Stock, aquilegias, A Generous Gardener...

David Austin roses in a mixed border...

More of the mixed border...

"Hedges" of Queen of Sweden

Bella Donna, Gloire de Guilan, and foxgloves...

This post was edited by Sidos-House on Wed, May 14, 14 at 17:27

Attempting to beautify the ugly side of the house.

Natchitoches Noisette. Good morning fragrance on newly opening flowers. Only been in the garden one year!

Climbing Eden and Sunny KO.

A view of the kitchen garden in the process of transformation. Adding roses of course.

A new garden in the works. Mendocino Rose taught me how to make those arches.

Just a view. There are some vigorous Albertines at the base of the cedars that should bloom in a week or two.

Ghislaine de Feligonde opened this morning.

Honorine de Brabant! I've been looking forward to her first bloom.

Serratipetala. Cute, tiny flowers. Lighter toward the centers.

Last one, my break is coming to an end. One of the princess poppies...

Many other roses opened while I was at work to day. I should be at home on vacation! :)

Here is Gertrude Jekyll. I can't believe she is blooming. All three of her hated the winter and, although there are new canes, I have a strong feeling she won't make it to next spring. Somehow I feel like the rose is haunted by the ghost of the real GJ and she disapproves of my gardening methods and refuses to exist in a garden like mine. I've had her before and she left in a messy huff.

But even if she does die, I might give her one more try and stick her out in the kitchen garden that is in transition... ;)

This post was edited by Sidos-House on Wed, May 14, 14 at 18:44

I won't bore you with a bunch of pictures of my one year old plants. EXCEPT for the stripeys. I will contain myself but just know inside and in private I coo over these roses.

La Rubanee

Tricolore des Flandres

Variegata di Bologna.

I know, it's not much yet. But I love it, blackspot and all.

The last one for now.

Ferdinand Pichard.

Oh, and I thought I'd share a better picture of serratipetala.

And seriously that's all.

I was sad the pics came to an end! I love what you're doing, what you planted, and the expanse of your property. I have a few roses in common with you:

Monsieur Boncenne

Honorine de Brabant

Gertrude Jekyll (had it in a previous garden, before I learned about OGRs...this time, I had enough pink with the OGRs that I didn't get any pink Austins)

Tricolore de Flandres

Ferdinand Pichard

I'm a bit north of you, so you're ahead of me in the season. Right now, I've got lots of rose buds but no open rose flowers yet -- not counting the ones on 'Crimson Glory' and "Secret Garden Musk Climber" which came on the plants already when they arrived today.

You've done great work!

:-)

~Christopher

Sidos-House, that was so enjoyable. You truly have a green thumb (or two) and everything, including your one-year old roses, is beautiful. I think I love your stripeys the most. The garden bench with the bunny is so charming and unusual. I want it!

What's really exciting are all your new projects which means that next year and the year after that your property will be even more beautiful. All your roses look so clean and healthy, and I'm amazed that you have all those flowers on first-year roses. You have so much to be proud and happy about.

Ingrid

So exciting. Keep posting.

You have beautiful gardens. If I were you I'd never want to leave my yard!

Hi, Christopher. Thank you so much! I bet we have more roses in common than that and I look forward to hearing about and seeing your first flush. Once they start to open -- everything seems to happen so quickly. I took a page out of your book as I began that long garden with the arches by trying to plan carefully.

Thank you, Ingrid! I saw that bench and almost screamed that I had to have it! (Even if it meant going without groceries for a couple of weeks!) Luckily it was not terribly expensive. The seat part rests on two more bunnies. I've seen a different version (no bunnies) in pictures of the garden at the Antique Rose Emporium that was obviously made by the same manufacturer so maybe it's available somewhere out there in the southwest. I hope you're safe, Ingrid, and all your beloved wildlife too.

Thanks, Monarda!

