Above and below: The pretty little wildling that grew at the base of a tap and survived hoses being dragged over it for that last two years. I'm hoping that it will display a tendency to ramble, as I would love it to wind its way up through the big "mini-tree" of Octavus Weld that is growing beside it.
Above: The first flower on my grafted 'Celtic Blessings' rugosa. At least, I hope that this is the rose I named 'Celtic Blessings' almost ten years ago...I have lost touch with Steve Beck, a rose lover who in 2004 liked the look of one of my rugosa seedlings in the garden and went to the hard work of propagating it and trialling it in other gardens. I gave it the name 'Celtic Blessings' and thought no more about it until this winter, when to my great excitement I spied the name 'Celtic Blessings' in the rugosa section of a Mistydown Perennials Catalogue. The nursery couldn't tell me anything about the rose except that they had obtained it from John Niewesteeg about four years ago, but I've taken the gamble that it is my original 'Celtic Blessings' and purchased ten. I have given several away, and the others I have bunged in the garden to see if it brings back any memories for me when it flowers. Yes...I'm sorry to say, but in the seven years since 'Celtic Blessings' left home, I really can't remember which of the rugosa seedlings it actually was! There were four different seedlings all growing in one small bed in what is now the pool yard, and over the years they have suckered and intermingled with each other. I have a feeling that the original shrub of 'Celtic Blessings' may have died, although it is hard to tell with all of the suckering going on.
Above: This rose first flowered on the day that good friends of ours were blessed with their daughter, and so the rose carries her name, Lydia Frances. It was photographed in their garden, where I discovered it is blissfully happy, sending up suckers all through the bed and surrounding lawn.
Above: Lydia Francis.
Above and below: This rose is a real mystery. The seeds that I collected and subsequently raised were all from rugosa hips, and the resulting seedlings were mostly true to their rugosa lineage. I also collected a few self-seeded seedlings from under several roses and potted them up. Of course, the 'deliberate' seedlings and the "happy accident' seedlings have been mixed up over the years, and I am assuming that this rose is one of the latter group. It is a lovely little thing that has grown without any care at all- not even pruning or fertilizing. I forget it is even there until late October each year when my eyes are drawn to its sweet little blooms. They are quite small- only a couple of inches across- and are sweetly scented. He doesn't seem to be suckering at all, so I really must try to propagate some of him by cuttings just in case anything dire ever happens to the original plant.
Above: Another of the rugosa seedlings that has lovely shiny hips after flowering.
Above: The same rugosa has nice pointy buds that open to single clove-scented blooms.
Above: Blooms and buds together.
Above, and following three photos: My favourite seedling rugosa- clovey-spicey scent; healthy shrub-like growth; and a beautiful bloom..it is an absolute ripper!
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