"You Love the Roses..."

Roses

You love the roses-so do I. I wish
The sky would rain down roses, as they rain
From off the shaken bush. Why will it not?
Then all the valley would be pink and white
And soft to tread on. They would fall as light
As feathers, smelling sweet: and it would be
Like sleeping and yet waking, all at once.

by George Eliot

In the last two weeks of June, the roses were at their best. Here are some of the loveliest from our garden. Some of them have finished flowering now and those still in bloom are struggling against the drought. It is good to have their brightest days preserved in photographs.

Rosa Helena


The beautiful old rose Rosa Mundi - Rose of the World.

The original Rosa Gallica from which Rosa Mundi was bred.



Some years ago, an old conifer was felled by a gale one night. It left the bare trunk of its partner tree looking open and ugly, so we planted a climbing white rose, Seagull, to hide the damage as it grew. Now, the conifer has sprouted new, dark green branches and the Seagull roses weave amongst them in bright contrast. At first glance, each spray of roses looks like a flock of white birds in flight.




Below are the two climbing rose plants of Paul`s Himalayan Musk, which pour themselves up and over an old wooden pergola. This years flowers have been so plentiful and exuberant. Their sweet musk rose scent filled the garden and the rooms of the house. Now, in early July, their show is over and drying petals litter the garden beneath.







This lovely apricot rose started life as a small patio rose. Now it has grown and mingled with the heady scented white philadelphus beside it.






In an island border where the colours are those of flame, smoke and fire, a Lady Penelope rose climbs up the trunk of an old, pruned cherry and then shoots bright coral sprays of flowers out like showers of sparks.