The combination of last week’s very hot weather followed by serious rain meant that this weekend the roses started popping out, about a week or so earlier than usual. In the past I have been a negligent rosarian (t is a word) but this summer I’m determined to do better: as you can see below, some of my roses are being attacked by some little pest, whether it’s an insect or a mildewy disease I do not know–but I am determined to find out and root it out! Though I love red in general and red roses in particular, I don’t like that color in my garden: it’s too dramatic. I like everything in the garden to be kind of faded and mixed together, and red doesn’t mix well. So I prefer yellow roses above all, even though Kate Greenaway (my source for all things Victorian) tells me that yellow roses mean “a decrease of love, jealousy” in her Language of Flowers. Surprising symbolism for such a warm and sunny color! For some reason, I also have a bright orange rose bush, which I don’t particularly care for but as it’s such a vigorous climber–and completely resistant to any pest– I would never tear it out. And if the roses are blooming in New England the lady’s mantle is too–this year it looks particularly abundant.
Yellow (and pink and orange) roses in my garden interspersed with Mr. Darcy on the deck, “Roses” wallpaper by William Morris (1877) and “Briar” wallpaper by C.F.A. Voysey (1901), Victoria & Albert Museum London.
June 10th, 2013 at 9:15 am
So pretty!!
June 10th, 2013 at 9:21 am
You forgot to mention pink roses, and the cat! Very nice post!
June 10th, 2013 at 11:41 am
Cambridge must run ahead of Salem by a week or two, as I was seeing roses the week before last in our neighborhood. Though they didn’t come out in our own yard until last week, we not being great gardeners, and there not being much sun in the yard.
June 10th, 2013 at 11:48 am
Well, I’m probably a bit behind the rest of Salem as I have the high huge brick wall of Hamilton Hall sheltering my yard–but also blocking the sun for several key hours during the day.