Roses!!

I planted roses when we moved in 5 years ago.
I picked a few old climbing roses that had strong fragrance and then some modern ones that were reliable but didn't smell so heavenly.
I finally got a bloom on my Albertine above. It grows near the door and the prickers catch our clothes and hair. The family wondered why I would grow a rose that has no blooms and plant it near the door so if we drop anything coming into the house we have to reach into a sea of prickers.
But this week Georgia ran in to tell me it had a flower!
It is gorgeous and fragrant.
Finally.




The sturdy William Baffin has grown enormous and is in full bloom now; the lack of fragrance makes me feel a bit stingy towards it, but it is beautiful.


























This is my Belle Isis that has the most plush dense blooms, like layers and layers of sweet smelling soft paper. So lovely.

I actually tinctured some of this, too. It will make a sweet tender medicine after some steeping on the windowsill.











Then the New Dawn which grows like mad and is really nice. It has a pretty scent and grows up around Rob's bathtub on the back porch.