Double Delight

The kids are outside playing in buckets of water, so I started poking around the roses to see what might be new. And look! Double Delight is just starting to bloom. The cool temperatures of the spring make pink of the bloom extra dark, with a smaller amount of creamy white in the center. In the middle of the hot summer (up to 110 degrees F), only the outermost petals are pink, and the white center takes over.

More Roses

I had a moment to myself this morning and went outside to find some roses to photograph. Today was watering day, so they were still covered with water droplets - everything looked really refreshed and healthy. The peachy/pink rose is one of my favorites for spring since the color is so soft and pretty. Once it is super hot here (in the 100's), this one starts looking quite faded, so I try to enjoy it as much as I can now!

The yellow rose is a David Austin Golden Celebration, which was a gift to me from my parents when I turned 30. Two years later and it is finally really blooming! My experience with shrub roses is limited since I grew up with hybrid teas, but I think I'm getting the hang of it. They look gorgeous when they are all in bloom!

As I was poking around, I found a ladybug making a meal of another bug, so I thought I'd share that, too. We put out two praying mantis casings, too, so I should have some praying mantis photos before too long. Yay for good bugs!

The first roses of the season

I love to watch my garden compete each Spring. Figuring out which of my roses will bloom first is a game my kids and I love to play. This year, there are two winners, so I'll post pictures of both. First, the red Chrysler Imperial in the front yard is definitely one of my husband's favorites because of its fabulous fragrance. It is right by the front door and the scent wafts by as you walk inside. This rose was here when we moved into the house and I can't imagine not having it.


Second is the pink Charlotte Armstrong rose in the back rose bed. I love this rose, since it is one of the only pinks we have and it has extremely long buds that are very graceful. Armstrong Garden Centers have classes throughout the year, and this was a free gift at the end of one of the rose pruning classes. It is two years old now and really seems to love our bed!

While we are on the topic of roses, don't forget to feed your roses now. They have been dormant and are now growing wildly, so they'll need a good boost of nutrients to help their blooms be healthy and abundant. I love the E.B. Stone rose food. Not only is is Organic, but it is easy on the plants and you - if you accidentally over-feed them, this food won't burn them.