Friday, August 9, 2019

My love affair....with roses

For many years I have loved and grown roses.
They are such beautiful flowers...
so many wonderful varieties
my favourite roses are those from David Austin.

Many of you who read and follow my Instagram page are inundated with photos of roses during the summer season.
I can't help myself from sharing the amazing blooms.

Growing and tending roses has become an all consuming addiction passion.

Today I am sharing my all time favourite rose Jude the Obscure...
I will let the pictures speak for themselves.


Look at those luscious frilly and frothy petals.


So many blooms!


In bud, bloom and overblown.
The three phases of Jude.


A veritable bouquet growing on the bush.

I can completely "lose myself" in the garden.

 Troubles wash over me when I am in the garden tending to these beauties.

Hand watering is so soothing...
with
 hummingbirds and butterflies 
flying in the mist at the edge of the spray.

Dead heading spent roses is a simple yet rewarding job.

Listening to the birdsong ~ a natural symphony.

 Bees buzz as they collect pollen 
 a steady drone of deep reverberations.

At ease
 the gentle rhythm of repeated movement
a mindful meditation 
 tending to these jobs
when 
working in the garden.

Gardening is a tonic to the soul.

Many gardens are created by people just like me.
We have a vision for natural beauty 
enjoy the respite 
that working in the dirt provides.

Do you have an all consuming passion?

Do you grow roses?

What is your favourite rose?

Until next time...
Thank you for popping by to visit The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

36 comments:

Jane T. said...

Its impossible for me to have one favourite, so I have three which are all from David Austin. They are Margaret Merril, Gertrude Jekyll and Shropshire lad all bought for their scent. However I now have another - Jude the Obscure - with many thanks to your posts! It only arrived in July but has already flowered.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I love all our roses but this one does stand out. I am not familiar with Margaret Merril I must look that one up. Happy to hear that your Jude bloomed so quickly after planting.

La Vie Quotidienne said...

How beautiful, you live in such a wonderful climate for growing roses, so much like England. Lucky you!

sensitive poet said...

Even in Ottawa's harsh climate, there are a few David Austins that thrive: Sharifa Asma (with a perfume to die for) and Golden Celebration. They are lovingly and protectively tended like the little treasures they are!

Betty said...

WOW, they are beautiful.

Carol in VT said...

Hoping to garden next year. I have no patience for researching what will grow best (Zone 2 - 3) but tend to plant what I like & hope for the best. But you are an inspiration, so hope springs eternal!

Mundi said...

Perennial Pleasures Nursery and Tea Room in East Hardwick, VT specializes in plants suitable to Zone 3 and maybe Zone 2 as well. Also check out Cabot Nursery in Cabot , VT. Mundi in the southwestern most corner of Vermont ZONE 5

Mundi said...

Your roses are magnificent! Unfortunately we have a Japanese Beatle invasion every year here in southwestern Vermont. My roses are limited to the once blooming Damask and farmhouse varieties. They all bloom in June or early July before the Japanese Beatles hatch.

Linda Shukri said...

I love roses! Dark red, pink, pink/white...I carried dark red roses when I was married way back in 1975! And the color of my kitchen walls in my previous house and now in my current house is called "Dozen Roses" (Behr paint). It's a very dark red.

Jeannine said...

I have a couple roses and wish I had a better hand with them. Nothing as lovely as what you've grown. Possibly I'm not as dedicated as you are. Your post is so peaceful, true, and inspirational. When I read these kinds of posts from you I always think: I need to get better at this, like Leslie is! My best excuse and yes, it is an excuse, is that I just wilt in the heat and humidity and there is a fair amount of that in the summer. So I get a great start and then fizzle as the season heats up. As with some other things in my life, I also think: maybe I'll get better when I retire!

Anonymous said...

My rose growing was very unsuccessful. That said, I love roses and your garden is particularly outstanding and beautiful. The scent from the roses must be glorious as well. My skills seems to be in growing ornamental trees and shrubs. They are deer proof and this is a big requirement on my property. Deer can devastate a garden. I agree with you entirely. Gardening is a wonderful hobby. I find working in my garden very rewarding. There is always something that needs attention. Plus the potential to design new living spaces is enjoyable. Susan

Share my Garden said...

Dear Hostess, you are not alone in being in love with roses! Such lovely photos , your Jude looks wonderful but I've never been tempted to buy it because it is a Thomas Hardy book that I dislike as it is so tragic. A silly reason perhaps, but I am influenced by the names given to flowers. This year I bought a tender China tea rose for the greenhouse, Marechal Neil. I grew it at our previous home, where it spread along the roof of a large conservatory with a huge display of floppy lemon flowers. I'm hoping for a repeat performance at some stage!

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

Your roses are gorgeous. The scent in your yard must be wonderful.

