Here is a little sneak peek at what you will see if you come to visit:
1. Old Garden Roses suckering and totally obstructing the paths in the Rose Field. Hard to complain when they are as beautiful as this.
2. Roses in trees. These are once-blooming roses. Every year when they flower, I see that they have climbed higher and filled more of their trees than the year before.
'American Pillar' in a cedar tree.
'American Pillar', close up.
'Paul's Himalayan Musk Rambler' in a mulberry.
3. The Rambler Fence is at peak bloom right now, and it is an absolute spectacle. I have been a bum and let the roses go for the past two years. They are growing like thorny haystacks on the fence and are creeping along the ground through the weeds. All this growth has fueled a profusion of flowers like no other. (and the fragrance!!!)
From foreground to background, the roses on the fence are: 'Jean Guichard', 'Leontine Gervais', 'Awakening', 'Albertine', "Peggy Martin", 'Rene Andre', 'Aviateur Bleriot', 'Paul Transon', 'Alberic Barbier', 'Silver Moon', and 'American Pillar'. (The roses are planted 24' on center ... do the math, that's almost 300' of fence packed with thousands of flowers.)
It's warm and breezy today, perfect for spending an hour or two walking and talking and visiting the roses. (I hope to really get busy with my camera in the next few days, documenting this season's flowers to put together a virtual tour ... so those of you who cannot visit in person will get a taste of what it's like.)
Happy Sunday, Everyone! It's a beautiful day to be in the garden.
