Everything's Coming Up Roses! :)

One of the things I love about June, is seeing the roses bloom again! :)

My all-time-favorite rose is Constance Spry! She is one of David Austin's creations, and I adore her! :) Her perfume is devine, and she casts a spell on me with her incredible beauty every year!

Constance Spry is not a repeat bloomer, which means she only blooms once a year! In spite of that, she has won my heart, because when she IS in bloom, ( which last around a full month ), she is stunning!! :) - Such perfect form and grace!! :)

I mean, Seriously, - How can you not be swept away by pure perfection?! :)

She does have a very close runner-up in Jude The Obscure! :) I love this rose too! She has great upright growth; perfect blooms; also has a rich, heavenly aroma; and add being a Continual bloomer, and you have another winner!! :)

I love how she starts in yellow-gold tones, and matures to a soft apricot! :)

I smiled when I startled this spider with the camera! It couldn't run away quick enough, poor soul! :)

Is it my imagination, or is the spider a chameleon? Isn't it the same kind of spider we often see in pure white on light colored flowers? :)

I wanted you to be able to see the contrast between her youthful yellow-gold, and her more mature soft apricot! :)

As you can see, my most favorite roses are English roses with their devine cabbage-like faces! :)

Right this moment I can't remember this one's name. It starts with a C. :)

This is Mary Rose! She's another one of David Austin's! :)

I believe this one is Winchester Cathedral. She has an interesting trait. She was made from Mary Rose, and every now and then she will send out a dash of pink, reflecting her parent! :)

Now we leave the English roses for a hybrid, by the name of Brass Band! :)

This is a rose that was here when we moved in. She struggles with black-spot every year, but I haven't had the heart to yank her out! I like her simplicity! :)

If you're looking for a hardy rose that requires very little effort on your part, look to the Rugosa Roses!! :) I love their spicey fragrance; ...

their hardy, upright growth, ...

their leathery leaves, and thier amazing hips evey fall!! :) This white Alba Rugosa put's on large yellow hips that turn orange in the fall, and there's a pink rose, just like it, that puts on orange hips that turn red! :) There are many Rugosa roses to choose from and they are so hardy they can even stand living with strong winds and salty air, which makes them perfect for the coast! :)

From rugged to dainty! But don't let this little petite rose fool you! She's pretty hardy! :) She was given to me by one of my dear gardening friends, who I used to work with at a garden nursery!

Thanks to this busy bee, she'll be putting on clusters of small red hips come fall! :)

Rose hip tea or jelly, anyone? :)

Here is a one-time blooming rose that came when I first ordered Constance Spry! Since it was the wrong rose, I got her free, but don't know her name. Even though she is dainty, she is hardy! She has a lovely rose fragrance, and even though she was a mistake, I'm glad to have her! :)

Ironically, this rose came by mistake, instead of Constance Spry, too! Having looked through the rose catalog, I believe this is Tuskany! This is another one-time bloomer that has a spicey rose scent, and puts on hips each year! :)

Sometimes a rose graft can freeze and die off! When this happens, the original root stock will grow, and you're left with a wild rose. There are places that sell cuttings rather than grafts, and if you're willing to invest in them, you will forever have the true rose, whether what's above ground freezes, or not! :)

Here is a wild rose that is left since the graft froze last winter. I'm debating whether to pull it or not. It has it's own beauty, and since it's the root rose, I'd never have to worry about it freezing away, again, ...

As with this old rose, that comes up and blooms every year, without fail, now that it's the root stock! It's another one I've debated pulling out, but have enjoyed it enough to let it be for now!

We'll end with this delicate antique rose, that is another one-time bloomer I was given from my gardener friend! :) I love this rose's sweet, simple face! :) Her buds are bright pink and then soften to a pale pink as they mature!

I'm sure I've given you way more information than you ever wanted! This just comes out in me, when I'm around plants that I love! Hope I didn't bore you sinceless! :)

Next time you're out and about, ... take time to smell the roses!! :)