July arrived with a welcome blast of blazing hot sunshine. I am rarely thrilled to have to water pots and planters but this sustained period of bright sunlight is worth that necessary chore. From the look of things, the trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals are equally excited about the return of warm weather. I cannot remember seeing the plants in my garden take such a dramatic leap in foliage and flower production in such a short span of time. Finally, we can welcome summer to the garden.
The repeat blooming roses are at their peak now. By midsummer, the large shrubby Rosa mutabalis, known as the Butterfly Rose, is awash in multicolored blossoms. As new flowers open, older flower heads morph from rosy red to cerise pink and all the colors in between. Most repeat blooming roses have their best flush of flowers in midspring and continue sporadically through the summer months. The yellow groundcover Rosa “Sun Runner” remains continuously fresh with quarter-sized, single blooms.
If planted well and treated like royalty, the David Austin English roses will also perform throughout the summer months. Rosa “Heritage” is easily 8 feet tall with shell pink blossoms so full and weighted down with multipetaled flower heads that the branches bow in a gentle arch. This allows you to look up into those on the highest branches and to smell the rich rose scent of those at nose level. Rosa “Graham Thomas” is still my idea of the classic, yellow English rose. Its deep yellow flowers fade to pale, buttery cream.
Don’t ignore the group of roses commonly referred to as “Once Blooming.” Many of these have a spectacular flush of flowers which is followed in fall and early winter by decorative rose hips. Rosa glauca is one of my favorites and flowered early and long this year. The small, bright pink flower petals stand out against the petite, blue-gray leaves and add an interesting depth to the rose border. The glauca foliage and strong branching habit are a perfect complement to climbing clematis vines.
