Flowers on Friday ... Despite the Heat

No matter where you live, if you follow any blogs that are based in the eastern United States, you have heard that we are experiencing temperatures this week that have approached, and some days exceeded, 100 degrees (that's 37+ for our friends who use the Celsius scale).  Despite the heat, and the fact that we have not had a drop of rain in over two weeks, some of the roses are blooming quite nicely.

Indigo

Odee Pink

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you that I water my rose gardens using a drip irrigation system ... but not too much.  It's meant to be Mother Nature's emergency back-up plan.  I run the system once a week, letting it drip at the base of each rose for a few hours to gradually hydrate the soil directly underneath each rose.

Mrs. John Laing

Mutabilis

Flowers on roses in the heat of summer can be much smaller than those produced in cooler times of the year.   Others produce fewer petals and have a more open bloom form.

"Grandmother's Hat"

Druschki Rubra

As usual, the best blooming roses in the garden right now are the Chinas and Teas.  They love the hot weather, and they produce flowers continuously all summer.

"Carnation"

Comtesse Riza du Parc

The Polyanthas (a tough, work-horse class of roses) are also blooming full force.  These roses will be some of the last to finish the season in November.

Gartendirektor Otto Linne

White Pet

Though the Dog Days of summer aren't the best time to be in the rose garden, it's nice to know that there's still beauty to be found.

(written by Hartwood Roses.  Hartwood Roses blog.)