Everything looks really good in spite of being rained on. Love the pictures of the roses and the clematis look good too.

Beautiful roses after the rain...! I especially love America, and can't wait to get it for 2010....

serenasyh,

I have a real guilt complex when it comes to America. I started my garden a number of years ago because my wife was ashamed of her yard. I was on the road all day for business, had a herd of horses to tend when I got home, and something had to give. So anyway, knowing virtually nothing about gardening, I began trying to teach myself as I went along. Roses, through no fault of their own, were inserted in various places along the way that they probably didn't belong. Unfortunately, I did this to America twice. The first time I planted her on the north side of an arbor over a walkway with a Joseph's Coat on the south. The first couple of years they were stunning together.Then I had to rescue a Mexican Orange so I planted it between the arbor and a fence with what I thought was plenty of room. Yikes, the MO loved it at the expense of America. She now had two strikes :-(

I then planted another one by my pond pergola where two maturing climbers (wisteria and star jasmine)became much more enamoured with the conditions than she. Given the 3rd time charm thang, I might yet attempt to do her right, Lord knows those gorgeous blooms deserve a more proper place to display themselves.

Here's a pic early on in the experiment (like year 2 or so) and then another more current. You can probably see why I'm so guilt ridden :-(

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Awestruck!

iris gal,

Thank you , I think or should it be I really am sorry for being so bad to America ?

oooo-oooo, absolutely Gorgeous, Boxofrox....Your gardens are like heaven to us... all the beautiful landscaping, colors and detailing...to me you've got the perfect location...The Mexican Orange can always be moved, since it's already recovered it can take the move far easier than any climbing rose...And that Joseph's Coat and America together are so stunning! And Wisteria is Wisteria and will outgrow a lot of young climbing roses at first! but once your newer America has the chance to catch up, she will! I would think that Hybrid tea climbing roses take the most start up time compared to floribunda climbing roses, anyway. I bet by July your younger America will be at her full-sized, show-stopping glory ... I bet all that alfalfa tea and whatever wonderful stuff you give to your roses will really make her abundant...

I also wanted to say that I love that charming topiary you have in the foreground, and it is sooo beautifully complemented/mirrored by the pink pom-poms of flowers on the right side... Absolutely wonderful composition... such a heavenly garden!

Great looking yard!!! I trust your wife is now happy. :) And so are you!! :)

Carol

You must be so proud of your gorgeous garden. I'm sure your wife is now happy to welcome one and all to your masterpiece.

Florence

A couple of years ago my lovely bride of 36 years changed vocations so to speak and last year had the entire summer off. It tickled me to no end that she time and time again repeated "This is the best summer ever !" I often tease her by asking if she ever thought that this would be the answer to her endless question of "What are we going to do with this disgusting yard?"

At least you garden with her. I am alone in my endeavors unless hubby pulls up a chair to read and keep me company.

Clematis looks great with Darlow's Enigma! I am going to need to do that. How do you space them, and does the clem just do it's thing on it's own? Do you train your DE or let it do IT'S thing? Sorry! :o)

greenhaven,

I don't remember admitting that she gardens with me :-) She is more the enjoying side of the partnership !

The Darlow's has been a challenge because it is a bit on the wild side and wickedly thorny. I have just patiently molded it over several years. What I did with the clematis this spring was just alternate them with my makeshift rose planters that I made to raise above the drain for my gutters. I've been experimenting with misc. stuff to mute the planters and rose canes. Between the planters I am trying small nandinas and last year I under planted each rose with nasturtiums. I hated the unkept look of the nasturtiums because I am wanting to end up a bit more formal in the front. My best decision so far in that area was the Field Turf fake lawn ;-) But I do think that of all the rose choices I made on that section of fence the one that will end up the best was the White Eden and it was a sub for what I had originally intended. This is year two and in the very near future it is going to be spectacular. It is absolutely loaded with buds.