ROSES OLD AND NEW

It has been very, very hard to whittle down this weeks selection to Six things only.  As usual there will be some minor cheating in counting, otherwise it would be 100% roses and I thought you might like a couple of things that aren't.  It's been such lovely weather this week.  Here is the sun rising over the Rose Garden.

Starting with the roses then, here is Rosa 'Raubritter', bred by Kordes in the 1930s.  It's a low growing rose ideal for tumbling over a low wall like this.  I saw it growing by the central pool at Mottisfont Rose Garden, which I fell for it's clusters of perfect miniature cabbage roses.

The next photograph has Rosa 'Gentle Hermione' in the middle, blending into Iceberg at one end and Queen of Sweden at the other.  All these will repeat flower.

Another pale and interesting combination of roses, but ones which flower once, are in this shadier bed, where they are quite happy.  On the left is Konigin von Danemark, an Alba rose of 1826,and on the right is a white rose, Madame Hardy, a Damask rose bred in 1832.

My next picture of rosy abundance , has Rosa 'Munstead Wood' in the centre.  It has gorgeous dark red flowers and is a good one for the front of the border, being not too tall.

So that's four-ish posts done, and time for something other than roses.  This is geranium 'Buxton Blue' .  Its always a bit enthusiastic, but this year it's gone completely mad. There are grow through plant supports under there somewhere, but they have evaded the metal girdles and are letting it all hang out.

My final non-rosy post goes to Globe Artichokes.  Greeted with much excitement and melted butter by the inhabitants of Castle Hortus.

And that's it.  We are done for this week.  Next weekend the garden will be open on Sunday 3rd July as part of Gonalston Open Gardens, and I'm hoping for good weather, not just for the visitors, but so I can get all that final primping and preening done.

Thanks as always to the Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.