Friday, September 24, 2010

The Last Roses of Summer

The roses have been giving me some final blooms
this week. Seems they wanted to give one last hurrah
before the cold weather comes in and takes them.

AlmostBlack_Finale4

“ Almost Black” looks like pure velvet when it
is in bud stage.

AlmostBlack_Finale_2

Then unfurls to a deep red with dark highlights
around the petals.

Iceberg_Rosebuds_Last

The new “Iceberg” rose that was planted this spring
has been blooming better than my Knockout roses
this summer.

Iceberg_Finale

Since I love white blooms in the garden I have
been in love with this rose this summer.

EasyDoesIt_Finale2

“Easy Does It” is another new rose planted this
summer and it has been non stop in blooming also.

EasyDoesItRain_Perfection

I am not a favorite of the colors of orange in flowers
but Easy Does It has so many shades to the petals
that it has really grown on me. She looks pretty with
a few water drops from a watering. Looks like she has
company on one of the petals.

Crimson_Bouquet2_Finale

“Crimson Bouquet” is my favorite of the red
roses. It blooms in waves throughout the summer
and it smells divine. She has a few chewed leaves
now.

CrimsonBouquet_Last

I have had the Crimson Bouquet rose for years and
it is very hardy and has never failed me yet.

Gertrude_Jeckyll_Finale2

Gertrude Jekyll is also a new rose and I love how it
has produced waves of blooms this summer.

Gertrude_Jeckyll_Finale5

I love how Gertrude’s petals keep unfolding from the
tight buds into a full bloom of many petals.

NewDawn_Finale

Even the climbing rose “New Dawn” has graced me with
a few new blooms.

NewDawn2_Finale

New Dawn usually only blooms once for me so
it is having a finale bloom to say goodbye to summer.

RainbowKnockout_Finale

As I mentioned my Knockout roses have been a
very big disappointment this summer.

With exception to this Rainbow Knockout which has
bloomed very well.
The new Sunny Yellow knockout only bloomed twice
and the red and pink singles and double Knockouts
shrubs have just had a few blooms in all.

Daisy_Finale

Along with the roses having one last blooming
event this lone Shasta Daisy came out to say
goodbye for the summer.

Gertrude_Jeckyll_Finale4

Today is also “Fertilizer Friday” at Tootsie’s
so join us in Flaunting the last Flowers of
this summer.
Fall is really here now although we have had days in
the nineties this week but a big change is on the
agenda tonight. We so need the rain that I am hoping
this cold front will bring in.

Fertilizer_Friday

The Last Rose of Summer
'Tis the last rose of summer, left blooming all alone
All her lovely companions are faded and gone.
No flower of her kindred, no rose bud is nigh
To reflect back her blushes and give sigh for sigh.
I'll not leave thee, thou lone one! to pine on the stem
Since the lovely are sleeping, go sleep thou with them
'Thus kindly I scatter thy leaves o'er the bed
Where thy mates of the garden lie scentless and dead.
 ~Thomas Moore~

Happy Gardening Everyone !

Lona happyfall

25 comments:

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Lona, that black rose is stunning. I am going to look for Easy Does It next year and pull out some of my Knockouts, mine didn't do well either this year. I have several Rainbow Knockouts and they are still going strong.

Eileen

Shirley said...

Gorgeous roses! Remind me, what zone are you? The greenhouses here sell some of the same roses but they take an immense amount of effort to make it through our zone 3 winters.

Patsy said...

I just love roses and yours are so beautiful, my knockout red bloomed a lot this summer but it is going to have to be moved and so is my white Pope John Paul II rose they are to close to the brick wall.These two and the peace rose are my only roses we have no room for more.
I like your fall header.
Patsy

A Garden of Threads said...

Fabulous photos of your roses!

Liz said...

Hi Lona,

Wonderful to see your Roses are still blooming for you, I have a few blooming sporadically throughout the season but one, a white always blooms all summer long. I've no idea what it is because most of the roses were all planted before I moved in...

I too love white blooms, especially white roses, they're so simple, cheerful and pure.

Darla said...

