When I took on the plot I decided that I wanted some roses, and after much deliberation I bought three – an Iceberg, a Pretty Lady and a Valentine Heart.
The Iceberg didn’t flower so after two years I moved it and it then did. However much to my surprise it had reverted to a dog rose, but despite that I’ve kept it.
The Pretty Lady has been brilliant as it starts flowering by the beginning of June, just in time for my rosey friend Nikki’s birthday, and keeps on blooming for months.
The Valentine Heart was a lovely rose which did well for a couple of years but then sadly succumbed to rose black spot so I had to dig it up.
Last autumn I bought a Fragrant Cloud which I planted in the square planter rather than out on the plot. It was little more than a small forked twig but has grown well and a couple of weeks ago had a handful of buds on it.
Yesterday I was pleased to see that there were a couple of blooms, which despite my poor sense of smell were, as the name implies, rather fragrant.
I’m still thinking about getting a yellow rose, perhaps Golden Showers, which I would put over an arch.
If you like scented roses then do have a look The Scented Garden – Roses which Elaine did last week, and here’s a link to all the posts that rose lover Nikki has done on rosy things.
Have a good weekend!
Flighty's plot 
Your roses look lovely flighty. I do like roses, i only have one at the moment which is in the front garden. My next door neighbour informs me it was planted by the first owner of my house , over 40 years ago. Its dark pink & repeat flowers throughout the summer. I may have to invest in some when the borders are widened in the front.
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Joanne thanks. Me too, and I think that all gardens should have at least a couple. That sounds like a good idea! xx
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Great, Flighty, and no black spot…all the local roses here are plagued with it…ruins the look and eventually the whole bush…GBHs..
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Jennifer hello, and thanks. It’s a real shame when they are affected like that. xx
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Your roses are fine and healthy,Flighty. I do have 3 in the front garden with fab blooms this year, but the leaves are always full of blackspot.
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Cath it’s a relief that they are. That must be rather annoying. xx
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I don’t have any roses but I do love yellow ones. I don’t know much about roses but I like the really simple flowered types with just a few petals on each flower. I’d love to be able to find one which would happily grow in a container.
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Jo I think that you should get one, and me too. Like you I prefer the simpler flowers. I’ll let you know if I see any whilst looking for mine. xx
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Just beautiful, Mike. My roses pale in comparison.
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Bill thanks. I guess that the local climate makes a difference. Cheers.
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I was out smelling the roses around the flats here just this morning; they looked so pretty in the (rare) sunshine. Sadly none of them had any noticeable fragrance which always spoils it for me. Your roses are very beautiful and the Iceberg dog rose will have some wonderful hips later on. Will you use these for rose hip cordial?
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Caro as I have a poor sense of smell it’s the look I go for. Thanks, I leave the dog rose hips for the birds to eat. xx
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A lovely post. I have one rose called Dioressence not a stunner but bought for sentimental reasons. The next big project for us is the back of the plot and then hopefully we can chose some more.
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Victoria thanks. I think that lots of people have a rose for sentimental reasons. Good luck with that, and with choosing which ones you want. xx
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How lovely to have those roses on your allotment. I wonder if it’s a common thing for roses to revert like that? My Shropshire Lad produces some unusual flowers more akin to a species rose later on in the season.
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Welly quite a lot of plots here have roses on them. Apparently it doesn’t happen too often thankfully. Some second flush flowers do have a tendency to be like that. xx
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Lovely roses Flighty – mine have been pretty well ruined by the rain – the blooms have rotted before they have had a chance to open – boo hoo
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Elaine thanks. It’s such a shame when that happens, sadly mine haven’t lasted long either. xx
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You’re very tolerant to keep the dog rose! Your other beauties have done well, haven’t they? I hear Fragrant Cloud is an excellent rose. And thanks for the mention! My roses are mostly taking a summer nap. It’s been rose-crisping weather out here lately.
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Nikki it’s a good looking plant, and the wildlife like it. One has, one didn’t and fingers crossed for the new one. You’re welcome. I guess that you look forward to them waking up again. It’s been just the opposite here as Elaine commented above. xx
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You were so unlucky with your Iceberg – doesn’t happen very often! Still, as you know, dog roses are lovely too and good for wildlife. It’s a slippery path buying ‘just one more’ – before you know it, you become an addict – well, I did! x
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Ellie I was but on reflection I don’t mind that much. Ha, don’t I know it as every time I browse for roses I end up with a very long want list. xx
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Zephyrine Drouhine is pictured in the post by Elaine. It had been a wonderful, thornless climber for me for years until it succumbed to rose rosette virus and had to be taken out. Is rose rosette prevalent in England too? You can’t put another rose in the same place for at least two years after the affected one[s] have been removed.
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Liz what a shame about your rose. I’m not sure but think that perhaps, as yet, it’s not. xx
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