It’s when the garden isn’t in the billowing froth of spring, that one can really enjoy each single bloom for its own great beauty. I like it best, to be honest, when I have what I call ‘spot’ flowers, amongst lots of different textured foliage.
This is one of my absolute favourites, the rugosa rose Sarah Van Fleet. She’s rather wet & crumpled in this photograph (isn’t everything at the moment?!). I think she’s exquisite and would rather have her loose, informal appearance, than any hybrid tea – she’s a wonderful crushed musk pink and her perfume is simply divine. Can’t you smell her from there?