Signs of life in the East Garden, among roses exposed to morning sun only and/or hastily protected by temporary shade cover..

Kaffe Fasset:

Flamenco Rosita, mooted for replacement many times but still here by sheer laziness:

Munstead Wood:

And just spotted, a small (3”) but perfect Abraham Darby lurking at the back of the bush:

Hi @sylviaww 10a, hot dry inland Socal, there are ten roses in Delbard’s ‘Painters‘ series. Here’a link for info on them all, including ‘Rose des Cisterciens’. It is supposed to have a strong fragrance, but as usual, ’opinions vary’ - so I‘m also interested to hear what Peter thinks..

https://www.georgesdelbard.com/store/catalogue/rosiers/collections-georges-delbard/roses-de-peintres

I knew all about RdC, but Grimaldi is one I’d never heard of before.

Hi @NollieSpainZ9 & @sylviaww 10a, hot dry inland Socal,

I've only had Rose des Cisterciens for a short time, but the fragrance has already made an impression. To my nose it's medium-strong, with distinct lemon sherbet and grapefruit notes. What really stands out are the high-hatted citrus top notes—those bright, euphoric first impressions that leap from the bloom before settling. It's fresh, sparkling and wonderfully uplifting rather than heavy or old-rose in character.

I'll be interested to see how the fragrance develops as the plant matures, but on first impressions I'd certainly say the scent is one of its strengths.

Peter, that's interesting anout RoftheC. I thought I knew all the Delbard roses--I have Camille Pissaro, which is a delight. Maybe ROTC isnt sold in the US? I hope that's not the case.

i just looked up ROTC on HelpMeFind. Excellent photos and ratings, but no main page.? More research necessary.

I love a citrus fragrance, Peter. My favourite is another Delbard rose ’Souvenir de Marcel Proust’.

Good news here, we had some proper rain yesterday evening, recent temperatures remained in the mid to high 30’s, not rising to the threatened 42-45c. More rain is promised next week, although given the erratic and highly inaccurate nature of the local forecasts I’m not banking on that. Still, I was optimistic enough to deadhead the roses and even give them a light liquid feed this morning.

Mary Ann

@NollieSpainZ9

Souvenir de Marcel Proust is one I don’t know, Nollie, so I shall have to look that one up — particularly if it has a good citrus fragrance. I seem to be developing rather a weakness for citrus-scented roses!

I’m very glad you finally got some proper rain, and that the threatened 42–45C didn’t materialise. I can’t quite imagine regarding temperatures in the high 30s as a lucky escape! Hopefully the forecast rain next week actually turns up. Deadheading and feeding sounds positively optimistic — your roses may think autumn has arrived early. 😄

I wish we had some of your rain Peter, officially in drought here, hot and sunny day after day. No rain for 10 weeks and none on the horizon.. I'd like to go back to the oft stated ''it's always raining in England'' mode..

Little watering here, just the odd can or two.. surprised my Lythrum hasn't died off completely as I was told it was a moisture lover.. we soldier on..

'Bring Me Sunshine'.. at the top, it does flower all the way down..

Clematis 'Star of India'..

Lythrum with 'Sir David Beckham'.. a rose in constant production..

.. and quite beautiful blooms..

' Bathsheba'.. amazing rose, disease free, strongly scented, and another nearly always in flower..

Allium 'Millennium'..

@Marlorena, I think your ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ has taken its name rather too literally.

Yes Peter, somewhat passé this summer..

For their next introduction, perhaps they'd like to call it ''Make It Rain''..

I spotted this lovely, but very tiny moth today, bearly 10mm across. I've never seen one before, so a bit of googling revealed it to be a Mint Moth., which feeds on mint obviously, but also on Thyme, Marjoram, and a few other herbs. Somehow, and it's incredible to think how, they have detected my newly planted window box of herbs and have been feasting on the Thyme. It's moments like that, you can't help marvel at nature and the means they have of detecting food sources.

