Roses, Color and Light

June at Last!

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:27:00 +0000

June nearly seamlessly followed May this year with its continuation of warm temperatures and bright days. Cleamtis 'Madam Julia Correvon' robed herself with a wine-red cloak that catches the morning light in the photos above and below.

My arid, high-desert garden, though an oasis in a rugged outpost, takes on some of the ragged character of the greater environment. Peony 'Bowl of Beauty,' tough gal that she is, bravely opens her wind-buffeted blooms.

Her neighbor, my little Japanese Maple 'Garnet' surprised me by surviving the winter to present brilliant, though ungainly, new foliage.

A Home-Depot bargain buy, its little body struggles to put on growth while facing daunting odds with our super-dry winters and dehydrating spring winds.

Together they make a sweet duo that one day may grow into a lovely scene.

Coffee time is delightful among the soothing morning shadows.

The hummers love their little free buffet.

Only one token tomato this year since we'll be traveling for most of June. I do hope it lives up to its name!

Aloha's disease-free foliage is glossy, healthy and bright on a dry, high-desert afternoon.

Missing My Garden!

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 18:12:00 +0000

Here in January, the frozen ground reflects a dour sky. Patchy remnants of last week's snow lurk and huddle in icy splotches on the cold, north sides of shrubs and rocks. Even the yarrow, almost ever optimistic, appears defeated as it slumps in limp, burnished mounds.

My demoralized yarrow resigns itself to winter.

In nostalgic remembrance of September and October I peruse my digital memories of those bright, colorful days. I hope you enjoy them, too.

The Brandywine crabapple (Malus 'Brandywine) fruits hang in cheery clusters against a brilliant September sky.

Brandywine crabapples in September.

My young Seminole Wind is becoming a favorite.

Seminole Wind is also known as Rosarium Uetersen.

I can't wait to see what he does in the next growing season, his third.

Already a likely little bush.

There were plenty of roses, especially minis, for indoor table arrangements in October. Last year, the Autumn of 2011, was unprecedented in providing roses through November.

Double Delight and clusters of minis made a charming table centerpiece for an October dinner party.

Hollyhocks brought a tropical flair to the September garden this year.

A few cantaloupe seeds from the compost made their way beneath the chokecherry tree. The vines produced these sweet treats that hung like fruits from its boughs. We harvested them in September.

The refreshing September verdure viewed from my lawn chair ...

... had by November taken on the gray and russet tones of the approaching winter.

The Bradford Pears take on Autumn with glowing defiance.

Below are links my recent gardening articles for the online San Francisco Chronicle.

How Are Roses Propagated?

Are Alfalfa Pellets Good for Rose Bushes?

French Perfume -- Brilliant in October 2012.

Double Delight, Frederic Mistral and Chrysanthemums Welcome September With Me

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 02:50:00 +0000

It's becoming a lovely Autumn.

Double Delight is glorious this September.

The fragrances of Double Delight and Frederic Mistral please me to no end.

Frederic Mistral manages a few fluffy blooms.

My little chrysanthemum bed is awakening.

Chrysanthemum plants that I have raised from cuttings explode all over the yard on this glorious September morning.

This is such a lovely time of year.

Further Flowery Reading ...

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:35:00 +0000

Here are links to a few of my recently published articles for you to enjoy!

Clematis H. F. Young growing up through a climbing miniature Jeane la Joie rose.

Ground Cover Plants for Under Roses

How to Combine Roses and Clematis

Ideas for Outdoor Planters

Use of Rosemary Bushes in Landscaping

Baby Blanket rose.

Life and Light in the Summer Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 16:38:00 +0000

Water, nectar and pollen welcome beneficial insects to our high-desert garden.

The monsoon rains skirt around us with few exceptions, leaving the surrounding area gasping in dust. I and the hose supply our garden and its dependent creatures with a steady, though expensive, supply of necessary moisture in our verdant little pocket.

Somewhere, a batch of honey will be flavored with David Austin's Heritage rose.

David Austin's Ambridge Rose is a generous host for this most-welcome ladybug.

And so, the busy hum and buzz of life carries on. A host of beneficial insects, like happy children blissfully unaware of the efforts their elders make for their comfort and survival, return my efforts with a healthy, life-filled garden.

A rapidly blowing Buck rose Quietness bloom makes a cushy pollen depot for a foraging bee. Wouldn't you just love to curl up in such a spot?

A painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) on a purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) opens her wings to the moist, late-afternoon air.

A male sweat bee (Agapostemon sp.) shows off his dandy cloths and a shapely, pollen-heavy leg.

Bright yellow bumblebees (Bombus spp.) decorate the garden beds with baubles of fuzzy flying color.

I find pleasure in providing the venue for a vibrant microcosm where bees, butterflies and an astounding array of living creatures find forage and shelter.

(You may click to enlarge the above photos.)

Visit my garden insectary articles elsewhere on the Web:

A Garden Haven for Beneficial Insects

The Best Herbs to Grow for Attracting Honey Bees

Vines for Bees

June Has Arrived

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 23:22:00 +0000

Clematis x jackmanii among the Virginia creeper offers a shy welcome to the back garden. A baby Japanese maple 'Garnet' peeks around the corner, and two mature Quietness rose bushes unabashedly brighten the back fence.

The wind and dust have settled, and the garden breathes relief. June opens with its usual smiling dress of freshness and bright verdure.

Yellow and white miniature roses seem to dance in their Osteospermum jucundum 'Purple Mountain' skirt. These cold-tolerant African daisies are cheery, carefree early-summer bloomers.

My innocent anticipation of roses, color and light under a dreamy blue sky stirs with little regard to an alternate reality involving rapacious grasshoppers and greedy weeds. I wander among the roses as a restless, awakening dreamer would stretch in the dawning comfort of luxurious silken sheets.

I photographed a few of the roses that join with me in welcoming this lovely June.

Jude the Obscure, lovely, fragrant and stingy as ever, deigns to wink at me from behind his ragged leaves.

Abraham Darby, still a bit shaken from late May's horrific dust storm, recovers with a brave and brilliant glow.

I am not the only one in the garden finding Fredric Mistral irresistible.

David Austin's Heritage is ivory pink in its warm, sunny spot on a south-facing wall.

You may click to enlarge the above photos.

June Comes Early

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Fri, 25 May 2012 17:28:00 +0000

It's only late May and everyone among our roses is pushing, stretching and opening buds as if there is no June ahead, ignoring the punishing winds and sand storms that keep us cowardly humans indoors.

Rare morning peace in the garden

It's almost a cruel joke that the loveliest time of year is rushing past so quickly on wings of dirt, sand and dust, making a quiet garden respite nearly impossible. I managed to snap a few early morning shots before today's predicted biggest wind storm yet takes over our lives for the next 36 hours.

Frederic Mistral, aka The Children's Rose

Frederic Mistral's deeply-fragrant blooms take me back to elusive and comforting childhood vignettes featuring great aunts and rose-scented soaps and oils.

Teasing Georgia rose

Teasing Georgia glows in the morning light.

Prairie Star rose

Prairie Star is delightfully perky and peachy, obviously relishing the sprinkler's bounty.

Royal Wedding rose

Royal Wedding's first flush delights me no end.

Seminole Wind rose, aka Rosarium Uetersen

Seminole Wind, next to a favorite morning-coffee chair, puts on his first real show since joining our garden last year.

Quietness rose

Quietness never disappoints us, her delicate-looking blossoms taking a whipping in a wind that began rousing with the sun.

Quietness rose bush and company

Quietness rose's first flush of 2012

Abraham Darby rose bush

Abraham Darby wants to ball up, but manages a brave show none-the-less.

Abraham Darby rose

The garden by late afternoon

As expected, the day deteriorated into a dirty, dusty mess. My poor roses!

You may click to enlarge the above photos.

The Summer Cometh

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Sun, 20 May 2012 02:59:00 +0000

Summer rapidly approaches; the garden sings with delight.

I enjoy watching a sweet hummer through my kitchen window.

Everything lovely and alive stretches toward the sun and sky.

Helianthemum and Salvia 'Purple Rain' glow in the morning light.

The Madam Julia Correvon clematis shows off her rich, wine-red blossoms in an extravagant burst of generosity; I adore her.

Quietness, her delicate pink, fragile-looking blossoms deceptively resilient, glows in the extraordinarily hot weather.

Shrugging off yesterday's dusty violence, Quietness carries on.

Summer verdure restores its place in the serene morning after.

Summer, glorious summer, lies ahead.

