The Rose Garden

Our weekend was HOT.  As in 90* temperature hot!
It was kind of nice though.  We spent the day in the garden again and worked on it some- and enjoyed the wonderful roses, which just bloomed!  In addition, were the plants I bought just over a week ago at the annual herb festival... so here is my update.

First up- last weekend, was the annual herb festival, Herbs Galore at Maymont Park in Richmond, VA.  Vendors from numerous states come, selling their wares- herbs, herb related things and vegetables.  I usually buy my tomatoes and peppers from there, but this year got my tomatoes from the local garden centre.  I picked up three peppers and several new herbs for my gardens ;)

We also put in a fire-pit.  We had been using an old trash can for burning garden debris (old limbs etc.) but it was all holey!  I actually cooked over the firepit yesterday too- that was kind of fun, if a little too warm ;)
The burgers were delicious though ;)
The blocks are ones from Lowes, the circle is about 3 foot in diameter and sits just off of the patio.  On a cool day we'll be able to warm ourselves around it.
On a hot day we have to avoid that side of the patio- it was about 90* while I cooked over it- I felt very colonial ;)

The entrance to the garden is currently stunning.  Our old garden rose (highly fragrant) is tumbling over it.  There it is- the one on the right is about as tall as they are supposed to get.  You can see how much taller the left one is.  And oh the fragrance- it is the 'tea rose' fragrance you get in perfumes!  This is the fabled 'Tudor Rose'...

The Tudor rose is said to be a cross between the roses of York and Lancaster.  This, the Lancaster rose, is also known as the Apothecary rose.  It too is highly fragrant and beautiful.  Reds apparently don't like either my camera or my monitor much, because they never look right on my screen :/  But I guess that means I need to draw it ;)
This is the one you can use for all your cooking needs... and medicinal!

This is the other rose that is said to be the parent of the Tudor rose- the White Rose of York.  It too is highly fragrant and so pretty... this year the rose is looking wonderful- we had a bad few years when we were unable to take care of them, and they are finally looking good again!

Here it is in all its glory!  A stunning rose, providing a nice little shade for the patio :)

This rose is extra special.  It is the Jacobite Rose after which my main blog is named.  It is also a survivour- we thought we'd killed it when we tried to move it about 8 years ago.  It got a little better, then the spot we had it in started to get less light (another neighbour tree).  So we had to move it again.  This time it came apart into two, one part survived, and the other died.  The survivour was hit by falling roof tiles when we had to re-do our roof.  This year, it has finally gotten back to its former beauty- what a stunner!

Yes, it is fragrant.  Yes, those are fully double blooms...

See?

We have other roses in bloom too.  This is the Tudor rose again...

This is a miniature rose called the Leda rose.  We were sent it by accident!

The New Dawn rose- this is a more modern rose.  it climbs.  It attacks the car.  And it really needs to be moved!!  But I love it :)

Rosa centifolia - parvifolia.  That means the small cabbage rose.  We have the original too, but that has yet to bloom :)
















Rosa alba- regalis.
Or 'Great Maiden's Blush'.  This bloomed just this morning.

Two other roses have bloomed- the Betty Prior and the Rosa damascena bifera.  I think.  I forget its name LOL.  You can see the Betty Prior in the background with the firepit, but since they are both red, the flower close-ups came out funny on my monitor :/

This last photo is the Tudor Rose cascading over the arbour- just this morning :)  

But I have other things to show you so I will stop with the roses for now, and get a nice edible garden post ready for you later!