Thanks Peter, I have my doubts we will get more rain this week, but finger’s crossed we do. The high 30’s are normal for July here. Hitting those heights combined with prolonged drought and hot winds as early as mid May, not so much!

Delbard do have some very strongly citrus-fragranced roses, but most come with major drawbacks. Marcel, for example, is a reluctant bloomer for me, but compensates with stupendous form, colour and citronella fragrance when it does deign to bloom. Cooldoc got it recently, so his experience will probably be more pertinent.

I am seriously regretting not trying BMS, Marlorena, although yellow Austins rarely do well here. Molineux did get some early black spot, but no better or worse than others, so there is reason to hope there..

Noblesse is beginning to reemerge after a period of absence. the colour is a kind of warm deep pink, somewhere in between these two, taken in sun and shade respectively:

Nollie, I much prefer 'Bathsheba' to 'BMS' for my soil conditions which BMS seems to hate. It gets rust, chlorosis and other leaf issues, the foliage is simply terrible. I don't know anyone else who has this problem and of course they market it as a healthier variety - not in my case. I'm surprised it flowers so well, that is unaffected, but it's not a good foliage plant here. I wouldn't keep it but it affords a bit of privacy being so tall.

Bathsheba on the other hand is unaffected by anything much, except a few sawflies. It seems to enjoy the hot and dry of this summer in particular. It's had no water whatsoever for 10 weeks and is in full flush..

That is surprising and disappointing the foliage on BMS is so poor in your drier climate Marlorena. Chlorosis is a big bugbear for me too on many Austins, they seem so much more sensitive to my highly alkaline soil and well water than most others. What put me off Bathsheba is that the blooms, according to reports from others on the forum, tend to be washed out cream in hotter climates, At least that one is spectacular for you.

RAIN ! if only for 5 minutes.. I stood out in it and got soaked.. it was wonderful ! what we've been missing..

the whole landscape around here has turned buff coloured, and I've removed some plants that just can't cope..

So Nollie, I ventured out to compare roses..

'BMS' as you can see, - horrible !

..it still flowers well though.. the higher foliage is fresher and more normal looking..

'Bathsheba' on the other hand... and it was 90F again yesterday..

Great news, yes I did exactly the same, Marlorena and gave myself a soaking when we got some rain one day last week. The rest of it promised for this week has typically failed to materialise so far, so hasn’t made a lot of difference in the garden. Yes, your BMS foliage does look rather stressed! Most of mine look like that too, with the exception of some of the modern European roses with thick, leathery leaves - they seem to withstand disease, insect attack, heat and drought much better.

Comtesse de Liger-Belair was one of six very late bare root purchases, the other five haven’t done very much yet. This one, however, has given me two modest flushes and is just starting another. It has very clean, non-crispy foliage and heat resistant, fragrant blooms so I am upgrading my initial assesment from cautiously optimistic to optimistic that it will prove a winner:

Bathsheba is looking very nice Marlorena I've never really took notice of this rose before.

I removed Iceburg the other day think it must have has 2or3 leaves left on it , I couldn't throw it away cause I am soft so planted it on the garage site . I've planted a replacement Wisteria in that spot Multijuga seen as the other one had appeared to die but now is trying to grow again now , I've lost trust in it now and suspect it will fail totally soon so I'll be replacing it with another rose .

THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE ROYAL PECULIAR

Some of you may be surprised to learn that Beech Cottage contains a Royal Peculiar. It stands in Pogle's Wood. Others won't.

I should probably explain at this point that Pogle's Wood is what I call an area of the front garden beneath a very large and very old yew tree. Those of you of a certain vintage may now be thinking, “Wait — Pogles' Wood? The children's television programme?”

Yes.

Anyway, Pogle's Wood has never appeared here before because, rather inconveniently for a rose forum, it contains no roses whatsoever.

BEFORE

The great yew at its centre has been badly treated at some point in its past. Somebody had hacked at it rather than properly pruning it, and we discovered today that they had even left a considerable quantity of the cut branches lodged up in the crown — approximately the equivalent of a Victorian dining-room suite.

