Roses won't be blooming in my garden until late June, but I pulled out some photos from last year for this post. Above is my very un-artsy display of five of the english roses in my yard. I thought it would be interesting to compare the shapes, colors and sizes of the different blooms all in a row. From left to right: Sister Elizabeth, Eglantyne, William Shakespeare 2000, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, The Countryman. Too bad you can't sniff them - Sis Eliz and CR Mackintosh have a myrrh scent, The Countryman is sweet strawberries, Eglantyne doesn't have much of a scent for me, and Wm Shakespeare is true, rich, old rose fragrance.
Above and below are shots of Princess Alexandria of Kent, a new english rose in my garden last year. The color was surprising - the young flowers have a definite coral-salmon tint, then they age to almost pure pink.
The flowers are large and their shape is lovely. I can't remember exactly how they smelled, except that they did have a fragrance and I liked it (so it couldn't have been myrrh, which isn't my favorite).
This is a close up of the button eye in a Sister Elizabeth bloom. Those buttons are just adorable. The color is such a pretty mauve-pink.
These next two are of Double Pink Knockout rose, which is not growing in my garden. I was assigned to buy a new rose bush for the elementary school rose garden, and my local nursery strongly suggested that a knockout rose would be the most sturdy, hardy, easy-to-grow plant for the school. So I picked this one and took a few pictures before we planted it at the school.
The color of this pink knockout is a gorgeous deep, true pink - slightly on the cooler side. I don't especially love the shape of single knockout roses, but this double form is handsome. I'm not sure that I'll make room for any in my garden, though, since I'm stuck on english roses.
And here is a final picture of soft cotton candy pink Englantyne, which will most likely be the first rose to bloom in my garden again this year. I don't wish to rush through the next few months, as I wouldn't want to miss the tulips, peonies, delphiniums and iris . . . but I'm looking forward to rose season for sure.
Lovely selection of roses! I long to have some Austin's but have not make the tough choices about where to find the space. I think I might need to wait for our "eventual house" - which is what we call the single family home we hope to purchase in another 3-4 years.
ReplyDeleteWhere have you purchased your roses? locally or from which catalog?
How beautiful roses...It's a pity you can't add scent here:) Oh well,I'll use my imagination.So many wonderful things to wait,my roses also start blooming in late June but there's much more happening before that:).
ReplyDeleteI've read about Sister Elizabeth and think I might have a good spot for it, I think it stays on the small side if I remember right. I only have a couple of pink roses, but just added a new pink climber called 'Eden'. I'm looking forward to rose season too!
ReplyDeleteI have William Shakespeare marked for the arch over the front gate and that picture has just confirmed my choice! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe are coming up to bare rooted season and now i will have to choose a Clematis to match! hmm...
WMG - you really need some Austins to make your garden complete! They're so delicious. I've ordered most of mine from David Austin (google the name to get to their website and request a free catalog, I LOVE looking through their gorgeous pictures). I also picked up a couple from Costco when they were available last year.
ReplyDeleteI am planning on ordering a David Austin-- 'Janet' for my 'family' garden. Your testament of these beauties helped me make the decision. Ordered a 'Mary' for my sister in law, Mary, for her birthday. Kind of a theme!
ReplyDeleteI want, I want, I want! I've got a new space set aside for a rose and that deep colored William 2000 looks like it might be a good one to try. What a fun post. I'm SO ready for summer! :) BTW, un-artsy? I don't think so. Simplistic and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful selection of roses. The first image really shows the difference of form. I love roses like you show, but have not had the patience for them. So many clients want the pink Knockouts. I like them for ease, but they do not have the elegance I see in your other selections.
ReplyDeleteHow delicate and soft they look! I've taken up a recent interest in Roses and plan to buy some this week. Hope I find roses as beautiful as yours.
ReplyDeleteI like the side by side comparison, very interesting to see them like that. So many lovely shades of pink. I don't care about myrrh either, although I do have to say that at least I can smell it consistently (my Carding Mill has a heavy myrrh fragrance). I have two WS2000 and often can't detect any fragrance from them:(. Beautiful pictures.
ReplyDeleteEnglish roses do have their own certain charm and beauty. I love their form, so romantic. Some do well for me, others not so much. Great post and comparisons. Loved the top photo.
ReplyDeleteWow! Love all of your gorgeous roses, wish could smell them here! No roses in my garden but I just love seeing them in other people's gardens. Great photos of your beautiful roses!
ReplyDeleteI should have mentioned that 'The Countryman', pictured in the top photo of this post, is the rose in my header photo. Such a great rose - supposedly one of David Austin's favorites.
ReplyDeleteAll your roses are so gorgeous. You did great buying that pink Knockout. They are so easy in my garden. I love the pinks in your garden and am actually adding more to my garden. A big change for me.
ReplyDeleteI was noticing your post below about the extremes in your temps between day and night. I can imagine that would be hard for the plants and the gardener.
Ohh...absolutely stunning. And I think your first photo is VERY artsy! I have a list of David Austins that I'd like to (um) buy for myself for my birthday...haha! Very pretty indeed.
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful english roses!!!!!!! ahhhh!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe have so many roses in common ! Just because we share the same passion for Austin's Roses... Greetings from Belgium !
ReplyDeletethere's nothing like old fashioned roses for loveliness. I agree with Grace above - I love the first photo, and it is artistic.
ReplyDeleteVW, I saw those rose blooms lined up in glasses, and my heart skipped a beat. I always forget how beautiful roes are, and especially old or English roses. I love that button eye on Sister. Wonder if we can get that one here. See, now you've tempted me. :) ~~Dee
ReplyDeleteVW !! Your roses are too gorgeous : )
ReplyDeleteI understand how you feel about looking forward to them .. I only have a few and I can't wait to see them fill out and to smell them : )
I want more but I have to make sure I can handle what I have first .. but who wouldn't fall in love with yours girl ... they are beautiful !
Joy
Thanks for the gorgeous pictures. Eglantyne in the rose park 5a doesn't look like your Eglantyne, it looks like the one in David Austin's catalog. It's the best fragrance out of over 1,000 bushes at the rose park. The other strong fragrances at the rose park are Bolero and Frederick Mistral.
ReplyDelete