I have a David Austin Christopher Marlowe rose which is reddish pink with tinges of orange, depending on what day of bloom it is in. The catalog description of it didn't do justice to its wonderful scent.When it blooms, the entire front yard is filled with its scent. I was ready to order three more Christopher Marlowes, but I waited too long and they were all sold out. It's been a tough summer for it this year because we had an extremely wet early summer and then an extremely hot spell.

I also have a Zephrine Drouhine which grows well in a partly shady area. It's a blooming beauty in the early spring and just this year has started having blooms through the summer.

I also enjoy my run of the mill Knock Out roses because they reliably bloom all summer, keep all of their leaves, and grow and bloom well in an area that is so hot it softens the paint on our front door. Unfortunately, they have no scent at all, but I am happy for all of the pretty roses all summer long when everything else is fading.

I always enjoy seeing all of the pretty flowers in your yard. It looks like a paradise.

Share my Garden said...

Hello Susie, Why not take some cuttings from your existing Christopher Marlowe? I find that rose cuttings are quite successful, just stick a few in pots or a spare patch of ground and you may be lucky!

Carol in VT said...

You are right! I had forgotten that they sell flowers. They are just down the road from me. My mom used to take me there for tea! Thanks for the reminder.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Many people compare our climate with that of England...there are many lush and lovely large gardens here and I find myself craving a trip to the UK to see some of their historic and enchanting homes and gardens.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Ah Yes! Roses can be adaptable to many climates and growing zones so there are varieties for all of us keen rosarians.I am familiar with both those stunning roses.
Enjoy!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I totally agree Betty! Do you grow roses?

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Sounds like you have a local specialty nursery that will help get you started...
you'll have fun shopping for plants!!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Problems with bugs and black spot are nasty for roses...I don't use chemicals with the exception of a soap spray for aphids and black spot...I try to keep the roses fertilized with organic compost and only water them during the day time as they dislike being wet at night.
Your Damask roses must be divine!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I carried dark red roses as well on my wedding day...back in 1974...July 20th
Great name for your home.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Retirement makes tending a rose garden much easier. The heat of the afternoons is not good for hard work for me either...that is usually when I put on my hat and handwater.
Jeannine I used to garden for 6-8 hours and now I am only able to do a couple every day. We need to be gentle with ourselves, try for a balance, while we enjoy life and our favourite pursuits.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Garden growing zones, pests, wildlife, our energy and budget all play a factor.
Deer are hungry and can desimate a garden in no time...they munch a lot of our plants. Your focus on ornamental trees and deer proof planting sounds lovely. Planning new spaces and improvements is always fun too!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I don't know that story by Hardy...names can sway a purchase but I look for the growing habits and fragrance first.
Your china tea rose must be a pretty one...I am going to look it ip and find out more. Thank you for sharing.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I have never had any luck with cuttings but i know rosarians who regularly do this...rooting hormone helps as does a green house will help keep the humidity right.

KSL said...

Your garden and it's roses are so gorgeous. I've tried to love gardening, but I just don't. I find it a chore. Maybe it's too close to painting???

Deborah Montgomery said...

I love roses, too, and have always dreamed of having a cutting garden. The David Austen roses are real beauties. I'm not sure I have a favorite, but the Peace Rose comes very close. Your gardening time sounds very restorative.

Jeannine said...

Leslie, my mom has taken cuttings from roses and put them in the ground (not sure if she used rooting hormone or not) and put a glass jar over them (like a mini-greenhouse). She's always had good luck starting new roses that way.

Michelle said...

I'm just about to give up on roses. I have a rugose, a climber and some miniature shrub roses. The rugose is healthy, but so prickly it is a danger to all that go near it, and there is no way I can cut them to bring them in.
the climber and shrubs are full of bugs. The leaves are full of holes, and not very healthy looking. I spray with insecticidal soap every few days, but am getting tired of the upkeep.
We live on the North Coast, and even the heavy dew will damage the petals. I envy your rose garden, it looks beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Saved as a favorite, I love your blog!

LA CONTESSA said...

BOLERO!
A WHITE VERY FRAGRANT ONE!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh its definitely a lot of work! I put a lot of effort into the garden in the late spring and summer then rest up the rest of the year!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I do pick some of the roses but I enjoy seeing them blooming in the garden. I used to have a peace rose and entered it and won best rose in show at the garden club one year. Its a beauty.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh thats wonderful that she has such success with rooting new roses off the cuttings.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Our showy pavement rose is incredibly prickly too...it's thorns snag my clothes and scrape my arms...roses can be high maintenance. I find if we keep them well fed with compost and fertilizer they are more desease resistent...also the David Austin varieties are very hardy. Good luck.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Ah will do some research on Bolero and what a fabulous name!
thank you!!