Zinnia Mania!

A spring garden 2009

The garden is in spring bloom! This is the peak season for my roses, most of which have a mass effect now, as well as in the fall.

When I bought this Armada rose, I meant it as a backdrop to my grandmother's rose (featured next). it was very unhappy and lackluster on that side of the garden, so I pulled it out. Not one to waste plants, i stuck it on the other side of the garden so that its dark foliage could back some other specimens and bulbs I have. It is now one of the great splendors of the garden.

Now that it is happy, it creates mass-effects of bright pink roses in waves all summer. The canes are thick, creating spikes of pink behind the greenery of my winterberries and loropetalum (the purple leaves I love to photo against the green and pink of the Armada flowers).

This is really the piece da résistance of my garden, the rose bush rooted from my great-grandmother's wedding bouquet. I honestly have never discovered what kind of rose it is (I think it may be a form of Noisette), but we always call it Grandmother's Rose. We think the bush may be nearing a century old. It was in my grandmother's garden, and my mother's garden, and now it is here with me and looking beautiful.

This one pops all summer, but has a wonderful mass effect now and in the fall. And the scent is strong, sweet, and to me, home.

It creates clusters of smallish blush blossoms with wonderful pink buds. Pruning the old flowers encourages continued bloom.

Lots more on the way! Unfortunately, being a true antique rose, it is very susceptible to blackspot, and often has not a leave upon it by fall.

Tamora is one of my favorite David Austen roses, because the smell is absolutely heavenly, and fills its side of the garden. The roses aren't big, but they are packed with petals and an unusual peachy-orange color.

The Tamora buds are almost red. Unfortunately, it is a very thorny plant.

Plenty more perfume coming along! It will bloom all summer.

Heritage is a David Austen rose, just a nice pink English-style. The best part of Heritage is the fact that it is thornless.

It isn't quite out yet, but the buds look lovely.

I like how the buds go from this darker shade to the velvety pink before opening to a cool, light pink. It gives the plant some real interest.

Going to be plenty of blooms on it next week.

My climbing Blaze (Improved) is in bloom, always a great mass effect this time of year.

Everyone needs a few red roses in the garden, yes?

This will pop all summer with red, but now is the main bloom.

Blazing sky.

My Reine de Violette still looks a little delicate. The shock-purple flowers are going to look great next to the green foliage, thought.

Butterflies are welcome here. This butterfly bush was supposed to be a slightly darker purple, but I think I like this lighter shade next to the white of the mock orange.

I've punctuated the rose garden with a a few geraniums, which can take bing in the shade of the rose bushes.

A true mock orange; this is the one Mom and I bought at Biltmore. I need to thin the canes a little.

I have a snowball bush I bought when we first got here. It was supposed to smell good, but it doesn't; consequently, it is misplaced at the front of the garden bed instead of the back. I do like the flower heads, though.

The peony is looking good this year (for once)- but it is still late. Everyone else's are blooming already.

My iris I think have gotten mostly choked by mulch. I need to rake them out so they will bloom.

The boys planted lettuce and peas, and the lettuce is now up and ready! Soon we'll switch over to summer veggies!

Here come the summer veggies!