A Sun-Kissed Morning Begins a Beautiful Day

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 01:31:00 +0000

My young white trio: two Bradford pear trees and a Black Tartarian cherry tree glisten in the morning light and chill.

Mornings in my garden this week were bright and cold, with a kiss of color and sunlight brushing the flowering trees.

The cherry tree is brilliant against a clear, bright sky.

Afternoons breeze through, sometimes with dust; at other times the wind feels colder than the sunlight would suggest.

The warm spring allowed my young Burkwood viburnum to bloom. The fragrance is divine and I adore seeing the pink buds opening to pure white, simple blossoms.

I managed to get my little rosebushes from Heirloom Roses planted. My dear friend Sarah Z. treated me to three roses that I was anxious to have.

My three new babies patiently await.

My previous experiment with Ebb Tide ended prematurely; I believe I planted it too early in the season. I am hoping that this time the roots will have a chance to grow and become well secured in their new home before the season is out.

Ebb Tide has a roomy new home in front of a rather winter-ravaged Ambridge Rose and next to Cl. America.

I love Moonlight Scentsation so much that I chose another to keep it company.

Moonlight Scentsation poses before settling into a new home.

I ordered Jean Kenneally -- I am fascinated by the idea of growing the highest rated rose ever -- but they sent Cl. Jeanne Lajoie by mistake. I already have several Jeanne Lajoie; charming as she is, I don't need another. I did manage to find a spot for her, and the good, service-oriented folks at Heirloom Roses are graciously sending my Jean Kenneally along soon.

Fragrant crabapple blossoms scent the afternoon.

Evening quietly closes another happy spring day in the garden.

Hyacinth to Feed The Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 08:53:00 +0000

"If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft,

And of thy slender stores

two loaves alone to thee are left,

Sell one, and with the dole

Buy hyacinth to feed thy soul"

"Hyacinth to Feed Thy Soul"

13th century Persian poet

Moslih Eddin Saadi

From his book "Gulistan"

("The Rose Garden")

Hyacinth certainly do feed my soul. They are the first herald of spring and warmth in my garden.

I love their sweet fragrance. They grow in so many fresh colors.

I can never have enough hyacinth, short-lived though they are, and I can never buy as many as I want, however drastically I deplete my "slender stores" to acquire them.

Hyacinth in the herb garden brighten my way to the back door.

Thanks to
Words From the Heart

for the poem

Worst Fears Realized ... A Hefty Dose of Snow and Ice in March

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 21:24:00 +0000

Frosted hyacinth are a normal sight after a mild winter, early spring and a late-winter storm.

This storm is to be the biggest of the 2011-2012 winter season. The high spots in the state will receive up to a couple of feet of snow; our more northern, but lower-elevation, spot will certainly get its share of wind and weather.

Yesterday dawned brilliantly with clear skies, warmish temperatures and calm air.

But our complacency was short-lived. By mid-morning yesterday, wind-blown dust and dirt found every crevice and fold in our clothes, hair and skin. This morning, venturing out was for the sturdy souls among us. Dirt and dust continued to obscure the horizon, with colder temperatures and a spattering of rain on the windshield.

Do the little apricot blossoms stand a chance?

This is why apricots seldom produce fruits in our area. The fragile, hopeful blossoms are all too often slapped asunder by cruel, late-winter storms.

The grape hyacinth don't mind at all, however, and will be springing back to life after shaking off this small irritation. Of course, their reproductive cycle does not include producing edible fruits.

The regular hyacinth, too, will be just fine.

The snow level in Northern Arizona will drop to elevations of 3,000 feet tonight; already elevations of 7,000 feet have a couple of feet of snow. Northern Arizona University canceled classes for tomorrow, and we here in the extreme north-eastern corner of the state, at a mile high in elevation, will hunker down and continue to wait for spring.

The garden bench offers little invitation today.

Fresh green iris and grape hyacinth foliage offer a tantalizing suggestion of hope through an otherwise completely dreary front window view.

The Blessings and Curses of an Early Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:13:00 +0000

Mid-February is too early for the beginnings of vigorous growth, but I am relishing the tease of spring.

Our first spring flower!

This little guy lasted through the winter, blooming on warm, sunny days.

Our unusually clement winter season has me both longing for and fearing an early spring. The sunshine took me outdoors yesterday to root around in the soil and do a little cleanup. The ground is still frozen, but new green and red growth is beginning to show everywhere.

