I love striped roses, inspired by Rosa mundi. Spring Promise is PINK.
Chaim Soutine striped in shocking pink and white.
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| Chaim Soutine |
From Autumn Fire to Spring Promise.
My shade parasol is Dais cotonifolia, pompom tree, full of buds anticipating Christmas.
This tree from Eastern South Africa would prefer some summer rain and is
looking happier this year. The bark is tough, and is used as cord in
Kwazulu-Natal. ‘Dais means a torch in
Greek, and the genus got its name from the resemblance of the stalk and bracts
holding the flowers to a torch about to be lit. The leaves resemble those of
another genus Cotinus, hence the species name cotinifolia’. Dais is Thymelaeaceae but has leaves like smokebush. For
info about South African plants I go to PlantZAfrica.
The Melianthus major waves its arms OVER the tree and flourishes its leafy umbrellas.
Lopping limbs off as the flowers go to seed and there is no longer nectar for
the sunbirds. Was surprised to see sunbirds busy in the blue sage, but I
remember they like Salvia greggei with
its fierce pink/red flowers. Since our sunbirds don’t migrate, I’m trying to
make sure there is nectar for them year round.
Trimmed the fluffy grey trousers off the Artemisia afra, now we can see the third
pair of arrow slits again.
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| Spring Promise from the window, Dais 'torch' buds waiting to be lit Melianthus and Pelargonium, Spring Promise from the sundial |
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| Spring Promise at Paradise and Roses out of the window, to the mountain down the path, and again from between the windows |
For Spring Promise I seek – blue. Glaucous foliage
looks not real, not true. The flower that enchants me most is the Festuca glauca. I know grasses make
flowers, but I didn’t expect BLUE flowers! They ripen to gold.
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| Festuca glauca in flower |
The blue grey border is – Festuca glauca blue grass, Dianthus. Pink Pelargonium.
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| Tulbaghia with Festuca, Festuca Tulbaghia and Dianthus Dianthus, pink lavender |
Pictures and words by Diana of Elephant's Eye
- wildlife gardening in Porterville, near Cape Town in South Africa
(If you mouse over brown text, it turns shriek pink. Those are my links.)
I really am not a rose person. I had two, now have none. About a week ago I began to wonder if I would like one again.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and breathaking. Thank you for allowing us into your garden.
ReplyDeleteJane x
Surprised at the number of North American plants you have in your beds. Thanks for giving us a shot of spring when things are looking increasingly bleak here.
ReplyDeleteI love the way your garden is designed. It is beautiful. All your roses are pretty, but I love unusual roses, and stripes are even better, so I am quite taken with Helpkids! Never heard of this rose before, but it's one i would snatch up in a minute if I ever see it.
ReplyDeleteLudwig's have an ESTHER Geldenhuys rose for you.
ReplyDeleteSusan - I had to count - Salvia greggei, Festuca, Dianthus, thrift??
Holley - I'm disappointed to see Helpkids is no longer available.
For all that I like the idea of an 'Esther' rose - I'm not a very pink person.
ReplyDeleteI'll work out what would be best for the spot and, maybe, post a description and hope someone knows the name of the rose to match my modest dream.
Thank you for the nice trip in your garden! It is so beautiful: All the flowers, and also all the different leaves! You have so many leaves with different green colours and different shapes. I like it!
ReplyDeleteEsther - colour? Single or double or centifolia? Miniature? Climber? Scented? Striped or plain? Heritage species, or tough free-flowering modern? I spent a year poring over my catalogue!
ReplyDeleteYour striped rose looks like my Camellia. But I think your single roses are even more beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHelp Kids...strange name for a Rose...It's really gorgeous...lovin that one.
ReplyDeleteDiana I love these roses and the beds are looking nice indeed...I am not sure if I will ever close that hole you spoke of...I learn the hard way after failure of sorts!!
ReplyDeleteBetween you and Holley, I am about to start lusting after roses (other than my indestructible Lady Banks)--not very convenient, since most of the big spaces are full already! Are the sunbirds picky about their nectar sources?
ReplyDeleteYou really are a perfectionist when it comes to your garden.
ReplyDeleteDainty Bess is one of my favourite roses too. I'm not so keen on stripes although I like roses that change colour through time. You have some great roses. Christina
ReplyDeleteBridget - HelpKids is one of the roses Ludwig's sells to support charity. As the rose is no longer for sale, not sure about the charity today? I'm enticed by rose names, but refused to buy one called Smell Me!!
ReplyDeleteStacy - blogging is making me more observant. I apply where I can, what I learn about feeding hummingbirds (the Salvia greggei, rather plants than sugar water feeders!) And I know those birds are always in our garden, so I'm trying to make sure that lunch is on their table.
Firefly - NO ONE can accuse me of being a perfectionist in my garden ;~)
Love your roses - especially Sheila's Perfume. I really find the name of roses silly sometimes! Oh, and I did'nt know that Festuca flowers??! Wow! Thanks for your post!
ReplyDeleteDiana, you may be somewhat dissatisfied with this flower bed, but I just came in from shoveling over a foot of new snow in Maine, and I was thrilled by the beauty of all those spring roses. Thanks for providing me with a needed flower fix! -Jean
ReplyDeleteMy favourite part of your garden, I love how it changes with the seasons. Sheilas perfume looks stunning! One day I might graduate from my icebergs and they will let me try something more challenging ... :)
ReplyDelete