My 'Climbing Rouletii' was knocked off its arch in a storm last year, and I never took the time to put it back up, so its canes are arching over all of its neighbor roses. Once it finishes blooming, I will have to cut it to a more manageable size so I can get it back to where it belongs. In the meantime, I am enjoying the wonderful mayhem.
A close rose relative of 'Climbing Rouletii' is also blooming now, "Mableton Rouletii". This little miniature China was found at an estate in California. It is different enough from the identified varieties of Rouletii to justify calling it by the study name, and enclosing the name in the double quotes.
While 'Climbing Rouletii' wants to be ten feet tall, "Mableton Rouletii" is barely three feet tall and wide. The flowers on both roses are only a little over an inch in diameter.
One more China rose that's beginning to bloom is 'Old Blush' ... one of the original roses imported from China in the late 18th Century.
I was surprised to see flowers on the top of 'Sarah Van Fleet', a rugosa rose that I recommend for gardens who can handle her size ... my plant is about seven feet tall and six feet wide. The flowers are on the top of the plant, so I had to point my camera WAY up to photograph them.
It's really exciting to finally have roses to share. The roses aren't the only flowers in the garden, however.
This clematis is always the first one to flower. I don't know which one it is, because it grows through a huge rambler and I can't get anywhere close to the base of the plant to read the tag. These flowers are larger than my hand!
My little patch of Lily of the Valley in the bed on the shady side of our pavilion is getting established quite nicely. I have tried and failed to grow this in two other spots in our yard, so I'm thrilled that I finally found a spot that makes it happy.
On the sunny side of the pavilion, this tree peony has just opened its first flower of the year ... with three more buds following right behind this one. (I don't know what variety this is, because I lost the tag.)
In the greenhouse, there are flowers on 'Climbing Baby Darling' (a sweet climbing miniature rose). It looks as if the flowers are pressing their faces to the glass, wanting to go out to the garden with all the other roses.
Patience, little rose. Your time will come, and you will get your own spot in the garden very soon ... I promise.
All of these photos were taken this afternoon. I imagine that things are going to start happening very quickly, once this weather front moves through in the next few days and sunny, warm weather returns. As soon as I have a better idea of timing, and I see when my calendar will allow me to be here, I will let you know when the garden will be open for visitors. In the meantime, expect to be totally overloaded with roses for the next few weeks. It's going to be glorious!
