"Ring a Ring a Roses" 2

In January I wrote:
"I have to admit to a love hate relationship with Roses, I love them when they are in flower with their wonderful scent, when I am pruning them and the thorns penetrate even leather gauntlets to draw blood, I am not so sure!"

June is the month for our love of roses.
Please follow me on a rose walk around Our Garden@19.

Starting on the patio the wonderfully scented climbing Rose Albertine, which grows in two areas of the garden...

...this one is on the trellis surrounding the herb garden.

Next the climbing R. Iceberg covers the trellis dividing the white and green garden from the main borders, here with Digitalis Alba..

We then go through the arch covered with R. Goldfinch...

...which was covered with Bumble Bees early one morning collecting their pollen and nectar...

...on the right through the arch is the standard weeping Worcestershire rose, the buds are yellow...

...opening to a lighter cream colour...

...opposite is the other standard R. Bonica...

...This red rose (America Beauty?) came from my grandmothers garden, and along with the other Albertine covers the rose and clematis trellis along the fence at the back of the right hand side of the main border...

...from there we go across to the never ending woodland walk where the climber
 R. Frances E. Lester...

...is trained on the fence giving a good display to both us and our neighbours...

... when they first open the petals are blushed with pink producing a wonderful scent...

...a little further along is R.glauca.syn.R.rubrifolia and...

...whose slate grey foliage contrast well with the Golden Hop growing behind.

We finish our rose walk back on the patio with the newest member of the family, the climbing rose The Generous Gardener, planted in January, with its first bloom.

If you have enjoyed this rose walk and wish to read January's Ring a Ring a Roses please click Here

'Hot Peppers.'

Wednesday evening Our Garden@19 was the venue for the Upton upon Severn 'Hot Peppers' W.I. garden party.

Daughter Mary, who is secretary of the group took care of the BBQ...

...the Jamie Oliver apron makes all the difference...

...a formal meeting was held under the watchful eye of the county adviser...

...before drink and food was consumed...

Irene & I sat quietly in the background helping to eat the food and sample the drink...

...you may be wondering why they are called the 'Hot Peppers' W.I.

The old church at Upton upon Severn is affectionally known locally as 'The Pepper Pot' due to its shape. You can read more about its history Here

The garden is planted by Upton in Bloom.

Why 'HOT' Peppers I have no idea!

To see if you can find out visit their Facebook page Here

" A swarm in June "

"A swarm in June is worth a silver spoon."

This swarm was on an old damson tree in a garden where I was working.

Unusually, they stayed in the tree for most of the day.

The old farm house has a wild honey bee colony under the roof.

I was a Beekeeper many years ago, the original hives came from my grandfather.

Whilst a swarm of bees flying through the air can be a noisy and frighting sight to experience, swarming bees fill up with honey before they leave the hive and are not usually aggressive (they have no home to defend).

This old saying relates to the amount of honey that could be produced by a swarm of honey bees collected and re-homed in another hive.

A swarm in May is worth a load of hay;

A swarm in June is worth a silver spoon;

A swarm in July is not worth a fly.

Please visit Gardening Jules Here for more information about bees and other pollinators.