Last Roses of the Season

My little collection of homegrown roses welcoming kitchen visitors.

Last Roses of the Season

Over the years whenever I was living somewhere besides at home, I had fresh flowers in my room. Usually they were nothing fancy, maybe a sprig of wildflowers growing nearby or a tiny bouquet from a corner florist. When I was working in Japan, one of the embassy staff shared their one weekly chrysanthemum with me. In that country, they appreciate and celebrate the beauty of one flower.

Now that I am working from home, one of my priorities continues to be to have fresh flowers nearby. They may be growing in a pot, which is my favorite way to have that touch of greenery in my rooms, or they can be something I cut from my hillside garden.

As a cold front moved into Missouri, evening temperatures plunged in the high 40s, cooling daytime temperatures into the delightful 70s. My plants appreciated the reprise from hot and humid conditions and delivered a delightful crop of one of my favorite flowers, roses.

The yellow hybrid tea was munched by a couple of insects but it joins the peach hybrid tea with a lovely fragrance. This long-stemmed rose reminded me of the vintage yellow roses quilt I found a few years ago at an estate sale. The two smaller miniature roses made their second garden appearance since spring. I have them tucked away in garden borders to surprise me when they bloom and all I can say, it worked this fall!

I suspect these are the last roses of the season, a lovely way to end the gardening year and extend the growing season if just for a few more days.

Charlotte

Last Red Rose of the Season

This red rose is the last one of the season from my garden.

Last Red Rose of the Season

I was surprised to find this red rose in bud at the entrance to my garden. These started as miniature roses, a gift from a friend last year.

I planted the miniature red rose at the entrance to my garden, a reminder of her kindness and a pretty welcome when I come home.

The little rose bush bloomed most of the season, fed with a combination of dried banana peels, coffee grounds, crushed egg shells and a dash of Epsom salt.

As I was tucking my garden in for winter, I was sure I had seen the last of the roses.

Glad I was wrong; this one is gorgeous. I cut it off above a five-leaf and added it to a vase with a couple other flowers still blooming. There is little more I enjoy than having a fresh vase of flowers on my coffee table. Regardless of the weather outside, it's like having a little bit of my garden still blooming.

One of the home decor articles I read earlier said adding fresh flowers was a good way to finish a room. The article also said fresh flowers are the first thing visitors notice in a room. I know I do!

Charlotte