Sunday, March 23, 2014

The Beginning of the Rose Spring Flush

The last two weeks I was out of town and only returned yesterday. When I did my garden tour this morning, I couldn't believe how much the roses had changed in this short period of time. While I was gone, they started their spring flush! I was giddy with joy and excitement and simply have to share some photos with you!



'Pierre de Ronsard' is almost in full bloom already.




Each flower of this rose is a masterpiece.



'Pierre de Ronsard', also called 'Eden', truly blooms in abundance.



An immaculate flower of 'Pope John Paul II'.



'Yolande d'Aragon' has wonderful blooms...



...and is one of the roses with the most intoxicating fragrance in my garden.



We planted 'Auckland Metro' into the ground the weekend before I left and the rose has churned out these big lovely blooms already. 



'Grandmother's Hat' has never bloomed as opulent as this year.



The flowers have a beautiful subtle coloration ranging from a darker pink in the center to a lighter pink in the outer petals of the bloom, that usually is only found in Old Garden Roses. She has a lovely and intense perfume as well.



One more close-up of 'Grandmother's Hat'.



Somehow I still can't believe, that it is happening. Each year the rose spring flush is a magical experience for me. I am so looking forward to the following weeks. And the best thing is, that I don't have to travel anywhere anymore and will be able to enjoy the roses to the fullest.

Wishing all of you all a wonderful week!

See you in the garden!

Christina



61 comments:

  1. Wow, Christina, bei so einer Überraschung würde ich auch sehr gerne nach Hause kommen!

    Sigrun

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    1. Sigrun, the abundant rose blooms definitively sweetened the coming home ;-)!

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  2. Wow, the roses are stunning!!! The flowers are beautifull, so packed with petals as there is almost no room for another one. We tried roses last year in our garden, but it died... I'm trying again this year.

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    1. Aga, thanks, I love roses that are packed with petals to the brim! Great that you are giving roses a second try in your garden. They are just too beautiful to give up, after they failed once. Hope they will survive this time!

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  3. Once they get going in the spring they really get going! Fab photos Christina!

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    1. Mark and Gaz, thanks, you said it quite well: Once they get going, they get going. Right now there is nothing stopping them anymore and I am so happy about that :-)!

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  4. I can't imagine having roses blooming in March. We're still enjoying the daffodils over here. Lovely show. xx

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    1. Thanks, Debbie! The roses are very early here this year even for our mild climate, because of the unusual warm winter, but I am not complaining ;-)! I simply love daffodils, especially when they bloom in masses in a spring meadow. I don't have any in my garden, yet, but I have to make it a point to plant some for next year.

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  5. Ouahhh! Roses in march, it's a paradise, it's a dream!
    I'm jalous!
    Have enjoy!
    Sophie

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    1. Sophie, having roses in March is a dream :-)! Coming from Germany where they bloom much later it is still very special to me to live in such a mild climate. California has an almost ideal climate for growing roses, except that we need more rain.

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  6. So wonderful Christina, I can fully understand your excitement. We still have to wait another two months before our roses start flowering. I am looking now at my Eden rose which shows new foliage, I am hopeful. Yours is just gorgeous!

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    1. Janneke, thank you so much! I am back home since four days now, but I am still so very excited about the rose blooms. Each day more and more flowers open, you can see a difference from day to day. We have rain in the forecast for tomorrow, which we desperately need, but I do hope that if the rain really comes, it doesn't spoil the flowers.

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  7. Ooh, our roses are still such a long way off. Fantastic Christina, your garden is an absolute joy.

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    1. Jessica, thanks for your kind words about my garden! I know, it is hard to wait for the roses to bloom, again, but eventually they will and you in Great Britain have wonderful roses as well :-).

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  8. Dear Christina ~ I would be giddy with joy too being surround by all those lovely colors and scents of roses. Enjoy and have a Happy Spring ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Lorraine, the fragrance of the roses brings as much joy to me as the blooms themselves. I am so looking forward to the weekend, when I have time to take everything in and enjoy it. Hopefully I get some gardening done as well. There is so much to do right now...

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  9. Sooo beautiful !!! How old is your Eden Rose ? I wish to see mine blooming like this in a couple of years ... Enjoy your gorgeous garden, Christina ! Thank you, for sharing !

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    1. Dani, thanks, honestly I don't know exactly how old my 'Eden'/'Pierre de Ronsard' is. I guess five years, though. It took a while to get going and build up a nice bush and it needs lots of water and fertilizer, but it is all worth it :-)!

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    1. Teresa, yes, as this time of the year when the roses are just starting to bloom, I also feel that each flower is especially precious!

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  11. Amazing to see roses at this time of year - and in such abundance - I can only hope my turn out as good as yours when they finally start flowering.

