The First Rose 2012
It’s always been a kind of happening for me waiting to see which would be the first rose of the year, so I’ve been wandering around the garden lately, scanning for fat flower buds that could burst into a rose at any moment now. The chinese roses were playing catch up but I would have bet all my weeds on Zéphirine Drouhin: she has a bud which has been showing a little strip of crimson petal for at least one week. But yesterday I got home and despite the light rain I took a tour of the garden and what do I find? Rosa chinensis Sanguinea with some flowers opened. Such a surprise! The poor has been ruined by the rain but she deserved a little ovation anyway, didn’t she?
Rosa chinensis Sanguinea
AltroVerde 
Beautiful, amazing to have roses this early, none of ours are this far on yet. The rain hasn’t spoiled it, it has decorated it with diamonds!
That is really a good point of view I should learn more! 🙂 We are going toward the end of april, it’s quite normal to see some roses now, what’s not so normal is having this cold weather! Totally different from March!
I don’t remember ever seeing rain in your images before Alberto. Or anyway it’s rare. Very pretty on the rose even it it’s hard on them. My first roses typically come in late May with the majority in June. We can get lots of rain until July. But this year who knows how it will be?
You are quite right, we have been experiencing a weather anomaly in 2011 with almost the annual rainfall in the month of march and then we had virtually no rain for a year. It seems a very important anticyclone has been stuck for a year in the same place but I should ask more infos to Ale, he’s the weatherman at home (and he tries to explain something to me, I nod but it’s like maths: I just don’t get the point).
As for your roses maybe you should try something else that would extend the flowering period, like chinese (bengals) roses and I strongly suggest to look out for some moschata hybrids. I love bourbons (roses …and yeah whiskey too), gallicas, species of some kind, centifolias but they all flower in may for a few weeks and if it rains: bye bye roses!
The Chinese always win! My mutabilis has been in flower for a couple of weeks and now has masses of flowers. One I didn’t spot for bloom day was a Chinese pink one that I keep forgeting the name of. Also the yellow Banksia rose has been flowering for about a week. I agree witht eh others your rose hasn’t been ruined by the rain.
I have a banksia Purezza which is covered in buds, it’s supposed to bloom quite soon and it will be a real show I think. It comes as a cutting from my previous garden but I gave it the space it needs here, sp it’s a really nice rose already.
Oh, definitely she needs some applause! The first rose of the season is always special. After those drops dry, I bet she will open up and reveal her pretty face.
So you won’t fire my chinese rose, right? I tell you something: I told my plants about you Donald post and now they are behaving. I think they felt threatened somehow…
Hi Alberto,
It looks like your garden has finally beaten mine! Although I’ve had buds teasing me for a few weeks or so now, none have yet taken that leap and opened! I keep thinking Harlow Carr will bloom soon, but nup; nada.
I hope the rain has stopped for you; today we finally had a clear day. Although no doubt it’ll be back to rain tomorrow so I took some quick snaps this evening.
Just wish this weather system would shift, we’re clearly under something different than normal as the rain continues to hit my front windows which it almost never does! Think that’s what’s causing the nasty weather; it’s blowing in from a different direction.
It’s odd as sunday I was out in the garden (I have a queue of pots to put in the ground and it never stops raining…) and I’ve seen a black storm moving from north. I thought: I stay here, a north coming storm is not going to hit me but I had to run inside after a while!
looking forward to see your Harlow Carr in flower!
Congratulations on the first rose — she’s stunning even in the rain. There aren’t any roses here, yet. We’re enjoying a long spring.
kevin I’m sorry your comment went in the spam folder! Thanks for your comment! Enjoy your fresh long spring, it is quite slow here as well this year…
I have three in bloom, but never know which one was first: Mme Pierre Oger, Sanguinea, Old Blush. Mutabilis invariably straggles behind!
I have Old Blush but it’s not ‘old’ at all as I planted it last winter, no flowers on it yet! Even though rosa banksiae Purezza won the silver medal yesterday. Now I’m waiting to see who’s third!
What a lovely rose…mine are hiding again due to the cold and snow…yes snow….I have not had any stick but it is far too cold this week…more like March!
It’s rather chilly around here too, even though snow just fell in the Alps. No wonder you are ill with this crazy weather!!!
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