The roses are making their presence felt in the garden. This is the first rose Kourosh planted, Pierre de Ronsard.
It was a complete unknown to us as unfledged gardeners but it is a very popular rose. People here often think it is an old variety because it is named after the poet Pierred de Ronsard who lived four hundred years ago and wrote the famous poem “Mignonne, allons voir si la rose”. He looks at the fragility of the rose and encourages life to be taken while it can and be enjoyed – advice that holds good today.
In fact, this rose was created by the rose grower, Louisette Meilland in the 1980’s.
Phyllis Bede was created earlier by the rose grower Bede in 1923.
Despite the small size of the flowers, this rose charms her way into the hearts of her admirers.
The rose that is in its glory now is flowering well in a shady place under trees and also on a hedge in full sun. It is the oldest hybrid of all three previous roses, being created in 1909 by the German rose grower Schmidt. Veilchenblau means blue violet in German which is a clearly descriptive name.
The rose perfumes its surroundings.
It attracts the bees to gather its pollen so I can enjoy the perfume as I take my photographs.
This rose has no name but flowers continuously from now until the winter. It has a just perceptable fragrance but it the best rose to cut and has a beautiful shape of petals.
Kourosh has taken a cutting of this rose just in case of disasters.
If the rose flowers do not have a long life the peonies have an even shorter spell of glory. Mme Emile Debatene is an elegant, feminine peony.
My red peonies have no name and owe their existance to a moment of weakness in our local supermarket. I have no idea of the name but she is a blowsy, hot bloom that needs an exotic name.
I was glad to note that the peonies share their pollen with the bees too. This bumble bee had fallen asleep on the job and I took the photograph as she looked so cute.
Her nap was shortly disturbed by a curious hoverfly who could not be satisfied by one of the other peonies that were free.
Which all goes to show that even in the countryside, inside a peony flower – you are not free from unwanted disturbance.
a french garden 
There is so much wonder and pleasure in all the parts of a garden – large or small. J.
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That’s exactly the pleasure that we find in our gardens. Amelia
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Ha! Can’t grow roses here without ten foot high fences, they are known among friends as “deer food.” However I have one that remains, from many planted years ago, that manages to bloom every year. And a “wild” native rose that flourishes until the deer smell it. Just a tad of rose envy today! 🙂
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Those deer must have tough mouths that can cope with the thorns. I get scratched and torn by roses just by weeding near them. Amelia
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I like Veilchenblau – unusual color, and sounds like the fragrance is a huge plus. I love the peach-leaf bellflowers growing against your wall, they are very short-lived here. Nice capture of the bee in the last photo.
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The perfume of Veilchenblau is a huge plus but it only flowers once, like a lot of old climbing roses. Amelia
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The German one is a lovely colour, but I do like the look of Phyllis Bede. That’s a beautiful red peony. Wouldn’t it be lovely if peonies flowered all summer?! 😃 Love the last photo. 🐝
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Peonies never last long enough and this year heavy rain took out more of them prematurely :(. Amelia
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I wish the peonies lasted a bit longer, they are here such a short time. Their foliage, however, is quite handsome. Your Ronsard looks far better than mine! Perhaps Provence is too hot for it. The blooms are always hanging down so one doesn’t get the full effect, which is a shame because they are quite beautiful. I’m also having some black spot ……
bonnie near carpentras
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Bah, roses and their problems, I think they have more than their fair share of problems. Amelia
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I am starting a few rose gardens. Your roses are stunning . I love their variegated shades and imperfect shapes. Peonies I have two. Somehow a second sneaked outside my garden fence and prefers to be roadside. Pink and blousy too.
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Roses are lovely when they are perfect but they take more care than I am willing to give them. It is Kourosh that prunes them and looks after them. Good luck with your roses, I know they are the favourite flowers of so many people and give back a lot of pleasure for their owners. Amelia
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I am lucky to have 5 established ones in the front of the Farmhouse. Looked very sad last year when we bought the place. Gave them a hard prunr and now look fab. They seem to thrive under the huge fir tree…the soil is very acid which you would think wasn’t ideal but…..
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I think plants are like bees, they do their own thing – not what you think they might do.
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We leave our main poultry garden to natures. I mow parts and sort of keep nature tidy but encouraging the wildness and the birds love it. I have a more tidy orchard area, but the other field, apart from a mowed walkway, is turned over to insects…bees, butterflies, moths and crickets. Its full of flowers, grasses. I think there must be a thousand species of plant in that hectare. I always wanted a wild space. But the rose garden is on the cards too. Today I did the old fashion washing up water re the blackfly. Works a treat.
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Sounds beautiful!
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I am like the Bumblebee and need my Power Nap these days😴
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You spotted a kindred spirit. I looks comfy, head down in a peony. Amelia
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Those roses are beautiful!
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Thank you. It is Kourosh that has the patience to look after them. Amelia
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That’s a wonderful picture of the sleeping bumble and the approaching marmalade hoverfly!
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It was so funny. The hoverfly seemed to disturb the bumble deliberately out of cheek because there was no conflict for nectar! Amelia
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