views from pergola of new rose garden
rose garden is in the background
a long way to go
view from the tented pavillion, not much going on out there yet
my gazebo will be much simpler, lets see, perhaps a place where ones sons can someday be married under….
My informal sketch of how I see my rose garden in years to come
some of the David Austin English roses that are going in our garden
I love this, it will go in the center of one of the beds, there will be a different one in each rectangle, surrounded by antique roses and lavender. framed by boxwood.
climbing roses will cascade over the three arbors that lead to our English trellis.
who is coming for lunch under our rose arbors
a long way to go
april in the garden, will keep updating throughout the summer
great view of garden when we have drinks out on the pergola
I love machinery that can turn the soil into a gorgeous garden 
I’m an American girl who dreams of English gardens and works very hard at having them. I love boxwoods, roses that just cascade up and over any structure they can cling to, I adore fountains and iron gazebos and of course a small table set for tea at 4pm. Each year we add a new garden or garden structure to the property that surrounds our old stone and clapboard house. It is truly a fairytale like setting that keeps getting better each year. My husband and kids get me something for new for our gardens each year on Mothers Day and this year it is a formal rose garden, fountain and hopefully an antique iron gazeb0. I never want jewelry on this day, this is a day to celebrate “birth” and the joys being a mother and the beauty that grows in our yard.
We have started the new garden and I know it doesn’t look to fabulous yet, but have an open mind and I will continue to update over the months and years ahead. All of you gardeners out there can often see the end result and when your looking at a garden in progress you don’t even see how much needs to get done but you see what beauty lies ahead.
Bunny’s tips on starting a rose garden:
1) I measured and marked the garden beds out so they would be perfectly symetrical.
2) We have four rectangles with a 5′ border down the center and across the middle
3) we have made sure there will be plenty of sunlight
4)Amend your soil with rich organic material and compost
5) soak your bareroot roses overnight
6)try and prevent black spot from the beginning with organic treatments of baking soda, dish detergent and water
7)fertilize
8)weed and deadhead on a regular basis
9)water and take care not to drench the petals to help prevent black spot and disease
roses are not that easy to grow and they are not that difficult to grow, it just depends on how you see the glass, half full or half empty. What I am trying to say, if you love something and enjoy it you will put in the work to make it beautiful.
Sources:
David Austin
Home Depot
Local farmers markets
Well Sweep Herb Farm, New Jersey, I was able to find antique apothecary roses at this wonderful herb farm.
