A Celebration of Roses

April has been cool, warm, cool.  We are probably within a week or so of summer's entrance; yet over the past week the winds have been rushing across the desert, apparently signalling the changing season, only to blow in still cooler temperatures this evening.  Although it has been very dry, it has not yet turned really hot.  More than ever, the garden is a mix of cool season and warm season bloom at the end of April.  

And above all, it has been the month of roses.

They have bloomed with abandon.  The initial flush was half lost because I did not increase the water enough to sustain the heavy bloom.  It all happened rather quickly, and petals crisped and browned.

Since then I have been working to ensure they have enough moisture to bloom on.  All was not lost!  So here is a look at my April roses in the Rose Border.  (No photos of "Graham Thomas", which is a pity since it bloomed its best yet this spring.)

Among the most floriferous are the miniature roses; the red "Daniela" is a mass of bloom straight from a fairy tale.

Another red is this still-small scarlet in the North Border.

There are classic roses of various kinds: favorites from David Austin and mid-century teas, but thus far only one antique rose, the old moss "Communis".  The sole survivor from last year's small experiment in old roses, it is still very young and looks unlikely to bloom this year.  At any rate, if it is going to do so, it had better hurry up a bit as it is naturally only once-blooming.  I do look forward to having its fragrance-drenched, gently pink blooms in my garden once more.

Meantime, the more recent classics include a robust flowering from "Sterling Silver".

...and a particularly magnificent showing from The Alnwick Rose.

...as well as a glorious mass of bloom on William Shakespeare 2000.

As you can see from the photos, I am no longer deadheading at this point.  I don't know whether this is proper procedure.  Like last year, I am trying to ensure that the plants go into a sort of semi-dormancy to protect them through the hottest summer months.  So I am letting them taper down their bloom since May will almost certainly bring full summer in all its intensity of naked sunlight and heat-laden winds.  Then hopefully the roses will wake and bloom again in autumn.  Though, to be honest, I haven't gotten the knack of that part of the schedule yet.  Perhaps this year...!

As this post is celebrating April's favorites for the Friday Favs theme with Loree at The Danger Garden, I want to add a few other plants which have been particular treasures this month.  First, Salvia farinacea, blue flowers, blue stems and lush green leaves...

...also the white-flowering Gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri) "Belleza White".

And lastly, a tree that has become hugely popular and widely planted here in recent years.  With good reason, I might add; despite the drawback of brittle branches, Palo Verde "Desert Museum" has earned its place in the list of desirable trees for growing in the Sonoran Desert.  Likes others of its family, it creates a bright mist of yellow bloom above and among its green branches, and it has the advantage of being nearly thornless.  Please pardon the poor photo; I was experimenting with camera settings as the sunlight grows more direct.

It remains to be seen what May weather brings, but April has been good to the garden!

Weather Diary: Sunny with light haze and very windy (gusts to 41 mph/66kph); High: 86 F (30 C)/Low: 62 F (17 C); Humidity: 4%-44%