Rosa 'Rhapsody in Blue'

Gorgeous colour.

Love this one Shirley..is it usually so early ? x

I'm pleased to see you have an April Rose Shirley! I was hoping for one too, because that would have made 12 consecutive months of roses in bloom here...but sadly, no rose this month. If it had been a bit warmer.....sigh. :)

We have Cinco de Mayo.......and Madame Alfred Carriere about to flower.....but Rhapsody in Blue is not too far off!!

Sandra, I looked back on photos of it and it bloomed May 16th 2011, so this is probably the earliest yet. There are a couple of Arthur Bell ready to open.

Karen, the cutting of the Perennial Blue you sent me in 2015 has spread really well and is covered in buds. I will post a photo for you when it is flowering.

That's beautiful!

Thanks Waddy ... I just looked back on my plant records to see I planted this in 2010 ... it still looks good!

Wow, already :)

I haven't got a sign of any blooms on any of my roses yet. Quite a few buds, but still very small.

Dawn, it seems to be in flower a couple of weeks earlier than usual.

Waddy, when my Roses are finished blooming, yours will be looking at their best ... :o)

Mine had a good prune this year.

I hope you're right. Fighting the blessed greenfly at the present time.

Well done Dawn ... :o)

Waddy, we noticed the other evening that Great Tits were all over the Roses, hopefully feasting on Greenfly.

I've started a new rose regime Shirley, pruning, feeding, watering, organic care and tying/training properly, I've made a rose acquaintance who answers all my queries, I've learnt alot this winter, just hope all the effort pays off.

I bet your Roses will be wonderful this year ...

I hope so Shirley, they're better fed than us lol. My rose friend says a healthy rose shouldn't succum to disease and I'm trying to do things naturally, milk and water spray for fungal problems.

Excellent plan. I refuse to use chemicals now, didn't use many before really. Today I noticed the young fresh growth on a Sambucus is covered thickly with black fly ... need to wipe the stems with a tissue ... yuk!!

Garlic spray might help ,Shirley...bought or home made..I keep saying I will make some,but keep forgetting :o)

I'm going to start squishing black and green fly, some say spray with water without washing up liquid even, Bloomer I made garlic spray last week but some hosta are still nibbled, suspect snails rather than slugs.

Sandra, good idea, must put Garlic on the shopping list!

Dawn, I tried using just damp kitchen roll to wipe off the Blackfly, managed to clear some but it's a thick layer, :o((

It's a horrid job, same as lily beetle squishing.

I gave up growing Lilies a couple of years ago Dawn ... far too many Beetles to contend with ... :o(

Gorgeous rich colour Shirley!

Thank you Kate ... I think a fair few GoY members have this Rose.