Always, without fail it's Therese Bugnet. She bursts into bloom all at once. Coming in second this year is Morden Blush. Morden Sunrise is in no hurry, slowly opening her buds one by one.

Your buds are ready to burst. An exciting time of year for rose gardeners.

Those buds are lovely, I am just amazed by the color on Munstead Wood!

I am betting that Apricot Twist will be my first one open again this year, but all the others are pretty close behind.

Mine was Munstead Wood

followed by Summer Romance and then Molineux.

Still waiting on Gold Blush. LOL! Kali, where do you live again? You can add your zone and location to your name as I'm sorry to keep asking. I know the info appears in GW.

Therese Bugnet and Above and Beyond are blooming right now, they are the 2 early birds in my garden.

Basically, once Colette and Morden Sunrise started to bloom, it was a rose free for all with almost all of the rest of them taking the blooming plunge together, though there were laggards. They are all blooming away now, in spite of dreadful weather and wind. Diane

Always exciting to have your first bloom! Mine were a long time ago, my iPhone registers them on April 6. Lemon Spice , Twilight Zone , Fragrant Cloud (Three way tie).

Hah none of mine are out yet but are showing buds. This is the drift rose I got today cheated with it as it was already in bloom when I bought it

Karen, that's not cheating--it's an early gift from the rose. I love the drift roses and grow lots of Apricot Drift. Your new one is lovely. Is it Popcorn Drift, or do I have the name wrong? Diane

Seil: you hit a home run with that Bull’s Eye.

How does it do for you as the season progresses? I was under the impression that roses with that heritage fare poorly from black spot. Do I remember correctly that you don’t use anti- fungals? I’m also presuming your area has black spot.

I think it has to be Diane as there is no other drift rose that does this. Goes yellow to start then white. But the ones I had in the past were smaller and there was a coral drift, popcorn one and apricot one. They were doing great in the garden out the front then somebody without my permission up and moved them to put other flowers in where they were and the poor things all died on me. Had them for 3 years. The apricot one survived the winter but then these gardeners the region hired that didn't know a rose from a blade of grass took out the last drift one and the lady's mini hydrangea that was given to her by her daughter. She was so mad as for years they never even touched that section of the garden as I ended up pulling out the weeds and in return she would water my roses along with her plant. Yet they never even touched the one that had a gazillion weeds in it and grass up to one's knees. I bought another one and put it in the same place but it was having issues moved it to the back in that garden but it never recovered and died on me. Soooo I am trying it again. Gets full sun so should be happy. I just bought this one today. I never had black spot on any of mine. Had issues with the sawfly larvae. That is enough of headache.

rifis, yes, believe me, Michigan is a black spot pressure zone, lol! Tons of it. And, no, I do not spray. Anything I put on the roses goes in the ground and ends up in the lake. That's a no no! But, Bull's Eye is almost spotless all season. If it does get some it's usually only at the very bottom and does not go up the bush much. It has never defoliated like some I could name. Quietness is next to it and is nekkid half the year. It's also proved to be very vigorous and winter hardy. I think that there is a misconception that the hulthemia background makes these roses delicate and fussy. I have found that to be anything but true!

This year my first blooming rose was The Prince. Second, was Morden Blush.

Most of mine are not blooming and are far behind what is usual, despite the mild winter. Temps remained cool throughout much of May. The roses started taking off a bit, a week ago when temps got up to the 80s.

Love bloomed for me a couple of days back. It's a brand new plant that has set only the one bud so far.

Mine were Olivia Austin and the pink knockout. Earlier than the rest by about 3 weeks!! (All my DA ones tend to flower earlier than others in our climate)

Winnipeg Parks tromped my other roses for first bloom and then followed it up with a giant flush.

I am in awe of this rose. We had 70+ mph wind driven hail which flattened two of her long canes. We propped them up and they did not wilt but kept blooming.

Golden Wings was the second blooms and has been dribbling the blooms out since. No proper flush. Still not impressed with this rose, although it seems hardy. It just doesn't do anything for me.

3rd was Calico Gal with some beautiful blooms for her 1 yr old size. She is slated to be a favorite if she continues with her blooms. They have lasted an amazing time on the bush, through several big windstorms and even held out against the wind driven hail.

Isidingo

Thanks, seil. Was Bull’s Eye mail order? If so, from where? How is it on repeat? Bloom duration on the bush? Fragrance?

I like Bull's Eye also. Very pretty!

Morden's Blush is spectacular also. Thanks for the full bush picture. I had never seen one.

.

The 1st is always Mutabilis. Shoot on 4/19.

The 2nd is Mme Alfred Carrière'. Shoot on 4/26.

This is a big surprise because I just got her last year in a 4" band and never thought I could have her blooming so soon. Due to our damp cloudy spring, there is a lovely pink edge on it.

The 3rd is Maggie. Shoot on 4/29.

I've never known how vigorous a rose can be. She arrived in November last year sitting in a band, and I put her in a 1G container. In March I had to repot her again because the roots had already grown full of the 1G and no water could be kept in that pot. My favorite.

Buff Beauty, Sombrueil, Lady of Shalott are always first. Alchymist is also early. Awakening always starts after Alchymist. Alnwick and Pretty Jessica are always last. Everyone else is in between.

R. primula has been first for several years now. Before that, it was R. hugonis. They usually start around May 1st. Then comes the spinossisimas, after that, the rugosas, followed by the Explorers. The main season roses are starting now. Last will be R. setigera in July.

I hope you continue with your posts on the individual species, mad. Another post jogged my memory that those I mentioned prior were not the first roses, just the first in my main beds, although MW was in the running. The first by a long shot was Setina, followed by Cl. Pinky. Both had extremely long flushes that thrilled me as it was their first true flush. I love them both, but Setina is extremely special with her small perfect blooms. She was tip hardy with our warmer winter, so we'll see in the future, but neither she nor Cl. Pinkie were a bit bothered by the later freezes after leafing out.

Setina at the end of April and starting her flush early May. Unfortunately I didn't get a good shot of her full flush. Love this Rose. Please click to see full View and detail.

Look at all those buds!

Climbing Pinkie had her first bloom last week of April. She was looking a bit the worse for wear the last week of May. Again I missed her Perfect full flush due to rain.

My first roses this year were rugosas,

Yankee Lady

and Blanc Double de Coubert

They were followed by Zephirine Drouhin which is having a good year.

I have a few Knockouts blooming now and a Carefree Delight and I'm waiting for the Cape Cod Rambler 'Excelsa' which should bloom around the Fourth of July, and the native Carolina Rose which sneaks in everywhere.

Claire

Love seeing everyone's photos! I have a ton more opening up now

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