A Vintage Rose Garden

Years ago, our grandmother carefully tended one of the most exquisite rose gardens, in her small backyard in Flushing, NY. As children, we would play hide and seek among the tidy little islands of hybrid tea roses. We were always being reminded by our parents, of the delicate, and thorny nature of these towering blooms, which grew in shades of crimson, fuchsia, yellow and creamy white.
When these beauties were ready for cutting, our grandmother would lovingly place them, at center stage, in a clear glass vase on the living room table. Thus, anointing the space with their pleasurable scent. It is a memory that is as fresh, as those flowers were that day.
David Austin, is a renowned British rose breeder, whose specialty is preserving and continuing the "old" rose garden. A connoisseur of growing large petaled and immensely fragrant rose varieties, he offers a wide selection for every taste. Here is a peek at some of the roses David Austin has to offer, as featured in the May/June 2011 issue of Garden Design Magazine...

'Rosalind'

'Juliet' and 'Miranda'

'Kiera'

We are sure grandmother would approve of these gorgeous blooms for her own garden. And the notion of nurturing a vintage plant, so very rich in tradition, memory, and beauty. -Al
Photos courtesy Garden Design Magazine, by Maria Robledo