Wonderful photos, beautiful garden, stunning setting!

I'm really intrigued by your "Westside Road Cream Tea". How old is that plant?

And I'm envious of anyone who has "Romaggi Plot Bourbon". How do you rate its performance in your garden?

Thx,
Jax

Great pics. Do those lamb's ears grow like crazy for you? I have to rip them out constantly as they want to overtake the garden. I consider them weeds now even though they look nice when immature.

Thank you so much Jax! To the best of my knowledge Westside Road Cream Tea is about two to two and a half years old at the most. It's grown like a weed since I planted it in the ground as a band and as you can see is an extremely bushy plant. It doesn't bloom continually but rather in bursts, with short pauses in between when it growns new shoots. I've had to cut it back several times to keep it confined to its area (but only lightly each time).

I've had Romaggi Plot Bourbon since October 2009 and it's been a very slow grower for me. I don't really mind since I needed a small rose for that spot, but in comparison to SdlM and its sports it hasn't bloomed nearly as much. I think it may just need time to build itself up, but it's very healthy, no mildew or anything else on this little bush.

Ingrid

Yes, peachikean, you can see them grow as you look at them. I've had them now for about three years and pull out the taller parts that want to be flowers, and of course rip out the edges where they encroach on the path or other plants. The big advantage, however, is that it's so far the only silver-leaved plant that does well in my garden. Everything else died/got gawky and/or ugly and got ripped out after a year or so. For this reason I forgive them their one fault. Beggars can't be choosers.

Ingrid

Nice pictures. I'll add in a "bush" shot just taken this morning: Carefree Beauty, a 10 year old bush, but regrown since being destroyed in a 2007 ice storm.

{{gwi:266629}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Musings blog on Carefree Beauty

Thanks for the info on WRCT and RPB, Ingrid. I've just found that RVR has BOTH of them in stock. You get a gold star for enabling . . . Congrats!

Jax, I couldn't be more delighted! I gladly accept my gold star. I looked at RPB again after posting you and I would say that this rose is now beginning to hit its stride in terms of growth and vigor. I expect big things by next year.

Professor Roush, that is one spectacular and beautiful rose. I had thought about acquiring CB and inquired about it here, and was given the impression that it might not be the best rose for very hot, dry climates. It's obviously very happy in your garden!

Ingrid

Absolutely beautiful!!!

Your garden setting is wonderful and the roses are outstanding. I really appreciate bush shots.

Thank you.

Beautiful! Interesting that your Bishop's Castle actually looks nice - mine has long thin arching canes with blooms hanging upside down on their ends... It is horribly prickly too so I am thinking of taking it out. I can't believe how different yours looks...

Masha

Those are beautiful pictures, Ingrid. The roses look so at home in your landscape.

btw, is that plant with the purple blooms in the first few pictures heliotrope? Very nice colors. Gean

Just fantastic, Ingrid!! The colors are gorgeous, and Mutabilis is magnificent. I love every photo!! Your spring is simply wonderful.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

You have a gorgeous garden, Ingrid, wear that star with pride!

Ingrid: Many thanks for posting these lovey photographs. The shot of Duchesse de Brabant and The Fawn near the bird bath is especially nice -- provokes a profound sense of quietude and contemplation, I think.

Do you recall the source of your Rosette Delizy? The coloration on your plant seems especially nice.

Ingrid,
You have such a beautiful garden! I love the way you have companion plants, with the roses as the stars of your garden. To me it makes for such an attractive garden, and yours is lovely. Beautiful, Thank you for sharing such a lovely place,
kay

roselee, thank you so much. I'm glad you like the bush shots.

Masha, that's interesting that your Bishop's Castle is so different from mine. Mine was planted in an area that was too hot, so I pruned it and transplanted it to its present spot. It took forever to get going again and I wonder if that's why it's behaving differently from yours. Mine so far has very small thorns.

Gean, I'm so glad you like the pictures. The purple plant is sea lavender, a variety of Limonium. It blooms a lot and compliments the roses quite well.

Sherry, seil, windeaux and Kay,I'm so touched and thrilled by your praise. Very few people ever see this garden since we're so isolated, and it gives me such happiness to share it with people like you who have a gardener's appreciation and love of roses and plants in general.

I'm afraid I don't remember where I got Rosette Delizy. The coloration is really due to the weather I think. It's been cool for some time and that brings out the color. In the summer I'm afraid it's much paler and not nearly as pretty.

Ingrid

Ingrid, your Bishop's Castle is amazing. Mine is like Masha's.

I love the terrain you have in your garden, and how you have planted the roses in the landscape.

Is that a rose in the background of your fourth shot- th bush completely covered with pink flowers? It's shocking.
Rernee

Wonderful! I always admire beautiful gardens like yours and I must add that I admire the gardeners who could create such breathtaking beauty!

Beatiful pictures Ingrid! Loved the westside cream tea and you have enabled me to get Rosette Delizy. I love the Fwan too.
My dutchess de brabant slowed down a bit. Started with a good spring flush but most of them were lost to Thrips. Taking time to come back.

Thank you, Renee. It's been very important to me to not have a glaring divide between the garden and the natural landscape. Do you perhaps mean the fifth picture in regard to the pink rose? That's Lavender Dream, a hybrid musk, to which Jeri enabled me. It's not much more than two years old but is a healthy and vigorous grower and will probably get much larger.

bgrose, thank you for the wonderful compliment. I don't think of myself as a very good gardener; it's been mostly trial and error, and of course the beautiful roses make me look good. I do pay a lot of attention to color combinations and I think a harmonious color scheme is at least half the battle.

ibheri, how wonderful that you've decided on Rosette Delizy. Mine has been slow to build up but it's been well worth the wait. The Fawn is a really easy rose that blooms a lot, with really healthy, shiny green leaves. My Duchesse de Brabant has quite a bit of mildew and so is not really performing that well. I hope it will do better when it becomes more mature, but its sport, Mme. Joseph Schwartz, is older and still does it every spring.

Ingrid

Ingrid, Your garden is beautiful. In my dreams, my garden looks like that. I love the mixture of plants, with roses being the centerpiece but not the only actor on the stage. I love the paths. I love how restful it looks especially with the mountains giving an amazing backdrop to the whole garden. Thanks for sharing with us.
Jeff

What a delightful visit I had today in your beautiful garden-----I love it all the mixture of textures and colors------the walks---the lovely views----it is all wonderful
I just feel that it would be wonderful to sit in your garden and breathe in that clear air---

Thanks so much
Florence

Florence and Jeff, I'm so touched by what both of you wrote. The best way I can express what I feel is to say that I truly wish you could be here to see the garden in person and to spend time here. Should you ever make your way to this area I'd be honored to have you visit.

Ingrid

Thanks for sharing your garden with us.

I don't get here very often but when I do I love to see pictures of other gardens. Yours is outstanding.

Valerie

Ingrid, The garden looks wonderful! You took such nice shots too for people wondering what these roses really look like. Thanks!