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Saturday, April 5, 2014

THE ROSES ARRIVE

Over the last few days Zepherine drouhin began to open blooms. This cerise, thornless, climbing rose has the sweetest fragrance. On the front courtyard wall, where we frequently drink our mid morning coffee and eat our lunch, who could not pause to take in her sweet perfume.



She wins me over again every year. There is always some point at which I say I am going to remove her but then spring arrives and once again I let her stay. I really need to learn how to prune her to the best. She is very vigorous and has this tendency to send out side shoots which grow forwards instead of laterally. 



In the same garden, another thornless rose, the Lady Banks, Rose banksiae 'lutea' No fragrance but a reliable rose which covers her branches with clusters of pale yellow blooms every April. This year the blooms are smaller than I have ever seen them, due in part to our droughty winter and spring. So little rain has fallen that flowers everywhere are smaller than normal. At least she tried. I think that next week it will be Felicia's turn.

17 comments:

  1. Both are so beautiful! That Zepherine is a glorious color--I'm not familiar with that rose, but maybe I should be. I have no blooms yet, though I have buds. And lots of powdery mildew. Yuck.

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    1. I'm surprised you have mildew. It has been so dry. Have you tried spraying with milk? I tried that once on crape myrtles and it seemed to work.

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  2. None of my roses have made a showing here either so I'm tickled pink (and yellow!) to get early glimpses of yours. I can't imagine how much nicer a morning cup of coffee would be when perfumed by the fragrance of roses. It sounds heavenly!

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    1. They seem to have come on over the last few days. A little warmth helps and a little rain would do wonders. I look forward to seeing your rose photos.

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  3. Beautiful. Zepherine has wonderful color. My roses are still sleeping. I hope our first buds will be in June.

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    1. I think June is the perfect month for roses. I hope some of mine are blooming then too.

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  4. Love all your roses. I had just pruned Carefree Beauty - Katy Road rose before we got that horrible last freeze. The whole plant looked terrible, but it’s rallied and has put on a spurt of growth with buds over the whole bush. Hope to see blooms this week.

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    1. So glad they survived that horribly cold night, but then roses are pretty tough plants and pruning really gets them going.

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  5. I've always loved the Lady Banks rose - it has such delicate beauty.

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    1. Delicate but a monster. Big pruning this year.

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  6. My roses are all covered in buds as well. Most of mine recovered more quickly than I expected from that last horrible freeze. I'm expecting Blush Noisette to be blooming by the end of the week, with the rest to follow. I think that Duchesse de Brabant will probably be last, since the freeze really hit her hard. But as a bonus, hopefully that means that there will be at least one fragrant rose still blooming by the time the tour rolls around!

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    1. I hope they are in bloom for the garden bloggers' visit. I would love to see them again. It must be incredibly fragrant in your garden.

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  7. Such beautiful colors! I don't have any roses, but I may have to find a place in the garden for one (or two).

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    1. An English girl should definitely have roses in her garden. They would be lovely trained on your fence.

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  8. My roses are lagging behind bit, but I do look forward to a little vase full of fragrant blooms every year.

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  9. My one lonely rose has buds, but no blooms yet.
    I'd love to have more roses. But, my deer-protected sun areas are limited. I might be able to squeeze one into our new fenced area. Hmmmm...which one.
    I love the Lady Banks, but no room for her. Glad you always share yours.

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  10. Your roses look lovely. All but two of my rose bushes are covered in buds, can't wait!

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