Double Delight ~ Exquisite Color and Fragrance

My little cutting of Double Delight has produced few but marvelous blossoms this summer. This rose opened in early October, its deep crimson petals revealing a rich, pastel treat.

Soft pink, cream and buttery yellow petals are revealed as the rose slowly wakens, unfolding with a broad, friendly smiling face.

The fragrance is as rich and complex as its colorful display; deeply inhaling the center of the rose provides an initial draught of deep old rose. A soft, sweet finish reminiscent of vanilla French buttercream lingers for an almost imaginary moment.

The winter will freeze the ground to as much as four feet deep. I will keep all my new babies, including this little Double Delight, watered and mulched until the distant spring reveals their survival or demise.

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The Summer Folds Behind Us, Leaving Lovely, Rosy Memories

Sonia continued to delight us throughout the busy summer. I adore the Sonia rose.

Toward August, she sent up a magnificent cane nearly 6 feet tall, topped with a cluster of perfect florist-quality roses.

Dew patterned like pave-set diamonds illuminated the garden one rare morning.

Peace, sparkling discretely, is always serene and lovely.

Quietness smiles rather thinly as the summer wears down.

Aunt Honey, new this spring, blooms with lovely form and garish color, like a desperate spinster's lavishly applied lipstick. Her name seems to fit.

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