Saturday, April 8, 2017

March Roses

To my surprise, in March there was still only a rose bloom opening here and there in my garden. After all the winter rains that we were having I had expected that I would get an early rose spring flush, but I was wrong.

Maybe I pruned a little late, but I believe that the main reason for the belated rose blooms is to find in the fact that I fertilized very late this year and that I didn't even get to all my roses even until now. Roses are heavy feeders and the lack of fertilizer might have prevented them from blooming as early and profusely as usual. Temperatures were relatively low as well in comparison to the previous years, so that might have been another contributing factor.

Anyhow, each rose that was opening was very well appreciated and here are some that I have captured with my camera last month.


Rosa 'Snowbird', an early Hybrid Tea rose, which I grow as an own-root is finally strutting her stuff and put out some nice blooms.



Same rose showing a more open bloom. Looks like she has the potential to be a good off-white rose in my climate.



You rarely will see a true red rose in my own garden, as a matter of fact, by now I have only two, which are both specimens of the Hybrid Tea rose 'Mister Lincoln'.



I am not a big fan of clear warm red tones, but 'Mister Lincoln' has a strong blue tint in his red which I like much better.



There are special occasions though, you know which I mean when it is nice to be able to cut a red rose from your own garden and give it to someone dear to you, so I keep the two red rose bush.

Thinking about it a bit more, my trouble with red roses is not so much the fact that I don't like them, at least the bluish red ones, but that I find them very difficult to integrate in a pleasing way into the existing color schemes in my garden.






But if you are looking for a red rose you might be very pleased with 'Mister Lincoln'. In my garden, he produces large, fat, dark red roses with an outstanding damask fragrance.



To me, his fragrance is one of its best features.



I think it is always so disappointing that when you get a red rose and you hold it up close to your nose ready to smell the wonderful rose fragrance and..., there is nothing, absolutely no fragrance to detect. This won't happen to you with this one!



All photos in this sequence are shots of the very first bloom of 'Mister Lincoln' this year. This rose is so beautiful that even I can't wait to see more blooms of him.



The next rose 'Marie Pavie', a Polyantha, is a very different kind. Don't you just love all the variety in the rose flowers?



Small, very blush buds open to clear white blooms with a strong fresh musk fragrance that wafts through the air. 



I just love the delicate blooms. 



Rosa 'Marie Pavie' was the first one to start her spring flush in my garden this year. You can see in the photo above that she is full of buds. Usually, this rose is very healthy, but this year she is showing some blackspot.  



Rosa 'Rhodologue Jules Graveraux', my favorite Tea Rose. I think everyone can see why!



Here is a bud shot of the same rose.



I love the very unique pale pink color of rosa 'Souvenir de la Malmaison', but the rose continues to be a very weak grower in my garden.



The image above shows a fully open flower of  'Souvenir de la Malmaison'.



Same bloom completely covered in water drops. I have never seen water drops clinging so densely to a rose bloom.



I realized that this year I am feeling particularly drawn to the very pale, blush pink roses. Rosa 'Old Fashioned Girl' is another good example for this color range.



Rosa 'Gruss an Aachen' is relatively new to me, but so far I like this rose very much.



She changes colors constantly depending on temperatures, sun intensity, and probably some other factors, which makes this rose quite interesting.



Here she is showing almost an apricot center.



The next set of buds had almost red petal edges and a hint of yellow color at the base of the buds. 



The main bud was opening into a light pink rose with yellow undertones in the center. There is something very special about this rose, which is hard to capture with the camera. My 'Gruss an Aachen' is still young, so as it matures I expect wonderful things to come. 



The last rose in today's post is 'Grandmother's Hat'.



This rose was found in California and is an absolute healthy reliable gem in my garden.



It has much of the Old Garden Roses character, which I am so enchanted with and blooms very profusely. It also comes with a strong pleasing fragrance.



'Grandmother's Hat' was, after rosa 'Marie Pavie', the second rose that had started her spring flush last month in my garden.