The result was an immensely dense canopy which blocked out light and made the space beneath atmospheric, certainly, but also rather oppressive.

Today, therefore, we welcomed Steve the Semi-Gibbon.

Steve is actually Steven, the tree surgeon, but anyone who can move around the crown of an old yew with quite that degree of casual confidence forfeits the right to an ordinary name.

The brief was deliberately conservative. We were not trying to reshape the tree or produce some ghastly manicured specimen. We wanted to remove what plainly needed removing, thin the crown, lift it where appropriate, reveal some of the wonderful old structure within it — and then stop.

If further work is ever required, it will be done on evidence, not because we have decided in advance that there must be a second instalment.

And Steve understood that perfectly.

AFTER

What he has achieved is rather extraordinary.

The crown has been both thinned and lifted, but the yew still looks entirely like itself. From outside, it remains a great dark presence in the garden.

Get underneath it, however, and suddenly you can see the extraordinary architecture of the thing: huge limbs dividing and twisting upwards like the roof timbers of some ancient building.

More importantly, light now comes through and beneath the canopy.

I went back out after Steve had gone and simply stood underneath it for a while.

The atmosphere has completely changed.

It is still enclosed. Still ancient. Still slightly mysterious.

But it no longer feels oppressive.

It feels quiet and peaceful.

That was exactly what I had hoped for but couldn't quite articulate beforehand.

When Steve finished, his instruction was equally simple:

“That's it. Now live with it for a year and get back to me if it needs anything else.”

Which was precisely our plan.

We now watch.

Unfortunately, events then took an ecclesiastical turn.

I had already christened the yew the Royal Peculiar, because its great spreading limbs have always reminded me of some slightly eccentric ancient church complete with a Bishop of uncertain jurisdiction.

But only after today's work did we discover that 6 August is the Feast of the Transfiguration.

So, on the Feast of the Transfiguration, Steve ascended into the Royal Peculiar, opened the canopy to the light and revealed what had always been there but could not properly be seen.

This was unfortunate.

Because Steve has now been canonised.

He is henceforth St Steve the Semi-Gibbon, Patron Saint of Ancient Yews and Knowing When to Put the Saw Down.

The biblical Transfiguration, I am reliably informed, was witnessed by Peter, James and John.

Today's was witnessed by Peter, Bob and Agatha.

Close enough.

There is also apparently a voice from a bright cloud saying, “Listen to him.”

Which is awkward, because St Steve has already said:

“Live with it for a year.”

So I suppose I shall have to.

Pogle's Wood itself can now be redesigned around the tree rather than in spite of it. My original plan included a Cornus, but I no longer think it needs one. The yew now provides so much visible structure that another woody plant would simply be competing with it.

The Actaea stays, however. There will be ferns, woodland plants and great pools of hostas — including some existing tenants who will merely be receiving upgraded accommodation. There will also be Doll's Eyes (Actaea pachypoda) and, because serenity must never be allowed to become complacency, a slightly deranged little Hedera helix 'Erecta' that looks startled.

The intention is becoming quite clear:

From a distance, serene.
Close up, bonkers.

A flattened woodland bank beneath an ancient yew.

There is already a branch which would make an excellent perch for a Cheshire Cat, and I see no reason why the occasional imaginary grotesque shouldn't be permitted.

So there we are.

The Rose Forum has finally been introduced to Pogle's Wood.

There still aren't any roses in it.

Golly. 😇

Finn approves and would like to perch is your beautiful tree. Thank you for a fascinating story, Peter. How old do you think the yew is? Diane

Finn would be extremely welcome, Diane — in fact, I mentioned in the post that one of the branches looked as though it required a Cheshire Cat, so his timing is impeccable! 😂

St Steve estimated the yew at around 200 years old. Obviously that's only an estimate, but given that he spent several hours actually clambering around inside it and examining its structure, I'm inclined to accept his judgement! which makes it contemporaneous with the house.

