose: Cottage Rose
Middle row: Jacques Cartier; Ferdinand Pichard; Constance Spry
Bottom row: Chandos Beauty; Bright as a Button; Blush Noisette

Just a few more...
Clockwise top left to right: New Dawn; Diamond; Rosa Gallica Versicolor (Rosa Mundi); Frilly Cuff.
Diamond was my most recent purchase, just last week, and this is its first flower.  It is a miniature rose with a slight scent but is covered in buds.
 I do enjoy the garden when the roses bloom!

Late Summer Colour

 To cheer us up after these rather dull, grey and definitely autumnal last few days, here is a nice burst of colour from the garden.  I must admit that I took these photos last weekend, when the light was better, but the flowers are all still going, though looking a little more bedraggled now.  Above is an annual dahlia, grown from seed, which I shoved in a pot and put outside the front door.  As it turned out, this is the best plant because the ones in the back garden have been decimated by snails!

 White cosmos, again grown from seed, also in the pot at the front door.

 A geranium versicolour showing beautiful veining.

 Rose Mary Rose, with the slowly opening buds of caryopteris.

 Crocosmia 'Honey Angels' with a shot of yellow to enliven the border.  This is a great plant, not too tall and it has come through the last winter or two beautifully.  I have ordered a couple more of these.

 A sugar pink phlox flower, bought as part of a a bare root collection earlier this year.

 My favourite geranium, Rozanne, which has been voted plant of the century by the RHS members. (I voted for it too!)

 Another cosmos, in a pot in the back garden.

 Clematis Crystal Fountain, showing the stages of the flowers.  I like the pom pom left after the petals have fallen.

 Hydrangea Endless Summer 'The Bride'.

 A pretty fuchsia 'Thamar', which is also in a pot and which came through last winter.

 A recent addition bought from Barnsdale; Helenium 'Ruby Tuesday' which is a compact variety, again in a pot. 

Beautiful rusty red flowers.

 More hydrangeas - Endless Summer 'Pink'.

A relatively new hydrangea, with blue flowers but no name.  I'm not sure how hardy this will be, but I couldn't resist the delicate blue/purple flowers.
The colours have definitely brightened my day and I hope you have enjoyed them too.

Roses

 Finally, my roses are blooming and I just had to cut a few and bring them in.  They are Ferdinand Pichard, Rosa Mundi, Gertrude Jekyll, Geoff Hamilton and Mary Rose.  (You may also have spotted a stray astrantia that sneaked in the top photo).

More of the same, but without the astrantia and with more Ferdinand and Gertrude added in.  The scent wafts around the sitting room and is wonderful.  Roses are one of my favourite plants and given a half acre garden, I would grow many more varieties.  In my small back garden, I have crammed ten of them, but would love more.  One day...