~ The Humble Bungalow Kitchen ~
The window ledge above the farmhouse sink
featuring the elegant vintage Japanese porcelain vase.
Darling Daughter found this and thought it would be perfect for our garden blooms.
The rose is Abraham Darby, a fragrant David Austin rose, grown in our garden.
It is one of my favourites!
Stay tuned.
More pictures of this gorgeous rose are coming up.
May and June are the best months for our garden roses.
~ Showy Pavement Rugosa Rose ~
Bright Fuschia Pink
hardy
fragrant
very thorny
repeat blooming habit.
A close up...
while waiting for my husband to back the car out of the driveway
I went in for a "sniff"
was I surprised
when as I got closer, there was a bee working, inside all the petals!
Fortunately I did not get stung, the bee was preoccupied.
~ Reine des Violettes ~
David Austin
Old Rose
Strong Fragrance
repeat blooming
almost thornless
~ Abraham Darby ~
David Austin Rose
fragrant
pinky apricot
thorny
repeat blooming
One of my favourite roses.
A beautiful cut rose, great in bouquets or floating in a shallow dish.
~ Climbing Royal Sunset ~
Orange
rich deep fragrance
repeat blooming
vigorous growth habit
hardy and reliable
I researched the local Recreation Centres for Aqua Fit Classes...
it all looks great on paper but one must actually attend and participate in person
to decide if it is a "good fit."
So I took the plunge, and I am happy to report that the class went very well.
My arthritic joints were not sore or painful during the class.
I was able to keep up
although I was often doing the movements opposite to the instructor!
(I looked around and I was relieved to see that I was not the only one.)
There was a large group of about 30 women in attendance
they obviously have been doing the class for quite awhile
as they were chatting before class started
signing a card in the change room for the instructor.
One particular woman went out of her way to say hi
she mentioned that foam dumbbells were used in class
so I put a pair on the edge of the pool where other women had set them down.
The instructor made the class FUN.
She had oodles of energy and was encouraging us to smile and laugh.
The hour passed quite quickly.
The next morning I didn't have much discomfort but was "aware" that I had used muscles not normally used when I walk.
The water is much more gentle on my joints than my regular walking.
I walked today,
only 3.2 km but my hips and low back hurt.
So I will be returning to Aqua Fit and aim to attend 2-3 times a week.
I am very pleased with the pool and the class.
Feeling very optimistic, excited, and hopeful after only one class.
~ Grateful ~
My first Beach Read of the season ticked all the boxes...
While reading this book
my afternoon teatime and reading became longer and longer
(extending well into my dinner prep time)
as I made my way through the chapters.
I enjoyed Erin's colourful characters and interesting story
set in Nantucket.
Nantucket sounds idyllic...
If you are looking for a Beach read this is a good one!
We've got lots going on here socially...
so I thought that I had better get this written and published before I forgot.
Do you love to garden?
What do you grow?
We watched the last season of Ted Lasso...
Loved the series so much.
The writing was rich and deep
the characters were spot on
very funny, yet poignant
quality entertainment.
Will now need to find another great series...
any suggestions perhaps?
"Still" the newly released documentary film with Michael J Fox
was brilliant.
It raised my awareness of Parkinson's disease...
I have a whole new respect for the disease Michael has,
how he is dealing with it, and the many challenges that he is facing.
He's a very brave fellow...
I wonder how he manages to be so stoic?
Obviously
a good support system and ample funds help with
the numerous medications, doctors and therapy.
Very little is known about what causes the disease.
There is a genetic connection in some cases...
Michael J Fox has set up a foundation and to date
the foundation has raised more than 2 billion dollars.
Speaking about raising money...
My husband and I are thinking about offering our garden for next year's tour.
The Hospice Fundraiser ~ Teeny Tiny Garden Tour
Mom was in Hospice the last few days of her life.
The staff were incredible and the facility, although old, was very cozy.
There was a family area, a small kitchen, and a beautiful rooftop garden oasis.
It would be a very worthwhile cause...
Well that's about it for now...
I appreciate all your comments.
You may have noticed that I respond with your name
but cannot link directly to your account.
It is a glitch with Blogger.
Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.
Hope you have a FUN weekend!
~ Be Well and Be Kind ~
21 comments:
Good morning! What a lovely and interesting post! I, too, am a gardener but have lots of shade so few roses. I do have, however, a Constant Gardener David Austin English Rose. Last fall I did not cut it back as I usually do and this spring it has bloomed the most prolifically it ever has! Lesson learned: sometimes a little benign neglect is not a bad thing. 🙂
I'm glad to hear water therapy is working well for you. At 65. I have arthritis only in a few fingers. I am grateful for that. I do yoga and don't know if that helps or if I am simply fortunate.
