"Come into the Garden, My Roses Would Like to Meet You"

I have been really busy this spring, and I am sorry to say I have not taken as many pictures of my roses as I usually do. But here are some glimpses of what my garden has looked like this spring.

Rosette Delizy (Tea, Nabonnand)

I don't know exactly how many roses I have. I lost count at 120 bushes and climbers, and probably have a few more now.

Some of my front yard, counter-clockwise from bottom, Regensberg (Floribunda, McGredy), Heritage (Shrub, Austin), Pat Austin (Shrub, Austin), Gruss an Aachen (Floribunda, Geduldig)

Like most people, I started out with Hybrid Teas and Floribundas.

Classic Woman (Hybird Tea, Meilland), with a bit of Crepuscule (Noisette, Dubreuil) showing in the background.

They worked well in the narrow driveway bed that also serves as a privacy screen from our neighbors, so that was my highest priority when we moved into this house.

Sheila's Perfume (Floribunda, Sheridan) is one of few roses that went well with our oddly-colored house

Later I began buying English roses from David Austin because of their romantic old-fashioned form and strong fragrance.

Crown Princess Margareta (Shrub, Austin), with Golden Celebration (Shrub, Austin) behind it

Austins are complex hybrids that behave in a widely different manner (and not at all the way they are supposed to in England), so I went through quite a few before I ended up with the ones that I like...

William Shakespeare 2000 (Shrub, Austin), one of the best Austins for my climate

 ... and that don't grow into "Jolly Green Giants" with "octopus arms" (and no blooms).

Sharifa Asma (Shrub, David Austin) with Ebb Tide (Floribunda, Carruth) in the background

Later still, I went online to specialty rose nurseries, in search of old, heirloom varieties...

Lady Hillingdon (Tea, Lowe&Shawyer)

...mostly Teas.

Rosette Delizy (Tea, Nabonnand) with Cécile Brunner, climbing (Polyantha, Hosp) in the background

When most of my garden was full, I started growing roses vertically, and added climbers and noisettes.

Mme Bérard (Tea-Noisette, Levet)

My garden is a work in progress - roses are always evaluated for disease-resistance, growth habit, rebloom, color...

A cane of Baron Giraud de l'Ain (Hybrid Perpetual, Reverchon)

 ... and fragrance, and the decisions of where to plant them, or whether to plant them, are made accordingly.

Carding Mill (Shrub, Austin) peeking in from behind a doublefile viburnum

I have always tried not to be snobbish in my rose selections, and, provided the rose performs well, I will grow a Hybrid Tea, or an Austin, or a rare heirloom rose. They are all my children!

Finally, taking care of roses, traditionally considered high-maintenance plants, is much easier if you plant varieties that do well in your climate. There are quite a few roses out there that do not require bi-monthly spraying with fungicide, heavy feeding, or even deadheading.

Penelope (Hybrid Musk, Pemberton)

Pruning will be minimized (or eliminated) if you don't try to squeeze a big rose into a small space, and there are roses that have few or no prickles.

Heritage (Shrub, Austin) with Regensberg (Floribunda, McGredy) and Buff Beauty (Hybrid Musk, Bentall). Heritage has no prickles

Some people who love roses (including me) elect to grow roses that require a lot of extra care because it is a labor of love, not a chore...

Gertrude Jekyll (Shrub, Austin), also known as "Galloping Gerty" for its propensity to throw long prickly canes that need to be pruned off or pegged

 ...but it doesn't have to be like that. Do your research!