Skip to main content

Featured

The Garden Awakens

Anise 'Woodland Red' ( Illicium floridanum ) A few weeks ago, I thought spring would never arrive, but now the change is astonishing. The nights are still cold (40s and sometimes even 30s) so planting tender annuals and vegetables is unwise although I have already succumbed, but covering and uncovering things gets old quickly. Someone made a wise comment last week and I must agree with them - "Don't plant anything tender until after May 1". Several plants are blooming like never before. One is the Anise shrub (above and below). I don't know if the recent tree pruning, which is allowing more sun into the woodland path, is affecting it or perhaps it is just age, but I've never seen so many blooms. Michael refers to this as "the stinky fish shrub" and I have to admit to smell of the flowers is quite unpleasant. It is so beautiful that I can overlook that. The old pink dogwood tree, which was already here, shades our woodland path and it too is prett

May Roses


Now is the time to see our garden. The roses have just started to bloom and "Rambling Rector", the monster rose that covers most of the pergola is phenomenal. The fragrance in the garden is wonderful. The confederate jasmine on the patio, the roses and the privet perfume the air. I love this time of year.

One of the rose highlights every year is "Veilchenblau", one of the most beautiful roses in my opinion. Looking through the pergola, it covers the archway in the distance.



"Veilchenblau" has just started to bloom - by next week you will barely
see the foliage, just a blanket of flowers.
 

Roses 'Veilchenblau' and 'Mutabalis'


Roses 'Buff Beauty' (left) and 'Rambling Rector' (on pergola)

Other roses on the pergola - 'Francois Juranville', 'Russell's Cottage Rose'

Miniature rose 'Gourmet Popcorn' and Salvia 'Hot Lips'

'Russell's Cottage Rose'

Rose 'Peggy Martin'


Rose 'Nearly Wild'

 

 

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. Jealousy! Of course it might help if I actually put away the bags of peat moss and compost.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very lovely! Seems so peaceful! Carol

    ReplyDelete
  3. They're all just glorious, Philip! I'm tickled to see that you grow Gartendirektor Otto Linne ... it will always have a place in my garden because it's so prolific!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful roses! I would love to look out over such a garden and enjoy the scent of all the roses.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Too bad I am headed in the opposite direction for vacation. I would love to see your garden. It looks so inviting. Those roses look like picture postcards. Amazing. I wonder if any of your roses would grow in my zone 6A?? Seeing yours makes me think I should try.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow you guys!!! Incredible color! Hope the storm today missed you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Seriously amazing...that's exactly how I picture a Southern Garden to look...all grace and elegance...with the heady perfume of jasmine and roses wafting through the air...sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  8. great views of your gardens - the Rambling Rector is amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is glorious Philip... absolutely spectacular. I've never had much luck with climbing and rambling roses... perhaps with our milder winters I should try again. As marvelous as my magnolias can be, they just don't have the class and sophistication of roses such as yours... I will come back to this post again to re-admire. Your post today is class all the way!! Larry

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Phillip, Your roses are so awesome! Veilchenblau and Mutabalis together are so lovely. Moonlight is incredible. Okay, I'm gushing. Thanks for sharing your garden with us.

    ReplyDelete
  11. How Very Exquisite, Philip!!

    Tis Paradise!!!

    XXXXX

    ReplyDelete
  12. I know the 'best' roses are to be found here. There's a romance in your garden. Wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  13. so when can I come by? I'll also take some treats from your dessert blog, so get those ready too. ;0)

    Gorgeous roses! Mine are blooming away too, and I just love them, and I think almost all were recommendations from your website!

    ReplyDelete
  14. So beautiful! I am quite jealous of all that fragrance... The only really fragrant thing we have going right now is a carpet of lily-of-the-valley. At least it looks as if the slew of antique roses I planted last year will give us a few first blooms in a couple of weeks - provided the deer stay away from them - but it will definitely be a couple of years until we will have anything resembling your floral abundance!

    ReplyDelete
  15. As soon as I noticed the title of your latest post in my Favorites sidebar, I hightailed it over here Phillip! I just love all your roses. Now that I've got a pergola, I'm learning how to train the climber (Sombreuil) up it. But the canes just seem so short. Maybe it just needs to get more mature. Will I ever get there and have something like you have? Wow!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks for all the comments. There is more to come! :)

    Jean, I have Sombreuil growing on an archway. It is not a very fast grower for me (but worth it). Something like Rambling Rector will grow extremely fast but it also tries to take over too.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts