Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Summer Ramblings - Old Fashioned Roses

For my first Summer Ramblings post, I'd like to show you some old fashioned type roses. Nothing says "late spring/early summer" like roses.

These pictures were taken  June 14 at Cutler Botanic Garden in Binghamton, New York.

These roses, unlike the Knock Out type roses that seem to be so common now, have a short blooming season.  But in return, they give you scent that is some of the most gorgeous scent on this planet.

I have nothing at all against Knock Out roses, incidentally - they bloom and bloom and are disease resistant.  They bring roses to those who don't have the skill,stamina (or time) to care for some of the old fashioned roses that seem to succumb to any disease that passes by.  Well, perhaps I exaggerate. But, although I love sniffing and admiring them, I do not enjoy growing roses.

But if I could, I would grow this rose.  This lovely rose is called Mme. Hardy.  

What a perfect bloom!

Rosa 'Blanc Double de Coubert'
This is a rugosa rose, but not the wild type that has become an invasive problem in our area.  Don't you love the name-Blanc Double de Coubert?
Shrub Maigold. 
Finally, a rose of history - York and Lancaster.

I quit growing roses years ago.  My house of over 25 years near Johnson City, New York came with a climbing red rose, variety unknown, but it provided a buffet for every Japanese beetle within 10 miles, it seemed - and I just got tired of defending its honor in return for a brief blooming season.  We dug it up years ago, one of the few times we've gotten rid of a healthy, flowering plant.   Nowadays, I have my one wild pink rose, and it doesn't take any care at all.

My fourth summer Wednesday weekly feature started in 2011 with "Wildflower Wednesday".  That is why I publish my summer feature (since expanded to a seasonal weekly feature) on a Wednesday and not on a Saturday or Sunday (for an "s" sound). In 2012, I expanded the Wednesday feature to anything to do with flowers.

This year, I'd like to expand the feature further to include anything that may be related to summer.  But, I have a feeling that I'll still be blogging about flowers most of the time.

Do you like growing roses?

8 comments:

  1. So love this! The photos - and your system of feature postings :) Thank you!

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. I have posts with photos at least a couple of times a week.

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  2. wow. these roses are very very pretty. I can't grow anything for nut. I am bad in gardening!

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    1. I'm not good at growing roses, either. I'm lucky a nearby botanical garden (and it's free!) does the rose growing for me.

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  3. Beautiful rose pictures! My husband promised me a rose garden 4 years ago and finally gave it to me last fall. Right now the roses are blooming, and they are so gorgeous!

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    1. Enjoy the garden! Sounds like a wonderful gift

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  4. I want the pink one.. I am a flower lover ever since in High School. I love it!

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  5. Hey Alana!
    Firstly, I just want to say THANK YOU for your great/ helpful comments on my blog. :)
    The 'Mme Hardy rose' is my favourite. It looks so delicate and perfectly formed. I have to say, that the roses we grow are far more ordinary than these ones.

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