Roses

Well, it's been a good six months since my last post (again) although not much has changed here.  We are getting more rain this year than last thank goodness.  It's overcast and dark again today.  Yesterday we got over two inches of rain in about four hours!  I think we've gotten about four inches of rain in the last two weeks.  It sure makes the grass grow fast, though.  We have had to mow once a week this spring.  The roses are growing like weeds, too.  I got out and got some pictures the day before yesterday when it was just overcast.  My hand is in some of them because it was a bit breezy out and the flowers would't hold still.

This is Abraham Darby a David Austin rose.  It has become quite overgrown this year, but it is just covered in blooms.

This one is Baron Prevost.  It's a hybrid perpetual and blooms all summer which is unusual in an antique rose.

This is Madame Hardy.  She only blooms in the spring, but she's well worth it!

This is my climber, Zephirine Drouhin.  It's a thornless rose, the only one I've ever found to be truly thorn free.  This is the first year it's really bloomed heavy like this.  It needs to be tied back up onto the gate, though.

Here is a close-up of the blooms.

This one I call Mary Nina after my grandmother.  I dug it up from her old flower garden after I was bitten by the rose bug many years ago.  It sat and did nothing for about three years after I replanted it, and I was afraid it had reverted back to the old rootstock, Dr. Huey.  Then, finally, it had two buds and I could tell that it was not a Dr. Huey!  I was so excited!!  The next year it showed me what it really could do.  It was covered in flowers, and they have the best old rose fragrance of any roses that I have.  It hasn't disappointed me since.

Here are a couple of Mom's iris.  She had so very many of them and knew all their names.  Since she's been gone I don't know what any of them are called.  They came through the drought pretty well, but are not blooming as heavily as they usually do.

Until next time (another six months?) I bid you happy gardening!