Yesterday I picked all the open roses ahead of the big rain expected tonight. When I cut roses I always bring a clean bucket with a couple of inches of water into the rosebed. As soon as I cut a stem I put it in the water so it doesn’t dry and seal up. Then right before arranging I cut the stems again while each stem is in a bowl of water in the sink, at a deep slant. It really helps them last longer in the bouquet. I love my roses.

Full blown garden roses, ready for a bouquet

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We got maybe a tenth of an inch of rain, more than the entire summer here in Seattle! But a big rain is coming in a couple of days, thank goodness, maybe two inches over a few days. The garden is so thirsty. If you grow roses, pick them and enjoy a bouquet if a big rain is coming. No sense in letting them get ruined and go to waste.

Water droplets on the petals of a half-open Peace rose in my garden

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Rose gardeners PSA: If it’s going to rain big, go out there and cut your opened roses for bouquets. They’ll just get ruined if you leave them out there.

Rain is coming. Might as well cut roses and bring inside.

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What a backyard sky!

Swirly pink clouds lit up the sky at sunset last night

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I did a good job planting my Early Girls (and Sungolds) and they were watered well. So sweet!

Red, ripe, shiny tomatoes and stringbeans harvest

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The ‘Julia Child’ rose bush (own root!) is the star of my rose garden. Only a few years old, she is in her second full bloom this season right now. As the petals fade to cream, sometimes edged in pink, they do fall off quite easily, but are so very beautiful that I try to leave them as long as I can so as not to make a mess below.

The butter-yellow flowers fade to cream as the blossoms open fully

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My backyard a couple of weeks ago in late July. Don’t the pointy iris leaves look good?

Cosmos and speedwell (veronica), with blue hydrangeas in the background

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The colors of a summer flower border! Fun note: you can search for the other “flower border” posts in the search box at the upper right sidebar.

Blue hydrangeas and lilies, in July in Seattle

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My friend Cindy has the most incredible flowers. These were in flower boxes on her deck last month.

Purple petunias and other annual flowers on a summertime deck

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We are growing golden raspberries along with the red ones. They are even sweeter and more delicate.

Translucent golden raspberries

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Happy Solstice! Here’s a portrait of sunshine. I planted this ‘Julia Child’ David Austin rosebush three years ago, maybe four. It’s on its own roots. I have never seen such a vigorous, floriferous rose. The Carding Mill I bought at the same time is less than one quarter the size. The only tiny complaint I have is that the flowers lose their exquisite, pale yellow petals very quickly after the roses are fully open.

Only a few years old, this Julia Child rosebush is the star of the bed

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In the late afternoon sunshine, my rose garden begins to bloom.

June rose garden in Seattle, with many buds forming

Bonus image:

Another view of the rose garden, showing the grasses and the lavender getting ready to bloom

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