Rose Quest

I am not a grower of roses. 

Truth be known I am a little afraid of growing them. 

But then here on many of your blogs I was introduced to

 and then encouraged to grow David Austin roses.

 David Austin is a British hybridizer of roses with a USA location in Texas.

First I ordered a catalog from the Austin farm in Texas.

 Then I mulled over it for one year.

Finally I placed an order, by phone, in January of this year. 

Three bare root Princess Alexandra of Kent roses arrived at the end of February. 

I soaked them in water and placed them in a bed I had prepared with my own compost. 

The roses are shipped at the time that is appropriate for your zone.

This rose has 160 petals per bloom. 

Amazing.

Each rose bush is covered in buds and the scent is exquisite. 

My rose quest was more than worth it.

Thanks to all of you who said I could grow David Austin roses.

Now I am hatching plans for places to put more roses next year.

 It is perhaps a good and beautiful kind of madness.

linking@Wow Us Wednesday's

Olive

Amaryllis Plus

Amaryllis are now in full bloom in the flower garden. 

All the amaryllis have been forced in past Decembers. 

Then I plant them outside in the flower garden.

The bulb is planted with half of it above the topsoil.

Lynne, my friend, at Irish Garden House mailed me a bulb 

from Michigan which is now growing in the garden.

It will bloom next spring. 

I will definitely photograph the Michigan bulb when it blooms.

Oak Leaf Hydrangea and Coreopsis 

Nasturtiums, in the large planters, will be blooming soon.

 I grew them from seed. 

If you want to try growing a flower from seed nasturtiums are easy.

This part of the garden is pretty wild right now because the primroses are blooming all over the place. I like them and let them wander throughout the other plants.

I have red flowers in many planters this year. 

Red flowers reflect badly in my camera lens but I love them anyways.

What's blooming at your house?

I want to send a big thanks to Kim @ Savvy Southern Style for featuring my Porch House post yesterday on WOW. I am glad so many like the big porch in Madison.

Thanks to Pam @House of Hawthornes who emailed me about the feature whilst I was out of town antiquing in North Georgia.

happy gardening

Olive