Those are some of your most beautiful pictures ever!!!

So beautiful! I am so glad I got Boscobel. Does SoF ball at all Helen? Thanks for making us this happy with your photography and your roses!

@Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley Thank you for the sweet words 🌿💕🌿

@katyajini Thank you. My SoF are in full sun so they have enough sun to open all those petals and don’t ball. Boscobel is a great rose. It will look gorgeous in your garden. Helen

Wow, beautiful roses and dahlias, I love the petal packed look of Spirit of Freedom.

@Krista_5NY Thank you. I think SoF is perfect in every way. Helen

Helen, as always, your roses are perfectly stunning. I love the one with Boscobel and Spirit of Freedom together. My SoF is the most lavender it's ever been this year.

Do you have a designated bed for your dahlias, or did you integrate them into your rose beds? If so, how did that work out? I just tossed two big bags of dahlia rhizomes in the trash because they never got planted. I wanted to get the cutting garden up and running, but we decided to start a new rose bed elsewhere first, so I didn't have a place to plant them. Now, I wish I had just stuck them among the roses.

@flowersaremusic z5 Eastern WA Thank you. I don’t have any ground spots left, so I planted 6 of my dahlias in 15-gallon pots. I just wanted to try out Cafe au Lait and other dahlias just tagged along 😂 . Helen

Funny how extra plants always seem to do that. And, as big hearted gardeners, who are we to say no.

@flowersaremusic z5 Eastern WA You’re so right 😂. Helen

There are no bad pictures of dahlia 'Cafe au Lait'. I love it. Helen

I lOVE your dahlias!!! Wow!!! And your SoF is unbelievably colored and formed!!! I could get lost in your pictures!!! SWOON!!!

Thank you Carol for the sweet words. I saw your garden pics this year, and they are beautiful with roses and different types of flowers. I agree that Spirit of Freedom is an amazing rose. I remember admiring it from Instagram posts of a lady in Thailand who grows a lot of wedding/florist roses in her garden and thought that I would never have access to this rose. When David Austin website started selling this rose again, I couldn't believe my luck. When I grow this rose in my garden, it becomes one of my perfect roses. It makes me happy every time I look at it. Helen

Omg I almost missed your new post Helen! Funny I ordered the spirit of freedom on DA because of your photos, and I actually had been talking to my friend about the cafe au lait dahlia recently! I love that colour gradation and the perfect petals! And styling with the white milk jug! Does it changes from somewhat yellow to a beige/blush colour? She said she would give me a tuber for next year....I can't wait!

@Adelaide (Z8b Canada) I'm guessing the cream or pink blush color is based on the amount of sun a bloom gets. Some blooms start with cream color and some start with pink blush color. Helen

Helen, do you think that there is another source for Swirly Pop ? Im assuming that you got yours from For Love Of Roses

I have cafe au lait, labyrinth, and myrtle folly on my list to get. I am waiting for my dinnerplate Zoery to bud up.. its talll with leaves right now.

Helen, I always love looking at your beautiful roses!! Always so stunning!! Boscobel is on my wishlist, but I'm wondering if it might look too similar in color to my Jubilee Celebration?

And your Spirit of Freedom!! Gasp!! Is it pretty thorny? I just got a garden arch and was planning to put Bathsheba on one side and train Lichfield Angel as a climber on the other since they're both relatively low thorn and I have a very active toddler boy who loves to help out in our garden.

@Kristine LeGault 8a pnw I got Swirly Pop from For Love Of Roses when it was a trust worthy nursery. It is no longer, sad... I heard that KandMRoses starts selling Dave Bang's roses but I haven't ordered any from them.

@Tina_Dallas I heard that dahlias are as addictive as roses so I told myself don't get too deep into dahlias because my garden is too small, lol.

@Glimmer of Hope (9b, inland SoCal) Thank you. Boscobel and Jubilee Celebration are different enough that you will want both in your garden. SoF has average thorn and has more thorn than Bathsheba. Because you have an active toddler, maybe plant it in a spot away from kid traffic. Helen

Helen - thanks! :) And I so agree with you...SoF would make me happy every time I look at it too! :)

All I can say when I'm looking at your photos is WOW! Your flowers are gorgeous! I love all your roses and dahlias, but "Cisco" and "Swirly Pop" are truly exceptional!

damask_rose_zone9b Thank you. I'm so glad my first try at dahlias working out pretty good thanks to all the online helps/instructions, lol. Helen

Helen, I placed my preorder of dahlias from Eden Brothers.. my new addiction! Cafe au lait, Labrynth, and Breakout

@Tina_Dallas They all look beautiful. Dahlias are as dangerous as roses especially for those who have small gardens (me), lol. Helen