Floral Cheerleaders: Crushing The Rose Game

Eden climber 

I just had a woman shout out praise at me like I was a tennis pro. She and her husband (early 30s) were on a walk, I was in the front yard and she shouted,

“The roses are blooming!

I wait for them every year.

You are crushing the rose game!”

David Austin, Lady of Shalott

Can you imagine how good I felt? To hear that someone else anticipates my roses blooming. And that they wanted to encourage me with praise like crushing it.

I've always considered myself a floral cheerleader, but I've never had one for myself. It feels amazing.

        Star Rose, Passionate Kisses

Are you a floral cheerleader?

My Garden of Eden (Climbers)

You know that I have been on-the-go this year and I was unsure how my roses would fare without my constant attention.

Yep, they're fine.  

Just look at this magnificent swath of Eden climbers that I found blooming as I found them when I got home.  Love love love. Yes, roses need to be watered from the ground (don't let their leaves get wet from a sprinkler) and fertilizer and bug spray is important. But boy oh boy, how could anything seem like too much work when the results are like this.

May you remember to stop and smell the roses.

Movie Star Qualities: Eden Climber Rose

Do any of your roses have movie star qualities?  I'm convinced that an Eden Climber can't take a bad photograph.  The quiet and demure photo above was taken on my patio last month. I liken this photo to a black and white portrait of a movie star in her silk dressing gown, sitting at her vanity full of perfume bottles.

This red carpet look was taken in July in northern Michigan at my parent's cottage.  A different plant, a different plant hardiness zone, but thriving just the same.  I think of this photo as one of "a star and her entourage."

If you love roses and have a wall or fence for support, you really need to add this stunner to your collection.  Then stick around for some camera-ready moments all summer long.

Bridal Bouquet

I arrived at the cottage like a bride carrying this bouquet. Can you stand it?  It is all very appropriate too, because this week is our 21st wedding anniversary.  

This year, for the first time ever, my two Eden climbers are blooming like crazy. They are covered with clusters of 5 blooms.  I decided that I couldn't leave them behind, so I cut off bunch after bunch and layered them on top of each other and the result was this perfectly round, solid bouquet of pink-tipped roses.  I wrapped the stems tightly with floral tape, gave the bottom a fresh cut and dropped them in this water-filled jar that I had covered in pastel Anna Griffin paper tape.  Although it may be hard to tell, there are at least 40 roses in this bouquet.  Swoon.  Happy anniversary to me indeed.

#annagriffin #roses

Looking Forward to Eden

My job is to inspire and delight.  I love this time of year in particular because I can ping pong around different topics and really surprise you with the photo of the day.

While June feels far off, we can all delight in this rose.  It is an "Eden" climber and when the sun rises over the brick wall on my patio, the effect is beautiful.

Nature requires me to be a morning person!  If I am not camera ready around 8 am, I miss all the good light.  On cold and snowy mornings like this one, I remember quiet mornings like this and I can hardly wait to sit outside in my pajamas with a cup of coffee and my camera.  

I hope that the longer days of sunlight and the promise of Easter right around the corner, helps to make your wait for Spring a little more delightful.