The Blessings and Curses of an Early Spring

Mid-February is too early for the beginnings of vigorous growth, but I am relishing the tease of spring.

Our first spring flower!

This little guy lasted through the winter, blooming on warm, sunny days.

Our unusually clement winter season has me both longing for and fearing an early spring. The sunshine took me outdoors yesterday to root around in the soil and do a little cleanup. The ground is still frozen, but new green and red growth is beginning to show everywhere. 

My Royal Wedding cutting is showing new red growth.

It is gratifying to see what has survived the winter. All my new cuttings made it through on their own roots; of course, the mild winter gave them an edge. I am happy to see that my little volunteer rose seedling is raring to grow, too.

A volunteer seedling, nestled among the grape hyacinth, survived another winter and appears to be set to thrive this coming season.

On the other hand, sometimes our biggest storms come in March and April, freezing the fresh growth and delaying the serious business of plant growth and reproduction. Nascent buds, both foliage and flower, are subject to destruction by late freezes after the seductive clemency of a balmy late winter.

Young Black Tartarian cherry branches stretch to the sky.

Lengthening branches reach toward the stratosphere laden with swollen buds, accentuating the brilliant sky with a sense of renewing life. I am stirred with both a joyful anticipation and a lurking dread that all will be for naught.

A Bradford Flowering Pear tree is eager to display its seasonal wealth with a lavish show.

Fortunately, roses are mighty resilient. Should a late freeze take their early growth, they will simply dust themselves off and redouble their efforts to produce their first brilliant flush. 

David Austin's Ambridge Rose in late June, 2011

Unfortunately, a nip-in-the-bud event will delay their early seasonal display, and shorten the season from the early end. Another autumn like we had in 2011, however, will extend the season. 

Ambridge Rose in early November, 2011

(You may click to enlarge the above photos.)

Double Delight Rose Products

I love Double Delight! I have created a few Double Delight products on Zazzle featuring this photo. Have a look!

Double Delight Rose Mousepad at Zazzle!

Double Delight Rose Mug

Ambridge Rose is Off to a Good Start!

David Austin's Ambridge Rose is one of my Chamblees purchases from  last year. It was planted in spring of 2011. I am pleased to have roses to photograph on November first; it has been an unusually mild fall.

She is planted near Climbing America, and I love the colors together.

Climbing America

They should make a lovely, melodious duo by next season when Ambridge Rose puts on a little more bulk.

Already a full little bush

As it is, I am so pleased with her progress. With her alluring color and fragrance, she is a delightful, sensually stimulating addition to my garden pleasures.

A charming round bud is filled with promise

Sweet little twins

Her weak stems detract somewhat from her beauty, making her a shy little creature. If she realized how beautiful she is, she would surely hold her head proudly to the sky.

She shares her loveliness reluctantly; I mush prop her up on a driftwood log to photograph her.

So pretty together! Climbing  America and Ambridge Rose

 The temperature goes down to 21F tonight; this will be our last vase of cut roses for the season.

A previous post describes my purchases for spring of 2010:

Roses Ordered for Next Spring

You may click to enlarge the above photos

Double Delight ~ Exquisite Color and Fragrance

My little cutting of Double Delight has produced few but marvelous blossoms this summer. This rose opened in early October, its deep crimson petals revealing a rich, pastel treat.

Soft pink, cream and buttery yellow petals are revealed as the rose slowly wakens, unfolding with a broad, friendly smiling face.

The fragrance is as rich and complex as its colorful display; deeply inhaling the center of the rose provides an initial draught of deep old rose. A soft, sweet finish reminiscent of vanilla French buttercream lingers for an almost imaginary moment.

The winter will freeze the ground to as much as four feet deep. I will keep all my new babies, including this little Double Delight, watered and mulched until the distant spring reveals their survival or demise.

You may click to enlarge the above photos.

The Summer Folds Behind Us, Leaving Lovely, Rosy Memories

Sonia continued to delight us throughout the busy summer. I adore the Sonia rose.

Toward August, she sent up a magnificent cane nearly 6 feet tall, topped with a cluster of perfect florist-quality roses.

Dew patterned like pave-set diamonds illuminated the garden one rare morning.

Peace, sparkling discretely, is always serene and lovely.

Quietness smiles rather thinly as the summer wears down.

Aunt Honey, new this spring, blooms with lovely form and garish color, like a desperate spinster's lavishly applied lipstick. Her name seems to fit.

You May Click to View the Above Photos Enlarged

Minis from Cuttings

We begin with the proud parents:

The roses above were acquired from the local grocery store 10 or 12 years ago. The pink, white and red minis thrive in our garden and reward us with cheery blooms all season long.

This little white offspring was planted in spring 2010. The plant is happy and healthy in the garden. The photo above and below were taken in June 2011.

The individual flowers are small, perfectly formed  pure white roses.

The above photo was taken in June. The pink mini is darling. This was the first of my cutting batch from last fall that rated a pot. I documented its progress in a previous post:

Potting Up a Brand New Rose Bush!

It struggled a bit when it was first planted out, but it has recouped admirably.

I adore the pink variations on this rose. Flowers may be dark or light at any stage, giving the bush a festive appearance. 

Now shown above in August, its already of a respectable size. I hope it begins to rival its mother across the front walk by next year.

The mother plant (above)  is a real blooming machine!

Belinda's Dream and Royal Wedding Blooming

Belinda's Dream from Chamblee's Rose Nursery arrived this spring.

Now in the full summer season, I am THRILLED with this rose!

It is fulfilling my expectations in a grand way.

A little cutting from Royal Wedding.

I wonder if the root system will be able to cope with our serious winter season?

The original grafted plant thrives here.

                                                                                 

My decade-old bush is a favorite.

The summer monsoons have given us some lovely moments

Delightful hikes in Canyon de Chelly have supplemented our summer workouts.