on roses and courage

It took me a really long time to decide to grow roses in the garden. I'm not entirely sure why but the thought of roses being dependant on me was slightly terrifying. I have long adored David Austin roses and, after reading through Susan Southam's gorgeous gorgeous book 'Velvet Pears' I felt convinced I could attend to them closely and have pretty fragrant roses all through the garden. Davis Hanna's Guide to Growing Roses {http://www.hanna.id.au/roses/}was a very helpful resource, detailing various types of roses and which areas in Australia different strains enjoy growing. I had a few special spots in the garden that I wanted to have a more roseate glow, mostly areas where I wanted climbing roses. We have a newish wooden trellis which has crab apple trees growing in front of it. They have lovely deep green foliage and the fruit begins a fresh bright green, later turning to a deep russet. At the moment they are in the midst of their colour transformation, mostly being green with a pretty warm blush. The trellis is up against a warm cream wall and there is also an ivy covered gate which leads to the neighbours' yard and a stephanotis vine arching over a deep green arbour. 

I am hoping the trellis will lose some of it's yellow hue-I know it will turn that nice silvery grey soon but I am a little impatient. 

I chose to plant Blushing Pierre de Rosard which is an exquisite fragrant hardy variety which will fill out the area nicely. I think the soft warmth of the bloom will be particularly nice against the deep red of the crab apples. The grower told me that the blooms will take on more of a pink blush throughout winter, returning to the rich cream in the warmer months-flowers are extraordinary!

Pierre de Rosard. I adore you. ever. so. 

We have had an old wooden half wine barrel in the garden, collecting rain and leaves for the past 6 years so I drilled holes in it, filled it with rose potting mix and a little mulch and chose the very pretty William Morris rose. The grower said it is quite rampant and forms a nice full shrub without too much work. The fragrance if this flower completely undoes me. The colour is a little stronger than something I'd usually choose but I do like it. They buds are a deeper pink which take on a lovely apricot and then open to a paler pink-mine are darker than the photo below, with a bit more apricot in them.

William Morris. Pretty creature.

We have two large wooden columns in the garden which I am hoping to cover in roses. The variety I chose was 'Jude the Obscure'. I have had them as cut flowers before and they cause my collar bones to ache when I look at them. The petal and bud form looks more oval and less blowsy than the other varieties. They become quite pale once they open and I thought they'd be pretty against the nicely aged wood of the columns. 

Jude the Obscure. Precious darling. 

Oh I adore them all! I planted them all yesterday with my mum. We dug nice big holes in our clay rich soil, put rose mix into the hole, spread out the roots and covered them up with soil and mulch. I have two more plants which need a home. The are 'Madam Alfred Carrier.' We thought we'd find room in the a garden bed but it looks like they'll have to find a home in a trough or pot-they are great climbers and we hope they will cover the wooden shed eventually. I have seen such wondrous photographs of them wildly consuming shed and arbors and homes. 

Madame Alfred Carrier

It was really heart warming to read Susan's book. Her garden is so special and she learnt so much by experimenting. I felt like I would do something wrong with roses or have a sad failure but if I do, I do and I'll just try something different next time. I was also fretting about making the wrong decision colour wise and then realised how silly that was because although some combinations are definitely incredible together, all plants and flowers are gorgeous so I'm sure it will all work out somehow.