Your home is lovely. Thank you for sharing your days with photos and thoughts.
Susan 🌱
Your roses are beautiful. We just finished planting the sunpatiens annuals out front for our pop of color. Among the yews and boxwood. We also have little gumbo azaleas that are blooming along the driveway. Somehow it's all squeezed into the front yard.
Out bac we have a teeny tiny garden that we've been adding native plants to it with the hope that they will thrive and return. Because we are in a townhouse community I surrounded the backyard with pink and white Rose of Sharon bushes to create privacy screening. Thayer are fifteen feet tall and create our secret garden.
My husband's passion is beaugainvillea and we hang them so they can reach for the sun. They add a French feel as we sit at the bistro table.
Today is my day for water aerobics. I've been walking different elevations this week so the water is good. Glad the water is helping.
I’m so glad to hear the Aquafit classes are a good “fit” with your arthritis. I’m going to stop at the Y here and see what’s available as I’m facing the same issues. Thanks for keeping us updated.
I've done a water aerobics class in the past--and loved it! My only issue was the amount of time it too--about half of a day between the drive there and back and the class. I envy you! Enjoy!
Your roses are so beautiful. What a great idea to be on the tiny garden tour--and for such a worthy cause.
Hi Leslie! I so enjoy your beautiful roses and can smell them from down here in San Diego. Two houses ago we made an "old"rose garden with 30 antique and David Austin varieties. Fortunately the woman who bought our house was an artist and didn't mind all the work.
I know you'll have success in fine tuning your treatment and activities for controlling your arthritis and other pain. I'm finding these new health challenges we have are new frontiers to those of us in our 60's! I just put in at the library for the next Elin Hilderbrand book, can't remember the title. Reading a good book right now by Susan Meissner "Only the Beautiful". Highly recommend "The Paris Agency" on Netflix. Paris, beautiful scenery, homes, apartments, gardens and a kind and very appealing family of realtors. Watched one episode and was hooked, then my husband became hooked too. Take care. :)
Susan ~ I am surprised that the rose has burst forth when you didn't prune it back! I always thought that pruning stimulated the growth habit...Yoga is a lovely practice :-))
Anonymous ~ Sounds like your garden must be a riot of colours...the native plants are such a great idea. I want to grow more Camas and native lilies. Enjoy your water fit class.
Noelle ~ I hope that there is a class for you to try...even if you just exercise in the pool and perhaps sit in the hot tub...so soothing for the joints! Hot baths with Epsom Salts are great too of you are feeling aches and pains.
Susan ~ If I had to drive too long and too far that would definitely make me think twice about attending a class...you can do your own aqua fit regime if you google them on You Tube. The Hospice Fundraiser has been on our minds for several years...it's a way to give back...we'd probably need an army of help in the days before the tour !!!
Brenda N ~ I saw a few episodes of The Paris Agency...I even like Emily in Paris for the scenery...as I adore Paris and can never "get enough!" I will see if my local library carries Only The Beautiful...I love a good book. Enjoy your weekend :-))
Your David Austin roses are gorgeous. I grew several Austin Rose varieties when we lived in Victoria - I hope they are still there. I tried growing roses in N.S but the deer loved them and thought they were delicious. lol My current garden wall is in full colourful bloom with purple creeping pholox, deep purple irises that came from BC, bright yellow irises that are bigger than my hand, and the peonies are getting ready to flower.
I am going to see if my local library has The Hotel Nantucket available - thank you for the recommendation. Also thank you for posting such gorgeou pictures of your roses, for all us to enjoy 💖
Such beautiful roses. The smell must be heavenly. So pleased to hear that the aqua size was a success and I am sure you will find it a great help.
On another note. I went to Chelsea nearly every year when I lived in the UK and since living in Canada have been a few times. It’s always a wonderful experience but much busier now. I know you would find it very enjoyable with your love of gardening.
I'm having a lot of arthritic pain too, hips and low back. My health club has aqua fit classes that everyone raves about and I'm going to give it a try, based on your recommendation. I don't think bending over doing pottery for hours is helping, but I won't give that up! Your roses are gorgeous. I don't like gardening - I've tried to enjoy it, but it's never "taken".
