My roses are blooming!!! Ok, I am a little bit too happy about this, but in case you have never been to this blog before, winter in Minnesota is brutal and our growing season doesn’t truly starts until late May/early June, unless you have a greenhouse. So it feels like I am waiting forever. For the past twp years I have moved away from dahlias (I' have been having the worst luck with them) and have fallen totally in love with roses, especially David Austin. This year I added five (5) new roses and two of them have bloomed with others close behind. While I love roses on the plant, I am a big fan of cut flowers. And when it comes to roses, I am a purist when displaying them in a vase.

However, this year I am also growing the most beautiful hydrangea— ‘Blushing Bride’. The lovely blush undertones of this beauty, makes it a perfect companion for the roses with their pale pinks, yellow and oranges. For this little arrangement, I used a milk glass hobnail ‘rose’ vase with crimped edges, that I found this weekend at an antique store. Whenever I find Fenton milk glass for good prices, I usually get it. Which is how I am amassing a small little collection to replace the collection I lost 5 years ago on fire.

For this little arrangement I used a big bloom of the ‘Blushing Bride’ hydrangea (hydrangea macrophylla Blushing Bride) which served as anchor. Then I added three different roses— ‘Imogen’ which is the softest lemony yellow with a slight fragrance that reminds me of green apples. This is my lucky rose. I did not order it but there was a mistake with my order, so after the good folks at David Austin sent me the correct one, they told me to keep this Imogen. And deep down, I am glad they did because it is lovely. When I think of a cottage garden rose, this is what I think of. After Imogen, I added a bloom of ‘Roald Dahl’, the golden apricot beauty that I am in love with. I have never liked yellow or orange roses, but for some reason I felt like ordering it and I am so glad I did because it is beautiful. So glad I did. My photos do not do it justice. I rounded up the vase with a few blooms of Scepter’d Isle— the work horse of all my roses. I have had it three years and just love it!

I love the finished product. It is most certainly feminine and graceful, I think. And the colors of the flowers go beautifully with the milk glass vase. I cannot wait for the rest of the roses to bloom and show off their colors! This is my favorite part of gardening (and most maddening)— the waiting and then the show of colors. Makes me smile just thinking about it.

I wish you all a fantastic week! Happy gardening and stay safe!

You may find me joining some of these fun link-ups: In a Vase on Monday, Harvest Monday, Mosaic Monday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Nature Notes, Thankful Thursday, Grace at Home, Garden Blogger's Bloom Day (15th of the Month), Six on Saturday, Love Your Creativity Link Party, Heart & Soul, Encouraging Hearts & Homes., Thursday Favorite Things, Vintage Charm Party,