Which means it may have been standing there since somewhere around the 1820s. Rather humbling when you think about it.

I love this story, Peter!

A fine tale and a fine job your tree surgeon did there, Peter.

Well, against all expectations we DID get rain toward the end of last week, two decent afternoon downpours that nearly filled all the water butts! I’ve now used it all up and the heat is back, but for a short interval it was wonderfully refreshing for all concerned.

Noblesse, sadly fried now:

Oh and I’m happy to report that, to add to it’s other attributes such as healthy foliage, strong fragrance, decent repeat for such a young rose and heat resistence, Comtesse de Liger-Belair passed the rain test! No sign of balling.

Thank you, Nollie! I’m so pleased you enjoyed it — and yes, Steve did a wonderful job. I think the old yew is rather pleased with himself now!

And hurrah for the rain! Two decent downpours must have felt positively biblical by now. Poor Noblesse, though — the heat really has had the last word there. Comtesse de Liger-Belair passing the rain test without balling is very impressive indeed. She sounds more and more like a thoroughly good rose.

Well it wasn’t looking very promising earlier, as clouds gathered..

..but they cleared just in time for us to observe a partial solar eclipse from the highest point of our land. We are too far north and east, so didn’t expect to see much, but around a third of the sun was obscured before it sank below the tree line. Anyone else see it better?

We have had a couple more showers, but the heat is unfortunately having the last word with many roses valiantly attempting to bloom, Peter.

The foliage of Lady Emma Hamilton is ironically looking the healthiest I have ever seen it due to earlier dry heat rather than the typical tropical humidity (now creeping back) that we experience here - no sign of the cercospora or black spot it is usually plagued with. However, the small, feeble blooms are not even lasting a day. The same bloom at 11am and 6pm today:

Others this morning..

Mary Ann, smaller but perfectly formed, subsequently got a little fried around the edges, but acceptable for 37c:

Avalanche Abricot, again, smaller blooms, but no frying:

Versigny continues to be my standout rose, no reduction in bloom size or petal count and no frying whatsoever:

A couple more valiant strivers today..

Marie Pavié:

Ladurée:

The wisteria behind is loving the heat, it’s been blooming on and off all spring/summer.

Hi all, I have not posted for the last few weeks as my roses are languishing in the recurrent heatwaves. Moreover, with the ongoing hosepipe ban, I've been watering only with the grey water from the kitchen, which is obviously inadequate. I'm really thinking of downsizing the potted roses.

Those in the ground are faring better, though they haven't had any substantial rain for the past 8 weeks.

Here are a few photos taken today:

Red Abundance

Our Beth

Thomas a Beckett

Emma Bridgewater

Lady Emma Hamilton

I daresay that the veggies - chillies, tomatoes, cucumber, runner beans, aubergines etc. are doing okay.

Grapes are doing okay, though they are smaller than usual. Apples and pears have been dropping, most of them scorched/cooked in the hot sun. Hoping for more rains and a better growing season next year.

I love seeing the veggies and grapes! Is that Chinese eggplant? (aubergine) Or are yours Thai or Japanese? They look scrumptious.

@sylviaww 10a, hot dry inland Socal Thanks. The aubergine variety is Lilac Wand.

Yes your veg is doing great, Eustace and glad to see see some of your roses are surviving the heat. Rose potmaggedon - and hot/exposed bordermageddon - is coming soon here too. Well, as soon as the unrelenting heat eases enough for me to do so. I will be on the hunt for genuinely drought tolerant shrubs and perennials to fill the gaps.

I do have some more phoenix-like roses emerging from the ashes, however, such as William Shakespeare 2000, Just Joey, and, after a short break of a few weeks, both Chippendale and Crème Brûlée are coming back.

WS2K:

JJ:

My last picture post for this year, and I shall be away, so maybe see you again next Spring.. here or somewhere else perhaps.. my garden has been depleted with the drought and despite thunderstorms up country, very little here so far, just an odd shower.

