Now I admit I have never grown Roses in any of my gardens over the years, so these are not flowers from my garden. But I became the carer of the Rose Garden at my school, when my team and I were re-located to the room right behind this garden area.
I can not unfortunately offer any varietal names for the beauties that grow in this area, as no labels or tags were ever kept after planting, but I can wax lyrical about their beauty and the perfume from a couple of the Rose bushes.
This particular bush is covered in spectacular looking white Roses that have a wonderful perfume. There are two of these white Rose bushes growing in the garden, and they the spots where my white-flower-adoring eyes are drawn to every time I walk up the path towards my building.
The headiest perfume though, comes from the two bushes that have the delicate pink Roses.
Now for some of the other Roses that make up for their lack of scent with their spectacular colour.
I'm joining Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday / Flaunt Your Flowers,
and Tina for Weekend Flowers.
I'm also joining One Mother Hen for her new meme Open Garden. Do pop on over and join in the fun.
It must be such a treat to look out of the window and see these beauties,and the perfume must be wonderful too. How lucky the school is to have such a keen gardener to take care of the Rose garden.
ReplyDeleteSue, it really is an absolute joy to come to school when the Roses are performing beautifully and putting on their best display. It was not such a joy when the black spot hit them after the wet season early this year, but they seemed to have returned to good health now. I got the school groundsman to cut them right back before first break, back in April, and to clean out all the diseased leaves underneath before adding more mulch and fertilizer. I have also added sulphate of potash and given them a good spray with an organic concoction that I found on my favourite gardening show, Gardening Australia. It seems to work fairly well.
DeleteYour school has beautiful roses Bernie. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen, I'm quite enjoying being the caretaker of the Rose garden. I really wasn't expecting that. Roses in the tropics are not exactly easy to take care of, and I remember how my father used to despair when growing them at home when I was growing up. Black spot is the scourge of rose growers in the tropics, and it takes a bit of work to keep on top of it.
DeleteBernie, your roses look spectacular and they really are yours because you have made them look this way. The pink ruffled one looks like a David Austin. I have one that smells beautiful and it is called Mary Rose. The Japanese Beetles have been eating my roses for the past few weeks cutting out one whole cycle of bloom.
ReplyDeleteEileen
Eileen, the Roses are looking great right now. We don't get Japanese Beetles here, but as I've mentioned in the last two replies, it's black spot that is a huge problem here in the tropics. This year I think I'm starting to get a handle on just how to control the problem. It's not completely under control, but there's certainly been a big improvement compared to last year.
DeleteDear Bernie.
ReplyDeleteThese roses just take my breath away. I honestly adore roses, think they´re so lovely, especially when their foliage is lovely too. And these do look absolutely healthy and gorgeous. The white one is stunningly beautiful. Wow.
Have lots of roses myself, but really admire these, you share with us today. You´re obviously the perfect rose-keeper. Great job.
Do hope you´re feeling a lot better by now.
The weather here has been wet and cool, a very different summer, not at all like the ones we use to have, so infections have had their way here as well. Boo ...
My best regards for a nice weekend. Always enjoy your post.
Iris.
PS. How´s your dog?
Thanks Iris. Everyone who walks past the Rose garden stops to admire it, even some of the students. I often find a couple of the students stopping to sniff the Roses or try and grab one without being caught!! The white one is definitely a show-stopper.
DeleteI'm feeling a lot better now, though the symptoms are not all gone just yet. I have been back to work though. There's still a lot of virus germs circulating through the school and that will probably keep on happening until at least the end of this month. It will start to warm up considerably at the beginning of September and that's usually when the virus breakout stops.
That dog is not in the good books at the moment. He's been chasing wallabies, and unfortunately managed to catch one. The outcome was not good for the poor wallaby. They do tend to die of shock when knocked to the ground. We're still making up our minds whether or not we're going to keep Albert. If we do send him to the pound though, we know he will be put down, so it's not an easy decision.
That's quite an achievement growing roses in the Tropics. The school must be glad to have such a versatile teacher/gardener.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can sort out poor old Albert. Some dogs just seem to instinctively want to hunt. It's a shame.
Thanks Missy. Yes it's definitely not a walk in the park growing Roses up here. I don't think I'll ever be able to stop black spot from appearing at all, but I'm learning how to control the outbreaks.
DeleteAs for Albert, yes unfortunately he's not learning the lesson about not chasing or harming the wallabies. We've tried to cover any holes where the wallabies could get in, but some are still jumping the fence and coming in to nibble on the grass. I'm not sure how many chances we're going to give old Albert, but I think he's coming to the end of them!!
How lovely, Bernie. You have definitely got a handle on caring for roses. I wished mine looked so good! P. x
ReplyDeleteYou're very kind, thanks Pam. I'm still on the learning curve, but the show this year has definitely been the best since the Rose garden was first established. I have that on the best authority ... that's the opinion of the groundsman who planted them all, but doesn't know a thing about caring for Roses, and really doesn't like Roses at all, lol!!!
