A Passion for Roses

Oh how I love roses. Today was a BIG day because I tackled the roses in the front garden. Yes, pruning time. This afternoon I managed to prune 21 of my roses, with a bit of man power from Johnny. He sharpened my secateurs and bought me some new gloves, optimistically called "Ninja Flex" gloves. It wasn't long after I started, that a few bad words sullied the peace in the garden, and I realised that the Ninja Flexes were better suited to assassinating people (in ninja fashion) than dealing with vicious rose thorns. I've been known to prune in bare hands, so it didn't slow me down. 

So now I've got some dramatically reduced rose bushes. I had some that will need to be moved because they are too big for their boots. I hope to do that next weekend. As always, pruning time makes me dream of new additions to the garden, so I popped over to David Austin's website where I found these divine roses. I'm thinking they would make beautiful friends for my current collection. 

Boscobel which is a new release, and I am sure will not be available in New Zealand for some time, if ever.

 Claire Austin - so elegant. I don't have many white roses.

 Darcy Bussell - aptly named after the ballerina. I love the crimson colour. This photo is not as beautiful as others I have seen of her.

 Heathcliff - I love plummy and rich purple roses. They always smell so delicious and look dramatic.

 Munstead Wood.

Falstaff- absolutely delicious. 

Port Sunlight- I am sure this would be very pretty. The colour glows. I have Pat Austin, which is a deeper shade, sort of coppery, but she grows so badly in my garden, with flimsy stems that can't support the blooms. I wonder if it is just my particular plant, or whether she is a temperamental performer in general. I had trouble with Heritage too, which was a great disappointment to me because that was the rose that got me hooked on English Roses. 

 Princess Alexandra of Kent- I can imagine this one paired with blue and lavender flowers. I'm planning to evict some of my gaudier plants so that I can get the lovely soft cottage garden effect with more blues to complement my roses.

 Strawberry Hill- the name makes me think it will smell like strawberries, but a lovely rose scent would be just as pleasing.

 Tea Clipper- I am fond of the colour. It does have a slight tea coloured overtone.

 Tranquility- so, so beautiful.

  I must credit the David Austin Roses website for all of these photos. Pop over and have a look if you love roses.

Zanny and I had a lovely ride today. Frank and Viv came too. Zanny was a bit grouchy when we had to go very close together on a narrow bit because she was huffy about Frank being in her personal space. Funny girl. She flicked her head and swished her tail at him. Her coat was shining in the sun, and her tummy looked bigger than ever. I spoiled her with lots of carrot pieces.

Mr Mousie is proving to be possibly gifted. He is incredibly intelligent, and seems to learn new things so quickly. Maybe I'm just a proud mother. He does have his faults. Quite frankly, he produces the most unbelievably smelly kitten poo, and he isn't too good at washing the fur around his neck and behind his ears. He sometimes gets food in his sprouting ear hair. Dear little man!

I hope you have a good week. I am going to take it easy, because I have been so tired on school days, and enjoy as much Olympics coverage as possible. Spring is definitely coming soon!