Here are just a few of the David Austin roses I had to leave behind. I had about 8 in big planters, but eventually I had no option but to plant them. In the event it was another 3 years before we finally sold the house.
One I really regretted leaving behind - Jude the Obscure, one of my Thomas Hardy themed roses. Still, he was growing happily with the trellis to keep the wind off him, AND guess what arrived today, as yet another house-warming gift from my best friend Gay (we started off as penpals 50 years ago now). Yes, Jude the Obscure - the poor chap is in a pot with a note to take out of the box and put outside (it keeps picking with snow and is PERISHING cold!) and give it a good watering. Poor chap - he'll have frozen roots tonight.
Tuscany Superb - an absolute must for my new garden.
The globe-shaped flowers of Raubritter are just stunning. I had to add this to my garden after seeing it at wonderful Cothay Manor in Somerset. This looked amazing in the setting of the beautiful gardens there. It may just have fallen into my shopping basket when I was looking at Trevor White's site for a stunning purple rose called Indigo, which will also soon be on its way to me. Neither were in stock at David Austin (Raubritter not even listed these days).
Anyway, my best friend Gay sent me Jude today (as mentioned above) and by the same post, another dear dear Dorset friend sent me a generous voucher to spend with David Austin, so I have spent the happiest afternoon looking at their rose catalogue and choosing what I will buy. The two ordered from Trevor White are bare root and will be with me by the end of the month. They're an early birthday present from Keith.
I will show you my David Austin collection when they arrive, but the short list is: Bathsheba, Tess, Eustacia Vye, Tuscany Superb, Emily Bronte, Shailer's White Moss, Reveil Dijonnair, Hippolyte and Roserie de l'Hay - the latter Tam always said was the scent of my garden in our old home . . .
I am blessed, truly, with wonderful lifelong friends who are so happy that we have finally made our move to our forever home, and whose gifts will remind me of them every time the roses bloom. Hopefully it won't be long before they can come and see them for themselves when they come and stay. D - you know who you are - a HUGE heartfelt thank you to you and Gay for giving such pleasure today and in the future.
Lovely! Wonderful! Superb!
ReplyDeleteVery happy for you!
I'm happy for me too BB!
DeleteWe started planting David Austin roses on my big birthday a few years ago, and have added one every year since. I find that they are quite addictive - just as well they seem to like our conditions!
ReplyDeleteAt our old house, I had them for Christmas presents every year - especially the big ramblers. I shan't be doing big overwhelming ramblers here - they look stupendous but I made the mistake of letting the Paul's Himalayan Musk romp away and when I finally admitted I had to cut him back, I had given myself a real task! It was NOT enjoyable!!
DeleteI - wish I had a garden suitable for roses - I adore Tuscany
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame you can't find a little corner for him Pat - the colour and perfume are superb.
DeleteDo those roses have scents?
ReplyDeleteYes, some of them much richer than others and the type of perfume varies from one rose to another. Some are a rich musk, others a lighter fragrance, more tea rose, or you have Old Rose fragrance.
DeleteBeautiful roses, so sorry that you had to leave them behind, but your new ones will be a treat.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Well, the new people will get to enjoy them as there were 20 or so I left behind. The big ramblers were spectacular in flower.
DeleteHow wonderful to have such thoughtful friends, thinking about you and your beautiful rose garden. All beautiful, I would have been stuck for choice.
ReplyDeleteI am so fortunate to have such caring friends. It took me a couple of hours to narrow down the choice, let alone make a final one!, but SO enjoyable.
DeleteLovely photos and so good you will be able to have them all again in your new home
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have the PHM again, as it was a bit TOO rampant, but then it had been growing there 32 years! I have had such pleasure from choosing which ones to get first.
DeleteGorgeous of photos of the roses and such a shame you had to leave them behind but you do have some very thoughtful and kind friends. I wish we had more roses here.
ReplyDeleteMy loss, their gain, and I am starting again, with some new ones added, so the excitement of seeing them flower for the first time. Perhaps you could have a few roses in big planters?
DeleteOh how beautiful!!! I'm sure it was hard to leave them but... they look like they are "home" and that's where they should remain. I can't wait to see pictures of your new roses when they are in the ground, in their new home. I wish I had luck with roses but I surely do not. :-( Yellow leaves, something always eating the leaves, etc. I don't use any sort of "poison" on our land so I'm sure they'd do better if I used one of the commercial preparations on my roses. ~Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteThey were indeed home - I thought I might get away with cutting the Tuscany Superb back hard and lift it, but - it was better established than I gave it credit for. I don't use chemicals on my land either. I was slightly horrified to see the last owner had left us a watering can marked TOXIN. I shan't be using THAT!
DeleteI can well imagine how lovely it was to spend time perusing the rose websites when the weather outside was/is cold and gray. Wonderful gift from friends. Fun to think of how to fill your new garden. A good distraction this time of year and in the prolonged lockdown. Haven't had much luck with roses here...v hot, humid summers and often harsh winters don't always bode well for roses, not to mention a plethora of pests that seem to attack ferociously. Will have to vicariously enjoy your roses!
ReplyDeleteOh Mary, how awful not to be able to grow roses in your garden but I suppose growing conditions are so important and wide extremes are no good. I hope that mine provide you with delight this summer.
Delete