Thanks, Gardener in Wisconsin! I feel the same way and would never leave if I didn't have to pay for it!! :)

You're garden keeps getting lovelier every year! I'm really enjoying seeing all the pictures and the transformation.

Sidos, it's all wonderful. Your garden has the look I really love. :) Gean

I love each and every photo! Your garden areas are beautiful, although I think my favorite may be the Queen of Sweden hedge row!
Molly

I love that you have "a garden with...."

I know this is a Rose forum and so I can just hear the snap of holster retainers and the cocking of shotguns, but I love your peonies just as much.

Like others in zones where what one may grow is determined more by heat tolerance and less by winter survival per se many traditional garden plants, like peonies, are not happy here.

I think I've seen numerous peony buds in your photos. Please return with photos of their glory as well. Or if you feel that they are more appropriate on a different forum, then please direct me there.

I look forward to your future reports on your experiences with your roses too.

And thanks for all the ice cream!

Wowsers, just beautiful. You've planted lots of new roses, and they look so happy and healthy.

Thank you, Lori! I came across pictures of your gardens early in my rose research and you have such pretty taste. You always have good suggestions.

Gean, you are just wonderful as always. Thank you. I don't think you've posted any pictures of your gardens this season? You never post enough it seems for those (and there are many of us) who are inspired by what you've created.

Jardinera, thank you so much! When I drove in from work today and looked at that hedge I couldn't believe it grew in my yard. It gets more beautiful by the hour and it's nothing to do with me. For all of the pink porcelain and feminine look it has, it is really tough. It's one of those that will root anywhere you stick its cuttings, whatever time of year.

Hi, S&S! You have been so encouraging, thank you. When you brought up my old thread I was in one of those places where I was upset with myself because I've made so many mistakes this year. I'm having some growing pains that result in learning valuable lessons but also make me feel badly and quite a bit inept. You must miss peonies, they are something special. I do have a lot of them but a lot of the same kinds. I usually buy a variety every fall from Van Engelen. I'll see what pictures I have so far. We are having a downpour tonight, not a good thing for pee-ownies.

Thanks, Janet! Mel's Heritage is taking off and begging me to put him the ground. Red Cascade is doing fine, all three. Mrs. BR Cant and the Duchesse are still snuggled in their pots doing a little here and a little there. Thank you. I am going to really try to improve my rooting this skills this season and I will send you a note with my successes and you will get first choice! I am so glad you are a part of my garden. (Janet's own garden is a fairyland!)

Thanks for that one, Sidos-House.

Look what I found - a place without risk of shotguns:

Here is a link that might be useful: Peonies Forum

What a wonderful tour of your gardens! I loved every moment of it. Those Queen of Sweden hedges, the arches (can't wait to see that full grown). the rambling mixed beds--I do like your mixes, which I strongly favor, as you know--saw a tempting yellow iris in there also-- your climbers are doing do fine, and I loved seeing Ghislaine de feligonde which I just planted a couple weeks ago (anticipation), and I squealed with delight when I came upon the pink poppy--that was the first perennial I planted on my property some thirty or so years ago, and I noticed today my pink poppy is still growing! So many lovely other roses and plants also.

It will be fun watching your gardens mature and take shape--they are already wonderful to look at!

Kate

Thanks so much, Kate :) I remember that you decided on Ghislaine last fall/late summer, I think. You are going to love her, I just know it! I squealed with delight when that poppy bloomed! I have been trying to grow that color for at least four years now. They either never make it to maturity or come up in some other color. I will be watching the seed pods closely and sow them as if they were as precious as diamonds. And here you've had it for thirty happy years :)

I ripped all the yellow gold iris out this weekend. I did leave one that was more of a lemon yellow. It was begging to stay by wafting this lovely perfume and I gave in. I am trying so hard to be more disciplined in my garden! But everyone out there knows I am a push-over, as soon as I turn my back the honesty and the feverfew and love-in-a-mist, they are having a party and ganging up on the blueberries, the blush damask, and the poor Moonstone peony.