Well, my project for having a pair of rose arches in the garden has good news and bad news. The bad news is that the rose, Rosa “Strawberry Hill” (Ausrimini) is dead. It was planted as a bare root, did nothing for a very long time, then managed to grow some promising new shoots, which quickly withered and now the whole thing is rapidly turning brown.

For the good news, the Rosa “Gertrude Jekyll” (Ausbord), which happens to be the very first rose that I have ever planted (from what I can remember) is now coming into flower and isn’t it gorgeous.

This is the very first bloom on the plant and it’s not fully open, yet it looks so rich and sumptuous and the fragrance is the very definition of beautiful English Rose.

At the moment, this rose is only two feet high and there is some way to go before it reaches the top of the garden arch. If I cut the flower buds, it will reach the top quicker, but after seeing this flower, I simply can’t bring myself to do it. Instead I will be patient and enjoy the flowers. I don’t care if it delays the growth by a season. With flowers like these, it’s well worth it.