Let me be the first to say how enchanting your backyard is. I also like the trellis work in the background. It adds even more formality to your lovely beds and borders. Your hard work and eye for detail has really paid off. Just out of curiosity, what type of grass do you all grow? Some type of Fescue perhaps?

Maryl

I'd hardly call it a lawn. Essentially a mix of kikuyu,bermuda and plenty of weeds!! I have tall fescue out the front of the house. Looks o.k. at the moment because of some recent rain but by January will be looking pretty dry and brown. With our very severe water restrictions the watering of lawns is totally prohibited.

Brenton

WOW!!!! Your gardens is just beautiful.What a work of art you have.The roses looks great and so healthy looking.Love them standards.

Jean

It's a beautiful garden and I believe I have rose envy. Or, better yet, spring envy. My fantasy, if I was very wealthy, is to spend a whole year in spring, following it around the country and the world. It is the best time of year, imho. Love the spring roses the best. Thanks for posting.
Kathy

Kathy and Jean
Thank you for your comments. I'm really showing my age by using the term 'snaps'.It was in common usage in Oz in the 1950's and 60's !!
My biggest disappointment this season has been the damage done by thrips to eapecially the white and pink roses. Most have barely produced a recognisable bloom. Usually the 5 Eden climbers on the 40 foot trellis are a picture.
I found one bloom to photograph and even this has damage to the outer petals

Eden (Pierre de Ronsard) with Radio times in the backround

Part of the trellis taken in Spring last year

What a gorgeous garden you have!! I love the hedge borders! And that EDEN!! Wow!! I know what you mean about the thrips. This yr was the worst I've ever had them, and I don't spray. If they're this bad next yr, tho, I might just finally start spraying again!! (Yuck)

Thanks for the answer about the lawn. In Oklahoma we also have mostly Bermuda. What a pain keeping it out of the beds/borders. What nice pictures of your Edens/Radio Times. I think Thrips must be a universal affliction. They were almost unbearable for us here in 2005 and 2006, but for some reason back to their normal "just annoying" levels this year. Always interesting to hear what's going on in different countries.

Brenton,

Simply gorgeous rose garden !! Love the multitude of roses. For how long into Fall do you continue to see it in bloom.....I hope i can get my small patch in the back yard to come close to a fraction of yours (someday!).

Interested in growing a hedge and i could do with some advice. Being completely new to this part of the world I have yet to find out a small size shrub that i can use for 10"-12" ht hedge....

Monisha

Beautiful Austin's. I really like your layout with the small hedge.

Carla

A beautifully planned rose garden...sorta looks like the DA show gardens! Thanks for showing it to us.

Uhmm! I just came across something strange. I was looking in the gardens section at helpmefind.com/roses and I came across YOUR pic of eden on the trellis from last spring!!!! It's posted by "A Capitol Hill rose garden". Maybe that's a friend of yours that you shared your photo with and they mistakenly posted it along with their garden photos?????

Here is a link that might be useful: A Capitol Hill rose garden

An interesting observation!! Cannot give an explanation suffice to say that I checked my Photobucket album and the photograph was taken last year in my garden. Took it especially because my five Pierre de Ronsard (Eden) climbers had done nothing for three years and suddenly took off in their fourth season.

Brenton

Monisha

I've found English Box (Buxus sempivirens) to make an excellent hedging plant. It grows relatively quickly yet does not require constant trimming. The secret I found to getting a Box hedge established quickly is to ensure the plants are planted close together (say 7 - 8 inches) More expensive initially but the extra cost is worth it IMHO.
I guess it would grow O.K.. in zone 7.

Brenton

Just lovely! I too like the boxwood. Great Eden too! Mine had one good bloom last year ( its second year)..the rest were ruined by thrips. I hope mine will also come into its own.
Linda

What a delightful surprise today------

It is cold and dreary here today and then I opened this post to find this lovely garden---

Your roses are gorgeous and your garden is well-planed and shows a lot of love.

I lost my Eden a few years ago and your picture made me want to order another one---

Thanks for these wonderful pictures.

Florence-

Thanks for the inputs, Brenton. Yes closely planted boxwood will help.

Boxwood would lend the evergreen actually the greeny effect while giving a neat edge. I am so looking forward to Spring '08!