Glad I kept some roses

During the early period of my gardening, I struggled with the largish bed of white roses that had been left by the previous owner. They were all supposedly low-maintenance shrubs but they were attacked by midge (one bloom cycle per season, therefore) and died back nearly to the ground one winter. A hybrid tea in the middle was made hideous by blackspot every year, while some kind of old shrub in the back was covered in mildew.


I eventually got rid of them in favor of lilies and perennials, but I did keep a red climber and added this Abraham Darby (top), a Charlotte (another David Austin) and a Louise Odier (old, above). This is NOTHING to what a true rose freak would have and much less than many ordinary gardeners, but so far I think these are just the right amount of roses to have. Also, we have some pink ones in the alley (below). No one knows who planted them or what they are. And I have a couple roses in containers, including Blush Noisette, another nice heritage variety.


None of these roses receive any care except a digging in of rosetone (organic) once or twice a season. The alley one doesn’t even get that.

I don’t why people complain about David Austin roses; I love the two I have.