My Royal Wedding cutting is showing new red growth.

It is gratifying to see what has survived the winter. All my new cuttings made it through on their own roots; of course, the mild winter gave them an edge. I am happy to see that my little volunteer rose seedling is raring to grow, too.

A volunteer seedling, nestled among the grape hyacinth, survived another winter and appears to be set to thrive this coming season.

On the other hand, sometimes our biggest storms come in March and April, freezing the fresh growth and delaying the serious business of plant growth and reproduction. Nascent buds, both foliage and flower, are subject to destruction by late freezes after the seductive clemency of a balmy late winter.

Young Black Tartarian cherry branches stretch to the sky.

Lengthening branches reach toward the stratosphere laden with swollen buds, accentuating the brilliant sky with a sense of renewing life. I am stirred with both a joyful anticipation and a lurking dread that all will be for naught.

A Bradford Flowering Pear tree is eager to display its seasonal wealth with a lavish show.

Fortunately, roses are mighty resilient. Should a late freeze take their early growth, they will simply dust themselves off and redouble their efforts to produce their first brilliant flush.

David Austin's Ambridge Rose in late June, 2011

Unfortunately, a nip-in-the-bud event will delay their early seasonal display, and shorten the season from the early end. Another autumn like we had in 2011, however, will extend the season.

Ambridge Rose in early November, 2011

(You may click to enlarge the above photos.)

Double Delight Rose Products

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:49:00 +0000

I love Double Delight! I have created a few Double Delight products on Zazzle featuring this photo. Have a look!

Double Delight Rose Mousepad at Zazzle!

Double Delight Rose Mug

Ambridge Rose is Off to a Good Start!

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 22:34:00 +0000

David Austin's Ambridge Rose is one of my Chamblees purchases from last year. It was planted in spring of 2011. I am pleased to have roses to photograph on November first; it has been an unusually mild fall.

She is planted near Climbing America, and I love the colors together.

Climbing America

They should make a lovely, melodious duo by next season when Ambridge Rose puts on a little more bulk.

Already a full little bush

As it is, I am so pleased with her progress. With her alluring color and fragrance, she is a delightful, sensually stimulating addition to my garden pleasures.

A charming round bud is filled with promise

Sweet little twins

Her weak stems detract somewhat from her beauty, making her a shy little creature. If she realized how beautiful she is, she would surely hold her head proudly to the sky.

She shares her loveliness reluctantly; I mush prop her up on a driftwood log to photograph her.

So pretty together! Climbing America and Ambridge Rose

The temperature goes down to 21F tonight; this will be our last vase of cut roses for the season.

A previous post describes my purchases for spring of 2010:

Roses Ordered for Next Spring

You may click to enlarge the above photos

Double Delight ~ Exquisite Color and Fragrance

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 04:17:00 +0000

My little cutting of Double Delight has produced few but marvelous blossoms this summer. This rose opened in early October, its deep crimson petals revealing a rich, pastel treat.

Soft pink, cream and buttery yellow petals are revealed as the rose slowly wakens, unfolding with a broad, friendly smiling face.

The fragrance is as rich and complex as its colorful display; deeply inhaling the center of the rose provides an initial draught of deep old rose. A soft, sweet finish reminiscent of vanilla French buttercream lingers for an almost imaginary moment.

The winter will freeze the ground to as much as four feet deep. I will keep all my new babies, including this little Double Delight, watered and mulched until the distant spring reveals their survival or demise.

You may click to enlarge the above photos.

The Summer Folds Behind Us, Leaving Lovely, Rosy Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 23:06:00 +0000

Sonia continued to delight us throughout the busy summer. I adore the Sonia rose.

Toward August, she sent up a magnificent cane nearly 6 feet tall, topped with a cluster of perfect florist-quality roses.

Dew patterned like pave-set diamonds illuminated the garden one rare morning.

Peace, sparkling discretely, is always serene and lovely.

Quietness smiles rather thinly as the summer wears down.

Aunt Honey, new this spring, blooms with lovely form and garish color, like a desperate spinster's lavishly applied lipstick. Her name seems to fit.

You May Click to View the Above Photos Enlarged

Minis from Cuttings

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:45:00 +0000

We begin with the proud parents:

The roses above were acquired from the local grocery store 10 or 12 years ago. The pink, white and red minis thrive in our garden and reward us with cheery blooms all season long.