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    1. Elaine, to me it seems that so far the roses bloom more abundantly than last year, but the individual flowers appear a little smaller. I wonder, if that has to do with the fact that they bloom three to four weeks earlier than usual and the days are not that long yet and the light isn't that intense. I am looking forward to seeing your roses flowering!

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  12. They are all so beautiful! Our roses haven't bloomed yet...lots of buds but no bloom. But any day now. Then I will know spring has officially arrived! Enjoy your lovely garden!

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    1. Dorothy, thanks, we had some cooler weather here and that has slowed the opening of the spring flush down a bit, but every day there are more and more roses starting to bloom. Hope you post photos when your roses are beginning to flower! Spring is definitively the most enjoyable time in my garden!

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  13. Liebe Christina,

    diese Blütenpracht ist einfach traumhaft schön - ich kann mir vorstellen, dass Deine Freude groß
    war nach Deiner Rückkehr. Der Anblick dieser Pracht kann nur glücklich machen. Die gefüllten
    Rosen haben es mir besonders angetan.
    Bei uns treiben die Rosen auch schon kräftig aus - aber bis zur Blüte wird es noch Wochen dauern.
    Recht liebe Grüße,
    Ingrid

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    1. Ingrid, roses can make you happy, can't they? I also have a soft spot for those big, fat, very full blooms. There are many David Austin roses that fulfill this criteria, that I haven't had a chance to grow, yet, but hopefully I will in the future :-).

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  14. Oh what a wonderful homecoming must it be for you Christina. Our roses are early but only 2 with a bud starting to come. I like the roses you are showing. Beautiful.
    Happy springtime.

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    1. Marijke, thanks, yes it was very special to come home to roses in bloom! I can't wait to see pictures of your roses this year. You have such an outstanding collection!

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  15. They all look beautiful. I would be excited to see them too! Still no hint of any roses here, we have a while to wait for any sign of them.

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    1. Wendy, thanks, the excitement that comes with the spring flush each year hasn't worn off for me. As the roses are getting more mature and I have planted more and more of them over the years it seems to become even stronger, if that is possible ;-).

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  16. Oh, lovely – they are all so beautiful! The first flush of roses is such a joy and exciting, I can understand how you feel. Over here it will be a while until that happens in my garden but some of my roses have buds already so the first bloom is only weeks away. Take care, Helene.

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    1. Helene, thank you for your nice comment! Yes, the first flush of roses is always very special since the flowers are the biggest that I will get in a year and the roses bloom most abundantly. Also the roses will not fry like it happens sometimes in the summer heat that we are having here and they last quite a bit of time on the bush.
      How great that your roses have set buds already. When the buds are there, it won't take that long until they bloom :-)! Looking forward to seeing your roses flowering on your blog!

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  17. Wow friend!!!!!! The sight of them just made my heart sing!! They are stunning!!! And grandmothers hat is so big and full!! I love how it is cascading in that bed full of blooms! I bet in person it is even more surreal!! And the blooms are out of this world! I need to put roses in this year.....without a doubt! Thank you for sharing your beauty with us!! Enjoy your roses friend!! Nicole xoxo

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    1. Nicole, thanks for your nice and enthusiastic comment! I am so glad that my rose photos brought some joy to your heart! 'Grandmother's Hat' is truly stunning this year. It is a lovely rose and one very suited for California. She is completely disease free. If you don't have any roses in your garden, yet, I agree you must put some in this year. Just make sure they are cold hardy enough for your climate and relatively disease resistant. Good luck!

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  18. Opulent is the perfect word! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!!!! Grandmother's Hat is fabulous, but I think I'm still in love with Pierre de Ronsard most of all. You are right - each of its blooms is a true masterpiece. Enjoy your spring flush!

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    1. Holley, thank you so much! 'Pierre de Ronsard' is an outstanding rose in every way and does very well in my Mediterranean climate. If you are in love with it, I certainly would suggest to give it a try in your garden. My second one is just starting to bloom and it is even bigger than the one I featured here. I know, I am in for a treat! We had a wonderful weekend and I had finally time to really appreciate my roses. Of course, a little work in the garden had to be done as well ;-)!

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  19. Do we live in different countries? Your spring roses are beautiful. Christina!

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    1. Tatyana, climate-wise we certainly do ;-)! Thanks, I am glad you like my roses!

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  20. Those roses are incredible!! I hope mine look that good this year. I love how full and lush they are.

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    1. Tammy, thank you very much! I think that the alfalfa meal that I put down together with the regular organic rose fertilizer greatly helped the roses to leave out nicely and get this very full look of the bushes. Wishing you that your roses will do splendid this year!

