02 December, 2011

Pushed Out of Paradise and Roses


I have gathered and sorted pictures of the roses from the end of October to today. From bud to glory to ‘the last rose of summer’ as the next buds develop. Four of these roses we inherited. As we laid out our new garden they were stranded half way down the driveway. Against a new concrete panel wall, they faced into the full force of the afternoon sun. My two legs of the grey watering system whined louder and louder. He extended the two beds between the garage and the front door, making space for these roses. Not so far to walk, and they make a gracious welcome home. Now they have recovered from transplanting, we can see what we have. Some beauties, mostly nameless!

Pushed Out of Paradise and Roses


There is no theme here. Simply what was surplus to requirements or needed cutting back elsewhere in the garden. For some mysterious reason these beds are the most lush in our garden. It is the afternoon sun side of the house, but the giant/Spanish reeds and our neighbour’s tree seem to throw the right amount of kind shade.

Anna's Red bed

'Anna's Red' is nameless

The first of our nameless roses is three plants of Anna’s Red. At the end of October there were lots of flowers and they keep coming. None today, but there are always buds. Now, that tall flowering stem has been cut back to match her sisters. The plant prefers to grow about knee high. Heady rich perfume.

Pushed Out of Paradise and Roses
looking from the garage towards the front door

Across the path are the other nameless varieties, with Black Prince (an old Cape rose), and Perfume Passion (one I chose myself).

Perfume Passion

Perfume Passion was chosen to be fragrant. I asked for a low bush for the corner, but she grows and grows – most of the flowers are kindly at grateful nose height.

'Anna's fuchsia' is nameless

A slender ethereal bush, with such deep pink flowers that they rest on red. Perhaps Schiaparelli pink? And nameless.

Black Prince
an old Cape rose

Black Prince came with his name. This is an old Cape rose courtesy of Gwen Fagan's book and Jack at SequoiaGardens. My heritage rose. A very tall and stately prince, but a scholar with his books, rather than the women’s rugby team Perfume Passion. As I imagine Bulgarian attar of roses might smell, dizzying.

'Anna's apricot' is nameless

This one was always thoughtful, but I watered and fed it. Now it has settled after transplanting, I am amazed and delighted by glorious blended peach and yellow flowers. Fading to a rich golden yellow.

These beds were planted in 2007, the roses added in 2009November 2010.  

Looking from the front door
at Agapanthus and figs

We’ve had morning tea with my roses. As you head home, this is the path from the front door and out into the World Wide Web. My Agapanthus was a bud on Guy Fawkes Day, now I delight in my three commonorgarden flowers! And we have figs plumping up.









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.) 

21 comments:

  1. I wouldn't mind having these as the most lush beds in the garden. Your roses are beautiful!

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  2. The Agapanthus are a stark contrast to those shivering in my cold dark garage. Amazing the type of abuse they will put up with.

    The best roses are those that are rescued.

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  3. Gorgeous roses! Love the rich color of 'anna's red' - and your description of "heady rich perfume" makes me swoon!

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  4. The red roses are stunning in color...one of my favs...and plumping figs...yum...I have frost and snow..

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  5. Lovely roses, it seems that we're unsure of the name always flower the best - ref. also my pink china rose. Ah! figs, i would travel the world following their fruiting season if I could. Christina

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  6. Some beautiful roses there Diana inherited or otherwise. I hope that you and the Undergardener enjoyed your anniversary and that your special day was filled with fun and flowers xxx

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  7. See, this is what I love about Blotanical and having garden friends around the world--one can enjoy the beauty of blooming plants all year round. In my imagination, I'm sniffing those beautiful Roses and standing in a warm climate enjoying their lovely colors!

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  8. The blended rose is really lovely...

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  9. Diana, the ANNAS Red is really beautiful! I didn't realise that Dusty Miller grow so big - I might need to replant mine.

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  10. I'd never put roses and rugby together in the same thought before... Salvia greggii maybe. ;-)

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  11. Lovely to see that Summer is still going strong in your part of the world. You do have a beautiful assortment of Roses and the more fragrant they are the better!

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  12. You have an amazing collection of roses, Diana! And any other plants too for that matter. Today I am going to search your older post for the name of a lily that has started flowering in mid-November.

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  13. The nameless 'Anna's apricot' is beautiful.

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  14. I love to visit gardens where the seasons are opposite mine. So much promise. Roses will bloom again, come spring. Maybe the agapanthus will get over its sullen spell here.

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  15. I love roses and have grown them in every garden - until now. With all the deer that use us as a wildlife freeway I know I'd just besetting myself up for heartache.

    The old fashioned 'David Austin' roses are my favorite for fragrance, the groundcover 'Knockout' series are tops for easy care and 'Darlow's enigma' is my favorite#1 (it's not sure if it's a climber or rambler!)

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  16. Hi Diana,
    Good to get a roses 'fix' this morning!
    You're so much more tech savvy than I, perhaps you have an answer. I signed up as a follower yesterday but my avatar did not appear as it usually does.
    Any ideas why? I definitely sign-in on the 'public' display.
    Thanks;-D

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  17. Alice - when I logged on this evening I saw a new follower, and it was you. But I only saw it this evening. The internet has 'reasons' which we do not know.

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  18. I hate coming back to a blog where I know I commented and finding the comment not there. Can't remember it all now but know I was struck by the variety and yet harmonious nature of your roses. Possibly more elegantly expressed first time round!

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  19. Sorry elizabethm. It's not in my spam folder, I check that twice a day.

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  20. Such a contrast to our world today Diana. How lush and delicious with names or nameless your roses are exquisite and your descriptions of the fragrance a joy to read on this cold day in New England. I suppose you know the 'proper way to eat a fig?' Sigh!

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  21. Carol
    http://www.kalliope.org/digt.pl?longdid=lawrence2001061702

    Figs, by D.H.Lawrence

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Photographs and Copyright

Photographs are from Diana Studer or Jurg Studer.
My Canon PowerShot A490

If I use your images or information, it will be clearly acknowledged with either a link to the website, or details of the book. If you use my images or words, I expect you to acknowledge them in turn.


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