This little white offspring was planted in spring 2010. The plant is happy and healthy in the garden. The photo above and below were taken in June 2011.

The individual flowers are small, perfectly formed pure white roses.

The above photo was taken in June. The pink mini is darling. This was the first of my cutting batch from last fall that rated a pot. I documented its progress in a previous post:

Potting Up a Brand New Rose Bush!

It struggled a bit when it was first planted out, but it has recouped admirably.

I adore the pink variations on this rose. Flowers may be dark or light at any stage, giving the bush a festive appearance.

Now shown above in August, its already of a respectable size. I hope it begins to rival its mother across the front walk by next year.

The mother plant (above) is a real blooming machine!

Belinda's Dream and Royal Wedding Blooming

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 00:29:00 +0000

Belinda's Dream from Chamblee's Rose Nursery arrived this spring.

Now in the full summer season, I am THRILLED with this rose!

It is fulfilling my expectations in a grand way.

A little cutting from Royal Wedding.

I wonder if the root system will be able to cope with our serious winter season?

The original grafted plant thrives here.

My decade-old bush is a favorite.

The summer monsoons have given us some lovely moments

Delightful hikes in Canyon de Chelly have supplemented our summer workouts.

In Loving Memory of Our Dear Sparky

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:58:00 +0000

In Loving Memory of I Am Spartacus "Sparky"

February 5, 1998 - July 12, 2011

Sparky with his friends, Sueno and Rocky

Sparky slipped from life as sweetly, obediently and uncomplaining as he had lived it.

He will be sorely missed.

Double Delight

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 23:33:00 +0000

Double Delight from the rooted cutting opened its first flower beautifully.

I thought I'd share the event with you!

I do love the color variations in Double Delight. Its phototropic qualities are a wonderful visual addition to its intoxicating fragrance.

I enjoyed preparing a couple of articles about rose color for eHow:

My White Roses Are Turning Pink

How Do Roses Get Their Color?

Use your browser's back arrow to return to Roses, Color and Light.

(You may click to enlarge the above photos.)

The Character of Our Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:36:00 +0000

Every garden is its own entity. Our journeys through picture books and trips to the nursery come together differently than our vision of perfection.

An errant carrot seed from last year produced this lovely bunch of 'summer snowflakes.'

Our own garden exists differently in my imagination than in actuality. Weed seeds, opportunists that they are, find respite from the surrounding desert in our yard. Every crack between stones, every bare slice of earth is fair game.

Prairie Star is happy in an untidy bed.

Our front walk with Dream Weaver and minis.

Our garden is a mish-mash of this-and-that from impulse buys and opportunity purchases.

Peppermint Twist phlox is pretty and sweetly scented.

Our front walk is made of local stones.

Alliums and Shasta daisies

These alliums were a parting gift from a dear friend who moved away. They have multiplied with gusto.

Baby's breath and germander.

I am attached to baby's breath. We used it extensively in the flower shop throughout the '70s.

Minis and yarrow

All the yarrow in our yard came form one or two plants. It is shallow-rooted, tough and forgiving. I can pull it out where I don't want it, and stick a small rooted stem where I do want it. It grows to 3 feet high or flowers at less than a foot high if I shear it short. Its delicate, ferny leaves belie its tremendous durability and utility. I am fond of yarrow.
Our garden is filled with local rocks including some lovely petrified wood. It is rustic in the extreme, without tidy edges or smooth walkways. It is a never-finished garden to busy ourselves with and dream over.

Double Delight from one of my rooted cuttings!

You may click to enlarge the above photos

What is so Rare as a Day in June?

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:40:00 +0000

Sonia

June is dissolving like sugar water, creating and leaving behind sweet visions in the same moment. Roses bud, open and are gone before they can be properly captured on film. Choosing the camera when the ambiance of the garden is so delightful without the artificial filter of its lens is difficult, but the gardener is driven to share.

Sonia is a remarkably lovely rose. I remember her well from my florist days in the 1970s, when California was the main provider and a perfect rose was still rare. When bunches and bundles of perfectly formed roses, each on its long, straight stem arriving at the wholesaler's from South America were still a future away, Sonia was a delight to work with. I still love her classically beautiful form.