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  21. Hallo Christina,
    was für eine Rosenpracht und das im Frühling, während wir uns hier noch über jeden einzelnen kleinen Frühlingsblüher in den Beeten freuen! Deine Edenrose ist ein Traum, ich habe sie sofort an der Blüte erkannt, die wirklich einzigartig ist. Ich wusste gar nicht, dass sie auch Pierre de Ronsard genannt wird. Wie lange dauert bei Euch eigentlich die Rosensaison bzw. wie oft blühen sie nach? Die Fleißigen Lieschen haben sich auch schon sehr gut entwickelt!

    Liebe Grüße, Bärbel

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    1. Baerbel, thanks for you kind words about my roses. I agree that 'Pierre de Ronsard' aka 'Eden' has very distinct flowers, that are easy to recognize.
      Our rose season here is from March to December, but depending on the rose class (tea roses flower all year long) and how you prune, you can get here some roses year round. I get up to five flushes out of some roses if I fertilize and water diligently. But I would say that three to four flushes are more normal. The white flowering plants at the feet of 'Pierre de Ronsard' are pansies, not impatients, but they have grown in nicely from their six-packs, too!

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  22. Je suis époustouflée par la beauté de ton rosier Pierre de Ronsard. J'imagine ta surprise bien agréable après des jours d'absence pour découvrir ton rosier chargé de roses magnifiques. C'est une splendeur et le rendu de ta photo est magnifique.
    belle soirée jocelyne

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    1. Hi Jocelyne, you are always so kind! I know from your blog that you are an incredible gardener, so your compliment means a lot to me!
      'Pierre de Ronsard' can really make your heart skip a beat when in full bloom with its beauty. I love roses that just make you stop and admire their beauty. My photos don't do it justice, but at least you get an idea of how pretty it is. I think everyone must grow this rose :-)!

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  23. Liebe Christina,
    oh wie herrlich! Genieße die Rosenpracht :-)
    Deine Pierre de Ronsard ist so wunderschön!
    Bei uns ist es schon wieder ganz schön kalt geworden.
    Gestern früh auf dem Weg zur Arbeit waren es nur 2 °C
    Brrrrr :-)
    Ganz viele liebe Grüße
    sendet dir Urte

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    1. Urte, thanks, I certainly enjoy this spring flush! Here temperatures also cooled down a bit, which is a good thing, since it makes the spring flush last longer. Right now we are having 45 F/ 7 C and it is supposed to go up to 68 F/ 20 C today, but from Monday on next week temperatures are expected to be in 86 F/ 30 C. I better use the cooler weather to get some perennials and annuals planted!

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  24. Oh my goodness, Christina! Such loveliness right there in your own garden! My favorite is 'Auckland Metro'! I think it's the color--such a sweet shade of peach/cream! Love it! It's so interesting to hear you talk of spring when I think of San Diego as in a constant state of spring. But I suppose the hours of daylight make a difference, too? Beautiful Roses!

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    1. Beth, thanks for your kind words about my roses! I have a feeling that 'Auckland Metro' will be an outstanding rose in my garden. You are right there something very special about its color.
      Believe me, we do have four season, too :-)! They are just not as pronounced as in your climate, but you can see clearly seasonal differences in the garden and in nature.

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  25. Your roses are gorgeous! Eden is a glorious vision and I love Grandmother's Hat!

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    1. Sweetbay, thanks! 'Pierre de Ronsard'/'Eden' are my favorites, too, until another rose bursts out into its spring flush ;-)!

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  26. Dear Christina, I think I have to transfer my rosegarden to California..... But I am sure, it will start here latest mid of may! 4 weeks earlier than normal!
    Have a nice weekend
    Rudolf

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  27. Hello Chrisitina, I just stopped by after seeing you on Sophie's blog and am so glad that I did. What beautiful roses! I live in eastern France , not far from Strasbourg. My garden is just one year old but I've allready planted over 50 rose bushes in it. Hope they'll look as fabulous as yours.
    Come and visit me! See you soon, Martine

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  28. Absolutely gorgeous!!! I get maybe like 5-6 roses from my two bushes, i'm sure I'm doing something wrong or maybe it's the lack of sun. Ahhhh but yours are pleasure to look at!!!

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  29. Goodness, your roses are really pulling out all the stops, what a lovely sight to come home to. it will be months before any of mine flower!

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  30. Goodness, those roses are divine!

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  31. Christina,

    Your Eden looks wonderful, I have always regretted not getting it :(. I can't believe how much your Grandma's Hat grew (I still remember it as a bare-legged baby), it look stunning now.

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  32. Your Eden looks so beautiful and I just planed two last week and just can't wait till next year.

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    1. Hi Pamela, welcome to my blog and thanks for leaving a comment! Awesome that you planted two Eden roses. I hope yours will do wonderfully in your garden. Eden is such a beautiful rose variety, one of my top favorites!
      Many thanks for becoming a follower as well. I will pick up blogging soon again and hope to show many more rose photos. Hope you hang in there with me!

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