Friday, May 8, 2015

... and So It Begins ...

Every spring, three roses compete for the title of first one to open a flower in my garden.  This year, the winner is 'Sarah Van Fleet'.  (The other two are 'Old Blush' and 'Climbing 'Rouletii'.)



This rose was bred by Walter Van Fleet (my favorite hybridizer), named for his wife, and introduced in 1926.  In my garden, it is eight feet tall and at least that wide, perfectly winter hardy, disease free, generous with its flowers, and the fragrance is heavenly.

My friend, Goth Gardener, included a quote that I love in her post today.


If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.
 - Buddha

This perfectly captures how I feel every year when that first flower opens.

19 comments:

  1. What a beauty! It is exciting whenever the first rose of a plant blooms, yet, so are all the blooms. They are little gifts to us from our great Creator.

    Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Roses like this remind me of what it must be like in your garden there in tropical Florida, being surrounded by color ... Sarah Van Fleet towers over my head and is over-the-top gorgeous when she's in full bloom.

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  2. This is beautiful and frilly and I'm partial to the pinks!

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    1. You would love it here during rose season, because most antique roses are some shade of pink. I like pink, too … in the garden.

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  3. Oooh! Sarah Van Fleet is a beauty! Can't wait to walk in all your rose madness!

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    1. You are welcome here any day, any time, for visits however brief or long as you like. The guest room is available, too, if necessary. (Gotta wear garden boots to get up close and personal with Ms. Sarah, since she is in the heinous mess that I call my Rose Field.)

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  4. It's really beautiful, and picked a perfect weekend to bloom!!


    ✻ღϠღ✻
    (¯`✻´¯)
    `*.¸.*✻ღღ Happy Mother's Day!!!

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    1. Thanks, Kim! This time of year with the roses feels like that long, slow climb up the first hill on a rollercoaster. Those first precious few flowers lead to a thrill ride as the garden explodes with color. It’s getting close!

      Happy Mother’s Day to you, too. You’re one of the best mothering souls I know.

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  5. Oh my, I can almost feel those soft petals.
    I love the quote.
    I worked in my garden yesterday and I hadn't realized how much I needed that.
    xo

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    1. There is no better therapy than honest work in the garden and dirt underneath one's fingernails. Dig holes, pull weeds, and let go of what bothers us. I saw your post the other day ... you, more than anyone right now, need to let it go. Sending hugs.

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  6. Ahhhhmaaazing, Connie! What an incredible rose! I'm so happy that spring is finally here in MI! My peonies and roses and sage and hosta are making their presence known, and I'm looking forward to picking them to bring inside for arrangements. I planted about 18 DA roses last summer and hope that they'll grow big and strong and will bloom this year. Hope you had a blessed Mother's Day!

    xoxo laurie

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    1. Laurie!!!! It’s so good to see you here! Winter was cold and grey and depressing here, but it was nothing like what you endure up there in MI. May your summer be full of warm sunshine and colorful garden flowers. You deserve it!

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  7. Mine, as always, was Marie Bugnet, but she was closely followed by Harison's Yellow and Therese Bugnet. Today, most every rose in my garden is showing color. So are the peonies, and I think the irises are going to hold on long enough that it will be the most colorful year I've ever seen!

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    1. It sounds like your garden and my garden are going to be about the same. As of yesterday, in these two days since I published this photo, I have scattered flowers on at least a dozen roses now ... Shailer's Provence, Mableton Rouletii, Zalud House Shingled Raspberry, Single Pink China, Double Blush Burnet, etc. I am anxiously awaiting the spectacle that I imagine full-bloom season is going to be!

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  8. I like the idea of flowers racing. But what is the prize? Perhaps a kiss from the prince of butterflies?
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. I never thought about prizes in this imaginary race. I like your idea of a prize!

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  9. Yay for roses, mine are just starting to open, and I can't wait to take pictures : )

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