December cheer

It’s kind of mind bending to think of blooming roses in the same month as Santa’s “Ho, ho, ho!”, but this is Florida so I’ve learned to expect the strange along with the wonderful. October’s feeding has had beautiful results that I think you’ll enjoy.

'Clotilde Soupert', a polyantha bred in Luxembourg in 1889, is in the foreground, and 'Hermosa', a China/Bourbon Hybrid bred in France in 1832, is behind her. Both are fragrant.

Stepping back toward the curb, now you can see 'Madame Abel Chatenay', a French-bred Hybrid Tea from 1894. Some gardeners like swaths of color, but my garden is so small that a single bush counts as a swath! I love the transition from salmon to white to hot pink. No, I didn't say French bread.

'White Maman Cochet', a sport of the Tea rose, 'Maman Cochet', discovered in Australia and in the U.S. in the same year, 1896.

I think she looks a bit like Christmas in this shot.

I have to pinch myself. This really is my garden!!! I can't remember these bushes along the driveway blooming so beautifully all together. Again, they're 'Mme Abel Chatenay', 'Clotilde Soupert' and 'Hermosa'.

This is a sweet little miniature, 'Softee', growing happily in a pot.

'Maggie', a found rose probably a Bourbon, is getting bigger every day, but her young canes flop and leave her blooms to lay on the ground.

The lovely 'Le Vesuve' was bred in France in 1825 of questionable heritage, perhaps China, perhaps Bourbon, perhaps Tea, or a combination.

'Hermosa' on the left and 'Clotilde Soupert' on the right. Only the camera was tipsy.

'Lauren', a polyantha bred in the U.S. in 2003. She likes living in a pot.

'Le Vesuve' again.

And again. He's starting to feel better now that I've removed the six pentas and the three Purple Coneflowers that were crowding him in his own bed. Poor guy. He didn't like the company at all!

I was happy to see this fellow since I already saw some aphids. Bon appetit!

'Bow Bells' bred by David Austin in England in 1991

'Etoile de Mai', another polyantha, bred in France in 1893. In the summer her spot is very shady, but she blooms anyway.

'Etoile de Mai' again. Different, isn't she?

'Bow Bells' again

And here are 'Etoile de Mai' and 'Bow Bells' together - best buds, I'd say.

One of the many faces of 'Madame Lombard', a Tea bred in France in 1878

This and the next three photos are the same rose, 'Borderer', a polyantha bred in Australia in 1918.

A different look from 'Borderer'

And a peachy bud.

Just in case you didn't believe me

'Bow Bells' thinks it's her job to be every pink all at once.

Very pink and very endearing, I think.

Don't you?

Even Lotus pink.

This is the most beautiful I have ever seen 'Clotilde Soupert' in my garden. She's beautiful quite often, but she can be bothered by heavy rains as her buds are opening and thrips in the spring. Regardless, she's in my top five, maybe top three.

Clotilde again. I have two bushes and the climber.

And she smells so nice!!

'Duquesa', a Tea rose bred in the U.S. (I believe) in 2005 but still in the Old Garden Rose class. She's quite fragrant.

'Maman Cochet', a Tea rose bred in France in 1892. You can see that she nods. They say she has a weak neck.

But 'Maman Cochet' can also hold herself erect and can give us a different look every day and twice on Sunday - all beautiful, of course.

'Mary Guthrie', another polyantha from Australia bred in 1929

Here's my buddy, 'Louis Philippe', a China bred in France in 1834. Don't you love the French?

Louis is also known as The Florida Rose. He's about the only old rose you'll find growing in abandoned gardens here in Florida. The nematodes don't bother him a bit.

Louis nods, too. He looks like a Christmas tree ornament!

'Mrs. B. R. Cant', a Tea rose bred in the U.K. in 1901.

This red bud is the pink shrub rose, 'Belinda's Dream', bred in the U.S. in 1988. She definitely has the Christmas spirit.

Gosh, can you believe I'm holding that thing with my bare fingers? I do not like bugs, but desperate circumstances demand desperate measures. I guess you could say he nods but not anymore.

Gross me out!! What the heck are these things? Don't have a clue, but they are dead now.

Uh-oh, looks like armadillo is back. Everything was fine in the front garden. The back garden has been invaded!

Handsome 'Louis Philippe'

Touchy, touchy! Never has a Tea rose responded this way to being moved by me. This is 'Alexander Hill Gray', and he's scaring me. I hope he's just trying to be funny.

'General Gallieni' buds - a Tea rose that was bred in France in 1899.

I took a chance and order these hydrangeas as 4" pots from Park Seed Company. I was quite pleased with their size and health upon arrival. I potted them on into one-gallon pots right away. Hopefully, they'll be ready to go into the ground come spring.

The gorgeous 'Reve d'Or', a Tea-Noisette climber bred in France in 1869.

'Reve d'Or' again looking quite different with her flowers fully open.

DH's favorite rose, 'Nur Mahal', a Hybrid Musk bred in the U.K. in 1923.

Here's the fishies! Nine of the ten anyway. We've only lost one - to a falling boulder.

Aphids on 'Pat Austin', David Austin's 1995 introduction.

Calling all ladybugs!!! Oops, couldn't wait. I smushed 'em.

Ah-ha! There's hope for 'Alexander Hill Gray'!!!

Some things are worth seeing twice. I hope you agree. Can I buy a billboard for this one??? And put it across the street? So I can still see it when the flush is over.

'Le Vesuve' again. Before I realized his problem was the crowding companion plants I was going to replace him with 'Belinda's Dream', but I just couldn't do it. He's definitely worth nursing back to health.

Work continues in the garden despite my lethargy. I’ve got a few more new roses to plant – one in the ground, two in pots, two roses to move, and a handful of daylilies to plant. Little by little it will all get done so I can start making cookies.