Beautiful showing of your roses. I think of you everytime I see orange flowers Lona and just grin.

Gardening in a Sandbox said...

Beautiful roses.

Stella said...

My roses are giving me last showing as well. My red Knockouts have bloomed without stopping all summer but the yellow has never done very well. My Nsew Dawn climbing roses has popped a few flowers all summer long which is unusual for her. I think it is because we had much more rain that usual. Beautiful photo as usual. I always enjoy them.

Beth said...

Oh, Lona, your photography is exquisite - especially the first 4 photos and Gertrude Jekyll. Wow! Roses and annuals seem to be the stars of my garden now too as summer has gone and autumn begun. The change of seasons is a precious time and I will embrace the change (that is, until it changes to WINTER - that I could live without! lol)
It was a pleasure to visit your garden today!
Beth

Balisha said...

These pictures are so pretty.What a variety you have. Why don't you frame a few to remind you of summer?
Balisha

Kimberly said...

Wow Lona! Your roses are really beautiful! They definitely showed up for their last showcase! I used to have the 'easy does it'...I love the coral shades...awesome!

Kent Island Red said...

Your pictures are spectacular. I want to be a bigger fan of roses than I am, but between black spot, japanese beetles (the worst!) and powdery mildew, aphids, etc., I just find them hard to completely fall in love with. However, I have 5 knock out roses planted as hedges ("radrazz") that I've had for almost 3 years now and it does not disappoint. I actually have people stop their cars, look and point. They are so pretty in full bloom. Thanks for sharing yours.

Stephanie said...

Lona, all your roses are so beautiful. I was trying to choose which one I like most. I can't. All of them are as pretty! The white rose, the colour so white... I don't think I have seen one so white before.

Hope the ocld weather delays a little more for you so that you can enjoy your flowers longer ;-)

Anonymous said...

Hi Lona~~ How weird that your Knock Out roses performed so poorly. I guess this just proves that they're not perfect and subject to the weather like every other plant. I don't have 'Rainbow' yet but this is a good to be on the lookout for it.

Have a great weekend.

Rebecca @ In The Garden said...

Beautiful roses Lona, 'New Dawn' is especially lovely.

Karen said...

Such stunning photography, and the 'Almost Black' is amazing! You have a gorgeous mix of roses in your garden, their fragrance must be heavenly. I know how much work they can be, too, so I respect your gardening expertise!

The Redneck Rosarian said...

Great pictures! I hate to see the end of rose growing season. My fall blooms are always the best of the year. I can see that the same is true in your garden. Your roses are are so pretty.

Jean Tuthill said...

Your roses are beautiful! And your pictures are awesome, too. I love gardening. My Knockout didn't do so well this summer. We had a terrible drought. It was all I could do to keep my stuff alive! It's better now.

Noelle Johnson said...

Hello Lona,

I just love roses and mine are beginning to come back to life after the summer heat has left. I am looking forward to some new blooms. I love your Gertrude Jekyll....I am waiting for my Graham Thomas to start flowering soon :-)

Anonymous said...

You have some gorgeous roses in your garden Lona, but my favorites would have to be Gertrude & Iceberg. :)

Anonymous said...

My roses are having a lovely final bloom session too, and you'll surely see it on my blog before long! Finally got some cool weather, and it is giving me a chilling reminder of summer's end. So sad! Still no rain here, it passed all around us on Friday with just a sprinkle while the rest of Columbus was getting a deluge! I like summer, but was glad to get rid of those 95 degree days. Even I was too hot!

Chloe m said...

I always think the very first rose of summer and the last are always the most special.
Your photos are amazing! Beautiful and splendid roses!

Barbara said...

Just gorgeous. And not only the blooms - your foliage also looks so healthy. Mine are also still blooming, but suffer from black spot.

Tootsie said...

girl, they might be the last but they are certainly NOT the least!!! they are absolutely gorgeous!!! I am now resigned to dreaming of everyone else's gardens...mine are officially gone!

Pat said...

Boy, I haven't been by in awhile.
Love the pics and selection of roses you have. Just beautiful.
You said Yellow knockout...would love to get them.