This week has been spring-bank, the half-term holidays. This is the week the roses are glorious.
It has an extra sweetness this year. I cannot visit my favourite rose garden at Sissinghurst, so I am making the most of my own garden.
Rose garden, seen from an upstairs window.
I view it from every angle, from every window, upstairs and down. Brushing my teeth, waiting for the kettle to boil, I find myself drifting over to the open window just to take it all in.
I planted these roses four winters ago, extending the bed the year after. The roses have matured and stretched out, making great hummocks of foliage and flower.
Lockdown has brought an intimacy with my immediate surroundings like I have never known. As a family we have never spent more time together. We have never taken so many walks close to home. . I have always known this garden intimately, but last summer I was starting a new job, and the summer whizzed by without me spending as much time as usual drifting amongst the flowers.
That has been remedied this year. Never have I dipped in and out of the flowerbeds so much.
Flowerbed-hopping is a sport. There are certain roses I have planted in the middle of the bed, like the Bourbon rose ‘Mme Isaac Pereire’.
This is a rose which requires inhaling several times a day.
Which means contortions and acrobatics to get myself from the edge of the bed to the middle, taking in obstacles of prickly rose, delicate penstemon, and fixed obelisk. There is a reason I practise yoga.
Once there, in the middle of the bed, I appreciate other delights. Like the herbaceous peony, ‘Nellie Shaylor’.
I am a sucker for bicoloured peonies. You might have seen my favourite, ‘White Cap’, on my instagram feed this week. ‘Nellie Shaylor’ is a very close second. The white and pink flecked pet
It is confectionary in flower form. The combination of ‘Nellie Shaylor’ peony and Roald Dahl’ rose reminds me of a rhubarb-and-custard boiled sweet. It makes my mouth water.
I feel like everything has an extra sweetness this year.
It is like the roses have realised, aThe gallica rose ‘Sissinghurst Castle’ found itself very close to being rooted out last year. Its blooms are lovely, but last year they crisped and browned within a couple of weeks. This year, it has made sure that its soft velvet blooms are canoodling delightfully. As they warm in the sun, they open their petals and release their perfume.
Next to ‘Sissinghurst Castle’ is the English rose, ‘Boscobel’. I make many visits to this rose through the day. I press my face into the soft bloom and inhale the scent of sweet dessert wine.
Life is precious, and we can’t take anything for granted.
I am consciously sitting outside to eat breakfast in the sun. I am gathering the family together so that we can all drink our morning coffee together (we have christened our seating area ‘Cafe Near-o‘). We are spending more time playing the with the dogs, lazing on the sunloungers, even filling up the paddling pool.
All outside in the sun, drinking in the sweetness.
The roses agree. Life is short and must be enjoyed.
They are putting their all into flowering, soaking up the sun, pumping out their heady perfume.
I hope you are able to soak up the sweetness this week.
Treat yourself to breakfast outside, sniffing a rose, listening to birdsong, closing your eyes and feeling the sun on your face, slurping on an ice lolly or on the ripest of fruit…
Whatever you choose, I hope that you consciously enjoy it; this moment is here for your pleasure.
The whole heady mixture.
If you would like to find out more about the rose varieties mentioned in this post, you can search for their name in the ‘search’ window below. I am always adding to my collection of posts where I review specific varieties.
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The Mindful Gardener 
Your dedicated rose bed is a wonderful thing, Ali, and here my shrub border is currently dominated by roses so perhaps I could now call this a rose bed too…! It looks as if it will be a glorious year for them and, as you say, for some there are many benefits of being in lockdown, and not just roses
It does seem to be a good year for roses, Cathy. My ‘Lady Em’ is already sending out new flower buds. She doesn’t so much have a second flush as a continuous succession.
And for fragrance too – although wind a abit of rain in the last few days have taken off quite a few petals. By the way, I have had a reply from DA which I will forward to you soonish
Your garden is just lovely! What a tonic.
Thank you. Xxx
Your garden must smell heavenly! It looks wonderful too. 🙂 Being able to spend time enjoying the garden is a silver lining to the Covid cloud.
It does smell lovely sitting next to the roses. The paving seems to have intensified the scent, almost like it reflects off it!
Your roses are just gorgeous!
Thank you Emma. Xxx
Beautiful garden.
Thank you Rupali. Xxxx
Absolutely stunning! Thanks for sharing.
It’s my pleasure.
A lovely post Ali. Your rose bed really is putting on a fantastic show this year. The weather has been perfect for them this spring. Enjoy your weekend in the garden! 😃
They do seem to have flourished in record levels of sun and no rain.
Your roses are so beautiful. Thank you for a brief respite from the worries of the world.
You are welcome, Peg.
Such a lovely post, I felt I was there too, Inhaling the scents as you described. I am also grateful for some things that have changed with lockdown, especially more family time and getting to know my own neighbourhood better 👌
That is lovely to hear, Kellie. Thank you. Xxx
More than ever, I’m so happy to have a garden escape!
Yes. Public parks and gardens are so important for those who don’t.
What bliss in your garden, Ali! Thank you for the “tour of roses.” Mine here in Washington state are just coming into their own, although the Old Roses began blooming in late May. Now that it’s June already, I’ll write about them all this week. Blessings to you all!
Thank you Jo, and to you. Xxx
Thank you so much for enhancing our lives. Your garden is balm to the soul even in photos.
Thank you Diane for your kindness. Xxxx
Such gorgeous, gorgeous roses. I love Cafe Near-O, and that picture of the dogs lazing about and that cake are wonderful. Your blog makes me happy, Ali.
It has been a joy of lockdown to go to Cafe Near-o and spend time together.