SOME MORE FAVOURITE ROSES

We've had another run of sizzling hot days.  Too hot for this gardener to do much except sit in the shade and do a little light weeding and sit out in the evening with glass of chilled white wine and admire all my handiwork.

It's roses and more roses for this week's post, mainly because they are my favourites, as you know.  It does make me feel a little sad for the fruit and vegetables that won't make it into my top Six this week.  It isn't their fault, you see.  It's just that I can't seem to take an interesting photo of them.

1. Roses and Geranium Buxton Blue

This view across the Rose Garden has a mid pink low growing rose called Bonica, planted with Geranium 'Buxton Blue', which was popular when I first started gardening.  I think perhaps that Rozzane has taken its place nowadays.  In the background are Compassion, Burgundy Ice and Champagne Moment.

2. Jude the Obscure

This is one of the David Austin roses.  Don't let the name put you off.  Jude the Obscure may be one of the most upsetting books ever written, but the rose of the same name will bring you nothing but joy.  The cup shape blooms are not so heavy that they hang their heads, but look up at you.  The flowers are large but appear in perfect proportion to the size of the bush.  It is a stunning shade of pale apricot.  For reasons I don't understand, David Austin refers to the colour as medium yellow on the inside and pale yellow on the outside, but all three bushes in my garden are pale apricot and lovely. But I love it most of all for the fabulous fruity sherbet fragrance.  I have to stop and smell it every time I walk by. 

3. Champagne Moment

In a post a few weeks back, I discussed how fond I was of some roses because their names held such romantic associations (or they were simply in French, which has the same effect on me).  This floribunda rose has a name which makes me wince slightly.  It was a pretty colour though and it is very resistant to black spot, which are both good reasons to give it garden room. I just need to tell myself that its called Comte de Champagne and I'll be happy (but it turns out David Austin already have a rose called that - just fancy!)

4. Verbascum chaixii Album

These are looking very pretty at the moment.  They grow at the end of the Long Border, but I think I should fit some into the Rose Garden too, where the off white petals with the purple centres would fit in well.  These were originally grown from seed and are now spreading themselves around, which is always nice to see (although they are creeping towards the front of the border of course).

5. Long Border

This is the end of the border where blues on the left lead into white, cream and pale yellow.  The plumes of Aruncus dioicus look like an astilbe on steroids.

6. Red currents

Ok I've given in and included one of my less interesting photos, as I think it's important to acknowledge that gardening is also about producing things to eat.  This week we've eaten red currents, black currents and the handful of gooseberries that the squirrels kindly left for us. Broad beans, lettuce and some new potatoes were also enjoyed.  

That's all from my garden this week, and although lock down has been gradually easing in the UK, I'm content to stay here for a while yet.  If you wanted to venture out in a totally Covid secure way, you can visit gardens from all over the world via The Propagator who hosts Six on Saturday.