The lesson that I learned this year is that in my garden with my soil and in my climate roses need to be fed properly and on time. It really makes a big difference in the amount and size of blooms that they are able to produce and also in the blooming time.

Thanks for stopping by today! Wishing everyone a wonderful rest of the weekend.

See you in the garden!

Warm regards,

Christina

I am linking up to
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26 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed your photos and the comments about each rose.

    My 'Snowbird' which is now 5 or 6 years is having a really magnificent spring flush so I am sure yours will become better and better. I'm extremely pleased with mine. SDLM, try regular frequent doses of very diluted fertilizer--she's worth the effort.

    Have a beautiful April day, Christina!

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    1. Hoover Boo, thanks for your kind words about my photos and accompanying text! That made my day!
      Very encouraging to read that 'Snowbird' is doing so well for you! Gives me hopes that mine will "get there", too :-). Lately it is a little hard for me to be patient with my roses, but I know they need time to mature. Only then you can truly judge about them.
      I hear you about 'Souvenir de la Malmaison'. I will try to give her diluted fish fertilizer on a regular base and see if she improves or more accurately said if I can even get her to survive.

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  2. What stunning roses!!Absolutely gorgeous!!!Thanks for sharing and visiting!"Made my day",hugs,Maristella.

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  3. Who cares Christina? Your roses are flowering with or without feeding on the right time. I am sure they will flower for a long time, with all the winter water in the soil. We have to wait, but I am sure we see more roses on your blog. Groetjes Hetty

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  4. As always Christina, beautiful roses, every one.

    Have a lovely Easter week ~ FlowerLady

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  5. I've avoided reds in my garden in the past but then my old garden was a tiny, shady space and red overwhelmed it. In a larger, sunny garden, I've become freer about using red. Seeing your 'Mr. Lincoln' makes me crave a red rose.

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    1. Kris, your comment is very interesting. I have never related the size of a garden to which colors do or don't work, but it makes perfect sense that a strong dominant color like red can be "too much in your face" in a small garden. And, of course, I have a small garden! Maybe that is why I don't like strong clear reds so much in my own garden, but for example truly enjoyed them in Hidecote Gardens (see my post about the Red Border there here: http://www.organicgardendreams.com/2016/09/hidcote-manor-garden-i.html)
      It makes me happy that it tickles your to get a red rose :-). Maybe you want to try 'Mister Lincoln'. He has a good reputation as a vigorous healthy Hybrid Tea rose in our area. Another good one should be 'Firefighter', which is a classic true red Hybrid Tea rose, which I have seen in other gardens here in San Diego and it also seems to be an excellent Hybrid Tea rose.

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  6. Your garden of roses is impressive. Thank you for sharing your beautiful garden. I only grow Knockout Roses, and they can't compare to yours.

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  7. I grew all of these in my former garden (except for "Snowbird"). I have planted "Marie Pavie" in my new garden and I just purchased "Grandmother's Hat" this year. I can't wait to see how it does. I am behind as well and have not fertilized yet.

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    1. Phillip, sounds like we have the same rose taste :-)! I hope that 'Marie Pavie' and 'Grandmother's Hat' will do well for you in Portland. Here they are really stellar roses and especially 'Grandmother's Hat' is very healthy. Both have a strong fragrance but I find 'Grandmother's Hat's perfume exceptionally pleasing. I have a feeling you will enjoy her very much!
      I am still not further with the fertilizing of the roses, but they bloom despite of this, just not as prolific.

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  8. Dear Christina, what lovely roses! Here the roses are coming to the end although there are few hardy ones still giving a bit of colour. When we were children we were taking out by my parents to buy a rose each. My grandmother grew the rose Mr. Lincoln. Can you get the French rose 'Papa Meilland' over there? It is such a beautiful variety. I have it growing in our garden here in Melbourne. Bye for now and it's good to be back. Kirk

