Monday, October 18, 2010

Bejeweled, bedecked and bedazzling


The fence where the Mermaid rose is growing (and tearing the fence down) has been neglected this summer, so the past couple of days I've been working on clearing next to it. This process was not as much fun as you might think. If I had a nickel for every time I was pricked by blackberry branches and stabbed by cantankerous roses I'd be rich. There was a lot of "Bleep!" "Bleep!" "Bleepety bleep!" being uttered. There were mosquitos too. Frances wasn't kidding about 'Alberic Barbier''s long arms... several had snaked down to the ground, across the ditch and just kept going. I felt like I was performing some sort of mime/ clown act; pulling and pulling and pulling.... it reminded me of a video I saw in an anthropology class of a family of Eskimos getting out of a canoe. They just kept coming and coming! In self defense I wound the runners around the fence planks to get them out of the way. AB has extremely pliable canes so this was easy to do. The finished arrangement looks like spaghetti thrown into a sink; I should probably try to place them more artistically, later.

The following roses are not nearly as big, bold and bloodthirsty as the ones growing on the fence. Fall roses are always a delight. Little can compete with the beauty of a rose, especially when it's sparkling with dewdrops.

'Aloha' is the only Hybrid Tea that I have, because all of the others died. 'Double Delight' literally lasted about two weeks, which is about what I expected, but husband really wanted to try it because of the fragrance. (I spared him the I told you so, btw.) Even the 'Radiance' roses died and I've tried them twice. I think 'Aloha' is such a good doer because it's the offspring of 'New Dawn' and a very disease resistant Cl. Hybrid Tea named 'Mercedes Gallart'. The little blur above the rose is a hover fly zipping away.


All of these roses are fragrant and have distinctly different scents.


'Devoniensis', looking like ruffles of cream-colored taffeta


'Duchesse de Brabant'


'Old Blush'


'Blush Noisette'



29 comments:

  1. The rose with all the dew is simply lovely. I bet it smells heavenly.

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  2. Oops, the last pink one with all the dew is the one I notice most. It just looks so lush. Here all we have is dust.

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  3. They are beautiful Sweetbay and having some fragrance makes them even better! I was grabbed by a rose this morning~They can be sassy. I think Blush Noisette is a rose I've been trying to id for years. gail

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  4. I could practically smell the enticing scent of roses as I perused your photos. Lovely!!

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  5. You're so fortunate to have so many beauties still in bloom. Gorgeous!

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  6. Hi Sweetbay, a rose no matter where grown, no matter what color is always admired. Rose is always very symbolic and its scent is a potent attractant. But that last photo with the dews is irresistible, and the photo is awesome.

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  7. No wonder people has been charmed by roses for centuries, they are lovely your photoes :)

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  8. I love the plants that keep going almost into winter, like your roses. How nice that they are fragrant too! Right now I'm enjoying the sweet blooms of 'Betty Prior' and 'Iceberg.'

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  9. Your roses are all so beautiful and enticing. It must smell wonderful walking your property with all the different scents filling the air.

    FlowerLady

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  10. HA, Mermaid and AB? You are glutton for punishment!!! Thanks for the linkage, and your roses are superb. I have looked at The Duchess before, glad to see she likes it there. Your honeysuckle has survived with no water at all in the toughest spot my garden has to offer. Thanks again! :-)
    Frances

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  11. Hi,sweetbay, your photographs are gorgeous! There really is something special about roses with dew on them. And your collection of roses makes me want to add a few more to mine! :)

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  12. No wonder you are bedazzled! These Roses are gorgeous! The dew is the icing on them!!

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  13. I can't imagine 'wrestling' the roses off the fence. wow
    You are right, the dew on the roses makes for super photos. One was prettier than the next. I think I have a place for some fragrant roses ....now to choose who to plant.

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  14. Your roses are beautiful all shimmering with dew, Sweetbay!

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  15. Hi Sweetbay, I love your 'spaghetti in a sink' description - perfect! :)

    It must feel good - even with scratches - to have tackled such a big job. Now its time to enjoy all your blooming beauties - and they are gorgeous!

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  16. Lovely! I especially love the photos of the sprays of roses. I am so envious . . . to have so many blooms in October. One does need to wear long tough gloves and shirts when working about our thorny friends. I always end up forgetting that until I am scratched a few times. It takes awhile for those nasty cuts to heal. They do reward you however... You have such gorgeous roses Sweetbay. ;>)

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  17. Roses are so quietly beautiful in the fall when they are no longer shouting to be noticed among the spring excess, and yours are serene this time of year. The dewdrops on the Duchess and the Blush made me shiver.

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  18. Your roses look fresh as a dew kissed morning! iILOVE the Blush Noisette.

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  19. Exquisite photos! The colors are wonderful!

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  20. I can imagine that the blackberry briars and rose thorns would lead to some bleepish moments.
    Your roses are beautiful!

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  21. Looks like they've all picked up away from the Summer heat and drought. Lovely.

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  22. I love your post title SB!! and images of you cursing while cleaning up your fence line have me smiling. I'm doubly impressed you resisted the "I told you so" to your husband!!!
    The roses are stunning. I especially like the one you compared to tafetta. (but there I go showing my biased toward the thickly packed petal ones)!
    Glad you are getting some work done in the garden ~ I need to get myself in gear!

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  23. These are lovely photographs of your garden's roses! You have really captured their delicate dew covered beauty. I can identify with your struggles with blackberries and roses. I have many many war wounds myself.

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  24. Thank you. I so enjoyed this post and your pictures of roses. You know how much I love them. I had to smile and bleep, bleep, bleepity bleep because I totally understand. If I had a nickles for every time I pruned or moved roses and was later asked if I were in a cat fight....

    Thanks again.~~Dee

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  25. What beautiful photographs of your roses. Mine are almost all gone. Just a blossom or two here and there. I have one rambler given to me by a friend that is crawling everywhere. It is amazing, but I don't know the name.

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  26. Your roses do look so pretty. The roses around here have slowed way down and are much smaller, but there is something extra special about finding a rose in the fall.

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  27. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Your garden must smell wonderful!

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