'Forever Royal' such a wonderful rose for me, disease free, gorgeous foliage, scented flowers of clove, and blooming well without any irrigation all summer. A simply amazing floribunda, a seedling of 'International Herald Tribune' but I bet it's better than that one.

..take care and all the best for now xx

I will miss you, Marlorena. What a beautiful rose.

Hi folks...

Been off for tooooo long... well, life happened.. add the recent drought and you get a garden full of hips and no flowers.. did not bother to stress plants by pruning/ deadheading again.. And to add to the woes, no green bin collection here (due to ongoing strikes)..

I am guessing similar stories with many here.. Hope to catch up as much as possible in the coming days..

Have a good break, Marlorena, look forward to catching up with you next season. With the heat and drought it’s not been a great year for roses or, lately, participation in this thread. I do hope you and everyone else in the UK gets some much needed relief soon, perhaps even some autumn blooms to share.

Well I marked my 100th consecutive ‘heat day‘ (over 30c/86f) the day before yesterday, with a marked absence of summer rain and the vast majority of those days being in the 35c/95f to 40c/104f range - what I’m reclassifying as ’high heat days’. But last night it rained again and the temperature actually dropped below 30c, so I think (pray!) we may finally be turning a corner.

My roses think so too, with many of those with scorched leaves, desiccated canes and no blooms for months finally leafing out again and developing new buds. Avalanche Abricot has suddenly leapfrogged into the lead, always a tough and healthy cookie, it still took me by surprise by bursting into bloom over the last couple of days:

Gorgeous, Nollie. Ditto with the heat here.

Thanks Sheila, AA is a ‘good doer’! Has it been a longer and/or hotter than usual for you this year? I’m always in awe of how well you and many others grow such fantastic roses in challenging climates.

Some scattered bloomers..

William Shakespeare 2000:

An unusually underpowered Munstead Wood:

Chippendale:

Mary Ann:

Crème Brûlée:

La Bourbonnaise (aka The Startled Chicken) - I like the initial fiery colours, but the pink fade - not so much:

Firstly, @Marlorena, sorry to see you disappearing into hibernation already! Thank you for all the wonderful roses you’ve shared with us this year, and I hope the garden — and gardener — get a decent rest over winter. We shall look forward to seeing you emerge again in spring.

And @Cooldoc, lovely to see you back. It does seem that “life happened” could be the motto for quite a few of us this year!

@NollieSpainZ9, your comment about an underpowered Munstead Wood made me smile, because mine has done quite the opposite this year. Its second flush has been superb — probably the best showing I’ve ever had from it. Lots of buds still to come too.

King’s Rose has also been one of my stars this year and is still putting on a very good show.

Our weather here in NE Scotland hasn’t exactly been ideal either, although compared with what many of you have endured farther south — and certainly Nollie in Spain — we have at least had some rain throughout the summer.

My rather unscientific weather indicator has been the sweet peas. They came, flowered, looked about them and then left sharpish. Clearly they knew something.

Unfortunately, my plans for the rest of the gardening year have now been rather comprehensively kyboshed. I’ve acquired an inguinal hernia and have been told no heavy work until it is sorted. I suspect my enthusiasm with the rotavator may have been the final straw!

So all those grand autumn projects are going to have to wait. For once, the garden is probably safe from me.

Nollie, I think we have had the hottest last month ever here. Many roses are in summer dormancy as a consequence. I cannot wait for the Fall rains to start. I'm hoping the 100 Fs are over.

Same here, Sheila. I don't think we got below the 90s from the last part of June until ----well, we're still in the 90s. I'll let you know when the highs are only in the 80s. Our last rainfall was about June 23. Not a speck of rain since. Diane

Diane, I wish you grew Cressida. This is today.

I am a hopeless poster this year, life is certainly happening. I do see all your posts and appreciate every one of them, thank you.

