June just has to be roses, doesn’t it? Though Cornwall is not known for growing roses. The damp climate reeks havoc on the leaves (black spot) and flowers (balling buds, browning petals) so roses are not that popular. Saying that I have seven of my own (three inherited), two from my previous container garden and two new ones which are supposed to be disease resistant.

However, black spot is the most serious disease of roses. It is caused by a fungus, Diplocarpon rosae, which infects the leaves and greatly reduces plant vigour, the fungus is genetically very diverse and new strains arise rapidly. Unfortunately, this means that the resistance bred into new varieties usually fails to last because new strains of the fungus arise to overcome it. (Source: RHS)

There is something quintessentially English about a rose though. Childhood memories of picking highly scented petals and soaking them in water to produce a rather brown, but fragrant ‘rose perfume’. The beautiful jewel-like colours, the silky blooms and the myriad of scents. There is nothing quite like a rose garden. In summer. In the sun.

All these images were taken at Godolphin Gardens on 19 June 2019. 

 

Flower of the Month: June

/ Heyjude / 31 Comments

31 thoughts on “Flower of the Month: June”

  4. Roses remind me of childhood summers too. Every year we’d get a jam jar, water, a wooden clothes peg and rose petals to make our wonderful ‘perfume’. My parents had lots of roses and were very keen on them – always referring to them by their name. 🙂 ‘Whisky Mac’ is looking great this year, or ‘Handel’ needs some attention etc. 😀

  5. Ah, roses for summer, of course! My Old Roses (the really OLD heritage ones) are finishing up their May/June bloom about now, but the other older varieties will continue on throughout the summer, taking a breather now and then. Thankfully, I’ve never encountered Black Spot here in dryer Eastern Washington state, only aphids which a bunch of lady bugs from the farmers’ market took care of. The leaves get sunburned during longer heat spells, but there is nothing I can do about that, I suppose.

    Now, a comment about your “brown rose perfume” — All you have to do is soak rose petals in water? Warm or cold water? Any additives? I’d like to try this.

    • I’m not so sure you’d consider the rose perfume I made as a child actual perfume! But it was really a whole load of scented petals in a jam jar filled with cold water and left for several days 🙂

  7. There is indeed “something quintessentially English about a rose”, Jude….but alas not too many scents these days, it seems, unless you happen across some of the older varieties……wel, you would know that

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