You know that old Christmas joke about finding yourself standing at the kitchen sink eating roses for breakfast as the kettle boils? Except we know it's not a joke, don't we...
In my defence, at least I haven't taken to greeting the postman drink in hand; even I baulk at hard liquor before martini o'clock. The last autumnal traipse across the Chunnel coincided with SuperU's deal on Bombay Sapphire; 70cl for 12euro and I managed to get the last 6 bottles by clambering onto the bottom shelf and stretching to the very back of the top shelf. Clearly lesser mortals, locals and les rosbifs were too embarrassed to clamber. Me? I'd climb Everest for a deal like that.
My new favourite clients and I are planning to restock their rose beds. I'm gently nudging them towards a themed approach, having already surrendered all hope of enticing them into a mixed border design. It's their garden, when all's said and done. I'm thinking Song of Songs; I'm thinking Shakespeare; I'm thinking people they actually have in their address book. I know; they are really lovely clients. We'll be sticking with David Austin, as his really are the best and most deliciously fragrant English roses.
Just have a look at this new introduction for 2013, The Lark Ascending, described thus,
photo source: http://www.davidaustinroses.com/english/Showrose.asp?Showr=6835
"A delightful rose that illustrates the great diversity that is now to be found among English Roses. The flowers are cupped in shape with about twenty petals in each bloom. They are medium in size and of a pleasing light apricot colouring, produced from the ground upwards in heads of up to fifteen, nicely spaced blooms. They have a light fragrance that has been observed to vary form one flower to another. Some of them are of Tea scent while others move towards the scent of myrrh.
The name is taken from Ralph Vaughan-Williams' piece of music, which was recently voted Britain's favourite by listeners to the BBC radio programme Desert Island Discs."
"A delightful rose that illustrates the great diversity that is now to be found among English Roses. The flowers are cupped in shape with about twenty petals in each bloom. They are medium in size and of a pleasing light apricot colouring, produced from the ground upwards in heads of up to fifteen, nicely spaced blooms. They have a light fragrance that has been observed to vary form one flower to another. Some of them are of Tea scent while others move towards the scent of myrrh.
The name is taken from Ralph Vaughan-Williams' piece of music, which was recently voted Britain's favourite by listeners to the BBC radio programme Desert Island Discs."