DeleteWhat a nice thing to have near your room! I have planted roses around here and during this time of year they don't look the greatest but they are wonderful bushes when they're not blooming. Very beautiful flowers. So have they changed your mind?:)
DeleteHi Rohrerbot, no I haven't changed my mind about growing Roses in my own garden just yet. It's a combination of factors like the dreaded black spot that's the undoing of Roses here in the tropics, and also the fact that the bush itself is not all that attractive when they are few blooms, as you point out. They don't thrive in the tropics as happily as they do in the more temperate parts of Oz. I'm happy to take care of the ones at school for now.
DeleteAll of them are so gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your kind comment, thanks Jama.
DeleteGreat pictures and collage displaying some beautiful flowers.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a good weekend :)
Hanne Bente
Thank you, Hanne. It looks like it's going to be a glorious mid-winter weekend.
DeleteIt surprises me that you can grow roses so far north. I have always steered clear of them because of their diseases and the care they need. It must be wonderful to walk past them on the way to work everyday. There are some super ones in your shots.
ReplyDeleteDiane, those are exactly the reasons why I've never bothered growing them in my own garden. The role of caretaker of the Rose garden at school was thrust upon me when my team and I moved into the one of the old library rooms. I am learning though, very slowly. I haven't been convinced to rush out and get some Roses for my garden at home though.
Deleteyour roses are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteGumamela
Thanking you, Luna.
DeleteBernie these roses are amazing. My knockouts are blooming again in this drought which is amazing but yours far out shine mine.
ReplyDeleteWell I think it's wonderful that your Roses are blooming through the drought period. It sounds to me like the Knockouts are well worth the effort.
Deletebeautiful roses every one...
ReplyDeleteYes they're looking quite lovely at the moment, Carole. Thanks for dropping by.
DeleteHi Bernie...aren't you lucky to be close to this pretty spot? I don't grow roses either. Its just too much shade and clay soil at my house. I think sometimes white flowers have the sweetest smell....and they sure do brighten a dark corner. Hope you are feeling much better!
ReplyDeleteMuch, much better now, thanks Jean. I do rather like having the Roses outside our room, especially when they're looking healthy and flowering beautifully. It's not such a treat when they're riddled with black spot after a wet season though. That can be an eyesore! White just looks fabulous in any garden, doesn't it?
DeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteThese roses are beautiful and look like they are doing quite nicely. You seem to be keeping black spot at bay. The white rose is gorgeous and looks almost like a gardenia. I love the yellow rose with the the reddish edge. I think the school is lucky to have you taking care of them. I feel so sorry for both the wallabies and Albert. It is so hard to keep animals from doing what comes naturally. I hope there is a good resolution for both.
Yael, I'm working hard at keeping the black spot at bay. I've done a better job so far this year than the previous ones, but it's an on-going issue. I don't think I'll ever really get on top of it here in the tropics. The wet season conditions will beat me every time!
DeleteI dont' what the solution is to the Albert/wallaby problem. He's obviously just trying to protect his new home, but the wallabies are so used to grazing on the grass here. We'll see how it all plays out in the next few weeks, before we finally make the decision to keep Albert or not. It will be hard to take him to the pound though, I have to admit!
Amazing roses, Bernie , they are all so beautiful and it takes some dedication to grow them in your climate, what a treat to see them
ReplyDeleteThanks Klaraau! It's not an easy job getting them to look happy and healthy, but I wouldn't like to abandon the job to the groundsman. I don't think his heart is really in it! The parents and the students really appreciate the display, and it would be a shame not to try and do the best job possible.
DeleteWhat a pretty rose garden! I adore roses and although I live in a country where roses thrive all year round, we do have our share of trouble with pests and diseases and have to keep on top of it. I do wonder what your delicate pink roses are, they look wonderful. Pitty you don't have any labels, I bet you also would have liked to know their names :-) You must have your hands full, doing your own garden and this garden too!
ReplyDeleteHi there! I'm visiting from Tina's! Your roses are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing. These have made my weekend ☺
ReplyDeleteGorgeous roses, Bernie! I love roses!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful roses.
ReplyDeleteWhite Bulb
Stunning rose pictures!!
ReplyDelete"A garden of roses is a fragrant piece of heaven.
A garden without roses is a sorry thing."
- Matthew A. R. Bassity
That's how I feel, my roses are devoured by the Japanese Beetle.
This beetle is a serious threat in North America.
They're all gorgeous, it's impossible to choose a favorite.
ReplyDelete[Amazing pictures! I wish I would have them on my portal]
ReplyDelete"Splendid arrangement ! Can you tell me a little more about the foliage which you used ?"
ReplyDelete