Angel Face is a favorite, though she does not thrive in my garden. The grafted plants I have faithfully produce but a few flowers each season. I would like to try her on her own root.

Angel Face is forever charming. The lovely scent is worth every fleeting moment I have with her.

Chicago Peace is paler this year. He is producing like a brave convalescent recovering from a harsh virus, but the winter certainly took its toll, and the plant is smaller than it has been for years due to winter die back.

Chicago Peace is a brave soldier

Chicago Peace is beautiful and bright though slightly pale from the harsh winter.

You May Click to Enlarge the Above Photos

A Few Firsts, Especially Quietness

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:09:00 +0000

Following a jerky spring of late frosts, a few roses are tentatively beginning to bloom in our garden.

I cannot enough express the pleasure Quietness affords. As the first blooms finally begin to open, I fall in love anew with this romantically exquisite beauty.

The pure, cool coloration of Quietness wanders softly among pale pinks and creamy apricots.

Her petals throw the sunlight back to me in a joyous celebration of the morning.

Quietness remains unmarred by the ravages of nature that target pale flowers. Thrips and grasshoppers seem to be kept at bay by a reverent awe of her beauty. Even the blazing sun refuses to allow her delicate color to fade.

Our ancient Zepherine Drouhin seems surprised and glad to find herself alive for another summer.

Peace tests the summer hesitantly. This blossom reminds me of a shy over sized child wishing to be included in the fun.

The first of the climbing America blooms seeks the protection of foliage until certain that summer has arrived.

This mini has such classic form. It reminds me of my florist days, when roses of this color and shape were sought by many a hopeful suitor. He'd carry it carefully out of the shop, wrapped up in green paper with a piece of ribbon, nestled among a piece of leather leaf and a spring of baby's breath, to conquer the heart of some fair maiden.

(You may click to enlarge the above photos.)

Miniature and Mini-Flora Roses That I Love

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 19:58:00 +0000

Sunny miniature roses are bright spots in our garden.

An unnamed yellow Parade mini

The first to begin blooming and the last of the season to quit, minis delight us anew each year. The series of late spring frosts has slowed down all the other roses in the garden, but the minis surge ahead and reward us with clusters of happy blossoms.

Flawless

Flawless is our new miniflora from Heirloom this spring. Already it is displaying its long pointed buds and breaking into fragrant, beautifully formed flowers. I adore the color. It is planted in front of Dream Weaver, which produces ruffled clusters of salmon pink roses to create a harmonious blending with Flawless.

Rugged minis in the front rock garden

Grocery store minis from a decade or more ago

The grocery store minis above are as tough as the petrified wood lining their bed.

A chance seedling

I love the red flares on the chance seedling's flowers. I hope it becomes a robust, floriferous rose bush.

I was happy to note that our chance seedling made it through the winter and is about to bloom. It produced one or two pale yellow blooms last year. We'll see what this year brings.

White rose from last year's cutting project

The above white mini was planted last spring from the previous winter's cuttings. It made it through our nasty winter and is blooming away in its permanent garden home.

The mother of the white mini cuttings

The original is a grocery store plant from more than a decade ago. It's still healthy and productive in the front bed.

Moonlight Scentsation

Moonlight Scentsation is not as robust as Flawless yet. It is from the same spring Heirloom order. It's trying very hard to please!

Overnight Scentsation is fragrant and lovely. The two I planted from Heirloom this spring are now blooming.

They are in small round beds that are next to each other, along with dianthus, some burgundy minis from Trader Joes, and Starlight Express Oriental lilies. The fragrance is divine!

You may click to enlarge the above photos

Peonies ~ Extravagant, Fleeting and Wonderful

noreply@blogger.com (Roses, Color, and Light) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:58:00 +0000

A peony bud tightly holds her promise as long as she possibly can. It seems a long wait.

Finally deigning to begin breaking, she whispers lightly.

Now she senses the sunlight, deciding that perhaps it is a good thing.

Still shy, but coming inexorably out of her awkward stage

Sarah Bernhardt has come into her own.

Old-fashioned, perhaps, but there is no time restraint on the fulfilling pleasure afforded by the classically lovely Sarah Bernhardt peony. She is as beautiful as her namesake.

Bowl of Beauty is bright and happy.

A charming flower.

My young bush struggled to produce a few, fast-fading flowers for us this year.

You may click to enlarge the above photos.