The garden has definitely been a challenge this summer but with so much else in my life being depressing I have been determined to keep the garden a joy. Without any rain worth measuring for 3 months it's been mainly watering and more watering....

Forever Royal is indeed a good rose, in the middle here

Bathsheba and Mutabilis in there

I adore Scarborough Fair

Elina has never been better

Pots have not surprisingly suffered the most but these 2 are giving a good show, Pink Martini and Frilly cuff

The project to get another rose up onto the balcony is working. GdeF

From above

Ouch, sorry to hear about the hernia Peter! Your Munstead is a fabulous colour, not so much here, where even the reliable bloomers have been poor.

Some surprising roses, such as the usually bombproof Julia Child and Astronomia have been seriously sulking sans blooms. As for Love Song, that gave me a few early blooms, promptly defoliated into bare sticks and then just sat there looking ugly all summer - only now is it leafing out again. Barely a peep out of Gertrude Jekyll either.

Sheila and Diane, sounds as if everyone has been really suffering in excessive heat.

I’ve just seen your post @Tack UK. I’m so sorry life is tough for you right now, gardens are such a solace and I’m glad you are still managing to find joy in yours. Despite the drought conditions it’s all looking pretty lush (if you ignore the lawn!) especially Frilly Cuff, which looks a real trouper.

My pair of potted Marie Paviés have done tolerably well this year, largely because, so far, we haven’t had any severe calimas (the scorching hot winds from Africa). Some burnt foliage from the high temps, but a good first flush then always a few blooms after. Looks to be starting a proper flush again:

Thank you Nollie. Your MPs do very well for you, good little rose for a pot.

We had rain today, only 6mm but my goodness what a relief to hear the dripping into the water butts and smell the air. The roses in particularly have got very dusty/webby; probably spider mites and look so much better now. Mind you barely a hint of Blackspot anywhere which is unusual.

The only plus point of hot and dry weather, Tack, I too have had less BS this year, although it’s currently creeping back after a few bouts of rain.

A few more spots of colour appearing here and there - Versigny, Château de Vaumarcus, Souvenir de Marcel Proust, Molineux and La Bourbonnaise:

La Bourbonnaise - despite being a random ’wild card’ purchase and not really to my taste, is strangely growing on me! I’m still not convinced by the pink fade but it’s a healthy, cheerful little rose popular with pollinators. I will keep it as a pot pet for now and see how I feel about it next season..

William Shakespeare is the only one of my Austins giving me full-sized and fully fragrant blooms at the moment:

In contrast with Darcy Bussell’s pathetic efforts:

Lucky you Nollie.. Here just a few odd blooms that is spoiled by rain.. Not complaining at all after the dry and hot summer we had..

Will have to start getting the potted ones on to the ground and some culling in order..

Gruss an Teplitz- good fragrance, but black spot magnet even in early April..

Marie Dermar- Vigourous with decent scent but late bloomer and balls.. blooms at the very tip (could be a problem with the way I trained them)

Diorrescence- Only coz my specimen has gone weak.. such a promise it was in its 1st year in pot.. might change my mind later..

Felicia- big for space and a task to dead head as they dont drop clean (another one for review- might just keep it)

Monty Don has announced his retirement from Gardener’s World at the end of the current series. End of an era!

I must say, I’m feeling of a similar mind at the moment, given we are currently experiencing yet another heatwave with temps around 38c/100F. All that nascent rose regrowth is now fried. Again!

Nollie, he may be retiring from Gardeners World, but surely not from gardening, do you think? 🤔 Your gardens are so beautiful and will surely bounce back again, but I understand the feeling that many of us get after a long, brutal summer. I just spent some time yesterday looking through my photos and videos of this spring and realized it feels a bit unreal and long ago. My garden looks like a sad shadow of that now, though there is some fresh growth coming on for fall. Winter will come soon and then another spring will follow.

Rose Of The Year 2027 : Art Deco.

A Floribunda. I don’t think it has much scent if any as it’s not mentioned in the description.