First roses

As with all else this year the roses too are late. Normally the wild roses begin blooming at the end of May, and here it is July first (Happy Canada Day everyone) and they're just beginning to bloom. For all that they're late, they are putting on a spectacular show and as long as we have a few more days of full sun the show should only get better. It's too bad they only bloom for a week or so. I'd love to see them bloom all summer, and I could easily put up with the cinnamony scent they give off.



These miniature roses are among the seven that I just put in this spring. For all that they are less than 10 inches tall they're going to put on quite a show. They're supposed to bloom all summer too so that's an added bonus. In addition to the reds and the oranges, there are a yellow and a couple of pinks as well that haven't started blooming yet.




This is the first blossom of the year on the white climber that belonged to Gate's mother. It's not a very clear picture. I'll try to get another, clearer, shot over the next couple of days. This one, too, usually blooms earlier, but even though the winter was really hard on it (alot of branches broke under the weight of the snow), it looks like it will have masses of bloom. Again, its too bad it doesn't bloom longer. It usually only blooms for a couple of weeks, then its done for the year. I think I'll look for a companion for it that will bloom through the summer.

The grandiflora "Pink Parfait" that I put in last spring is covered in masses of blooms. Tthey're a little smaller than they were last year, but I think thats due to the fact that all the fertiizer I laid in around it was washed away by the constant rain we've been having.

The buds on the floribunda "Gene Boerner" are only just beginning to open. I'll post a few pics as they begin to open. The orange floribunda "First Edition" has put up only a single bud for now. Its in a very shady spot, so I may have to remove a lower branch or two on the chestnut tree to give it more sun. The floribunda "Nicole" that I thought had died is putting up new shoots so it appears to have resurrected itself. The purple floribunda "Intrigue" was comming on strong, but it appears to have been attacked by some small creature that nibbled off each and every bud. I suspect slugs, those creepy critters that looks like snails without the shell. Looks like I may have to take action to reduce their numbers in that area. I don't mind sharing, but they could have left me at least one bud.