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  9. Hello Christina,
    How I love to see your beautiful roses. About Souvenir de la Malmaison. I have no idea for how long this rose is in your garden. The first two years after planting she did not do a thing. But then she showed up her power. I love to see this rose flowers. She does not like rain at all and most of the time the flowers are half brown. You have a wonderful collection of roses. And yes, to keep a rose healthy it's very important to feed them. And also the weather makes a big difference in what the roses are doing. Your post was a feast to my eyes. Have a wonderful week ahead.
    Warm wishes and rosehugs
    Marijke

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  10. Chère Christina, chaque fois que j'ai entendu que la pluie s'invitait dans ta Californie, j'ai beaucoup pensé à toi. Après toutes ces années de sécheresse, enfin ton jardin a été abreuvé et en dépit de ces aléas climatiques, tes roses du moment ont conservé leur beauté. Je suis ravie de voir la rose "Souvenir de la Malmaison" aussi belle et pimpante. Cette année en France et dans ma région, grâce au beau temps qui règne actuellement, mon rosier Souvenir de la Malmaison est couvert de beaux boutons dodus prometteurs.
    belle journée...jocelyne

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  11. What do you usually fertilize your roses with?

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  12. You have a wonderful selection of roses Christina and Souvenir de la Malmaison covered in water droplets looks like a tutu fit for a fairy princess to wear.

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  13. Dear Christina,
    it is lovely to see your roses blooming! I especially like your " Rosa Rhodologue Jules Graveraux", "Rosa Souvenir de la Malmaison"and " Rosa Grandmother's Hat". Reagarding red roses, I really see your point there. I have the same problem. I think there are many beautiful dark red or crimson David Austin roses, such as "The dark lady", but I don´t like them in combination with pastel-coloured roses and since I love pastel coloured roses, I don´t plant red roses anymore.
    Enjoy your beautiful rose spring flush!
    Best wishes,
    Lisa

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  14. Christina,

    Your roses are always beautiful.

    fairmeadowplace.blogspot.com

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  15. These photographs of roses would look lovely framed in anyone's home. Such a gift you have doing portraits of roses!

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  16. I agree that these pictures would be beautiful framed art. Thank you for sharing with us this week at Celebrate Your Story, have a great week and have a Happy Holiday.

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  17. Each and every one is delightful! My roses are all trimmed and now I need to buy fertilizer. I didn't realize that I was out. I don't think there is a rose color that I don't love. Hope mine are half as lovely as yours! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  18. Lovely! I can't even imagine how wonderful it would be to have roses blooming throughout the year. I was drawn to 'Gruss an Aachen.' My husband said that means "Greetings from Aachen" in German. All the other roses are amazing, too!

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  19. Hi Christina,

    Such gorgeous blooms! I enjoy learning about roses, which I am becoming more and more interested in, despite the fact that were never one of my favourites, perhaps because they seemed to be everyone else's!;)

    I love your photo of the dewy and dainty and delightful 'Souvenir de la Malmaison'! Your post today has inspired me to try my hand at growing some of these dramatic beauties. Thanks so much for sharing what you've learned.

    Wishing you a peaceful and blessed Easter,
    Poppy

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  20. Wow, liebe Christina!
    Was für eine herrliche Rosenpracht!
    Und das zu Ostern :-)
    Ich wünsche dir ein wunderschönes Osterfest
    und sende dir liebe Frühlingsgrüße
    von der Urte

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  21. My favorites are the lovely polyantha Marie pavié and the Souvenir de la Malmaison.
    Yu are so lucky to see your roses blooming!
    Je t'embrasse

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  22. Gorgeous roses! The white rose reminded me of crepe paper, so pretty. I am trying to garden roses and I when we moved into our house 7 years ago there was a wild rose bush climbing like crazy on the backyard fence. We pruned it and fertilized it and cared for it until it came back over and over again. Such a delight. I swear some chubby gnomes are helping my roses grow. In Colorado it is difficult to pinpoint the end of the frost. Twice in a row we had snow on Mother's Day! Weird weather patterns. I enjoyed stopping by to say hello and wish you a beautiful Easter SONday and a HPS too! Take care HUGS

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  23. Christina, Thanks for sharing your roses. I really enjoyed the photos. In a while they will be producing nicely and their late arrival will be forgotten. Sylvia D.

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