This is Rose Princess Alexandra of Kent, the third of my four new David Austin roses to bloom. It managed to produce four lovely blooms before the deluge on Friday. I dead-headed it yesterday, and it now has some new buds showing through. The new roses have all done very well this year, must be all this rain. In previous years, new roses have struggled to produce many flowers in their first year.
This rose is named after Princess Alexandra, who is a cousin of the Queen, and a keen gardener and rose lover. Apparently, the rose has a fresh Tea fragrance that changes to the smell of lemon as the flower ages, and eventually gives off a hint of blackcurrants. I wouldn't know, because I have no sense of smell. And even if I could smell them, my flowers only got as far as the fresh Tea stage before the weather put paid to the display.
We had a glimpse, and I mean a glimpse, of sunshine the other day. Whilst I was out in the garden I stumbled across this blackbird sunning herself.
She wasn't very pleased about being disturbed. See the look on her face, but she didn't move. Well, why should she ? She was there first. So I went back inside, as did the sun.
Hi Crystal,
ReplyDeleteYou have no sense of smell....that is so sad. Of course, you could look at it another way....when they are muck spreading the fields here, I would be glad to be without my sense of smell :)
Beautiful rose.....so pretty.
I love the soft shade of pink.
It has rained on and off all day here....love your blackbird.....and love the look :)
When I first started gardening, I once spread some horse manure on the garden, on a warm sunny day. My neighbours were sat out in the garden, and were not amused. I've been a lot more careful ever since.
DeleteHi Crystal, me again,
ReplyDeleteIf your ark is finished before mine may I join you. I am very good at cleaning the decks :)
Just seen the weather forecast. I've got to have the ark ready by Friday.
DeleteA beautiful rose Princess Alexandra.
ReplyDeleteFantastically you showed her the pictures.
Thanks, Lucja
DeleteHi Crystal,
ReplyDeleteThat rose bloom looks rather massive, is it?
I have a rose here that has an enormous bloom too - almost as big as my head!! hahaha. I've no idea what its name is as it was here when we moved in. It doesn't produce many blooms many because it's strangled by other roses and a Buddleja but I will try to get in there and cut it back so hopefully next year I get more. It's a similar shade to this, but doesn't have the lovely old rose pattern of its petals - looks more like a typical hybrid tea rose.
Nice to see the BB sunbathing, no doubt they're just as desperate for sun as we are. Although, gotta be good for them as predators are less likely to be out in poor weather - I wonder if BOPs have struggled this year?!
The rose bloom was about 5 or 6in. across. According to David Austin Roses it does have unusually large flowers, but they hold up well, except in a deluge, of course.
DeleteSome BOPs might be okay, but owls must be struggling. According to Springwatch on TV, owls really suffer in rainy weather.
That is a magnificent rose. We had a cool, rainy summer in 2009. This year it is hot and dry. I don't know what a gardener can do except take each day as it comes and do with what we can.
ReplyDeleteI think I should have planted a bog garden this year.
DeleteOh I feel your rose pain. Of the 71 buds we had on our rose only 2 remain...rain put paid to them, mainly breaking their poor little necks (EEK!)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Mrs Blackbird photo xx
I've got a few more new flowers just opening on some of my roses. Seriously considering cutting them tomorrow for indoors. Another deluge here forecast for Friday.
DeleteThe rose flowers hardly have time to bloom before the rain wrecks them - what's a girl to do. Love Princess Alexandra.
ReplyDeleteThe plants look really healthy though. Shame about the flowers. Now what do we grow roses for ? Oh yes, the flowers.
DeleteThe rain does indeed help the rosebuds to develop and how annoying that it can also be the cause of destruction to the open blooms. I really do like David Austin's English roses but they don't perform very well in North East Scotland.
ReplyDeleteIf this weather becomes the norm, they won't be performing very well here either.
DeleteWhat a beautiful rose. :o) The bird does have an irritated look on her face. She looks a bit indignant, as if you were interrupting a private moment. Hopefully, your rain will ease up and the sun will be out for a while.
ReplyDeleteWe've got sunshine today and tomorrow, but then another deluge is forecast. We don't get rain showers anymore, only deluges.
DeleteBeautiful photographs, rose is fantastic. I am greeting
ReplyDeleteThanks, Zielona
DeleteRóża ma piękny kolor i śliczne jej się układają płatki w środku. Ptak ogląda kwiaty, a ty mu przeszkadzasz, oj nieładnie. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteRose has a beautiful color and beautiful her petals are arranged in the middle. Bird watching flowers, and you will be disturbed, oh nice. Yours.
What a lovely rose! I don't like the smell of tea, lemons or blackcurrants so wouldn't mind giving that fragrance a miss, it must be a pain to have no sense of smell though :-(
ReplyDeleteI sometimes see a row of Blackbirds sunbathing themselves along the edge of a sunny border in my garden...not this year though, for obvious reasons!