Last year my husband made a raised garden bed for vegetables. This year a second one. Even with more room I seem to have run out of room for everything I intended to plant! Possibly because we ended up with a few plants I didn't intend! We have tomatoes, basil, parsley, chives, several kinds of peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, pickles, dill, and a few marigolds. We haven't had any good rain for a while and none is in the forecast going forward either. The grass is so dry - looks like August, when our grass is always dry. We also have a new clematis along with flax, catmint, lavender, and sedum in the bed around the mailbox. I sure hope that clematis grows well there - fingers crossed!
Hi again Leslie, Brenda again... I loved Emily in Paris as well for all the same reasons. I'd forgotten to add that I lost both my dad and my older brother to Parkinson's. In my brother's support group it was about 50% as to who had a close relative with Parkinson's. I also greatly admire Michael J Fox. Enjoy your weekend too.:)
Dear Leslie, I hope you will open your garden for charity next year. When I lived in Devon the highlight of my summer was deciding which garden/s open for charity I would visit each weekend. I was always so grateful to those who went to the trouble to do so and you were guaranteed to see the garden at the height of perfection.
Your roses are exquisite, the major appeal of a rose to me is the scent.
I had a beautiful home garden and later an allotment in England. At present, being a full time traveler, I have a small oval washtub with a colorful assortment of Heuchera (they and Hellebores being my favorite plants) a red Echinacea and Allysum.
Carolyn ~ How wonderful that you took some flowers from your Victoria garden! The deer would devour our roses if my husband had not built the fence! I watch the mom of the fawns munch the showy pavement rugosa roses out front...she loves them! Good luck finding the book...it shouldn't be too difficult to find as Elin's books are popular.
Christy ~ Chelsea does look crowded! As a height challenged woman I would probably find it difficult to get a view of the show gardens..I think the Gardener's World UK coverage was truly amazing!
I am very encouraged by the aqua fit classes.
Take care
KSL ~ I do think aqua fit will be good for your aches and pains. Bending a lot over a potters wheel or table must aggravate the joints in your back. Let me know if you attend the classes and if they help ease the pain.
XO
Jeannine ~ Raised beds are so wonderful especially for veggies...I adore the catmint plants...we had some here but they have been displaced by other new plants! Buying plants with no room in the beds has become an issue...I saw a sale last weekend here and it was called Plantaholics...that might be me!
Have fun in your garden :-))
Brenda N ~ Emily in Paris is releasing season 4 soon...I will enjoy watching and usually watch the episodes twice as I get carried away watching the scenery and have to pay attention to the actual script!!!
Marguerite ~ Devon sounds like a lovely spot to live...so many beautiful gardens in that area. We have quite a few Hellebores...I think my favourite is a black one we bought at the Van Dusen Gardens in Vancouver. It must be a lot of fun to be a full time traveller!!!
*Swoon* I love your roses - I can practically smell them from here. Have you seen the Netflix show "Call My Agent"? It's a comedy-drama set in Paris, and it's in French (I watched with English subtitles, and was amazed at how quickly all my school French came back). It is a wonderful, good-hearted show where the characters feel real - they are messy and do dumb things, but it all works out. Vs. Emily in Paris, which is a dumb eye-candy show. I would recommend it - all 7-ish seasons. I would watch it again!
Way to go, finding an aqua-fit class! And I hope you are enjoying our lovely weather this week!
Your gardens are always beautiful! I love foxgloves, but they do not do well in my gardens. Have a grand week. Bonnie
One other comment---David Austin Roses are headquartered in my hometown--Tyler, Texas--which likes to be known as the Rose Capital of the World!
Sheila ~ We haven't watched Call My Agent and don't get Netflix anymore. I know Emily in Paris is light entertainment...if you like espionage and spy series I can recommend A Spy Among Friends on Amazon Prime...we just finished watching it and it was very good!
Bonnie ~ I used to have trouble growing Hollyhocks until I read that they like gravel...so I bought one plant and am experimenting with it in gravel and so far it is thriving! Maybe the Foxgloves have a soil preference? We a clay dense moist soil and they seem happy...perhaps try them in a planter?
Susan ~ Tyler Texas Rose Capital of the USA...I like the sound of that :-))
Your roses are always such a treat to view. Some of my favorites (when we lived up North) do not flourish so well here in the South, and the vortex of last winter did a lot of damage to roses. We are nursing some back and replacing others, so seeing yours is a "substitute". Good luck on the aqua therapy; several friends have found it so beneficial.
Sharon ~ Roses are tempermental plants, very fussy and high maintenance. There must be many that thrive in the south where you now live...have fun in the garden!
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