there's a theme to the roses I like

Some might call it a rut, but I just keep looking for that perfect rose, and I'll keep trying until I find it. Although I like a variety of roses, from singles to fully double, and multiple colors and blends, ultimately what I am looking for is a rose to be warm pink to apricot, cup shaped, outer petals fading to near white, sinfully fragrant, vigorous grower in my climate, not damaged by heat/sun/wind/thrips, blooms and reblooms well, grows to manageable size, but not tiny/compact. I don't really care if it has a lot of thorns, or if it wants to take over the world. So in my search, I've purchased a number of similar roses. They are not similar in growth, and only at certain stages are they very similar. None are perfect. Yet.

'Abraham Darby'

'Boscobel'

'Evelyn'

'Princesse Charlene de Monaco'

'Radio Times'

Radio Times

'Radio Times' gets a lot of flack for its inelegant name, but I actually like it. An early David Austin rose, it is largely off the market right now. The buds look like the flowers aren't going to be much of anything, and they open a little looking like they are going to be simple, few petaled, boring pink rose. Then it opens and wow. Amazing form, and piercingly sweet fragrance. Not a dark and rich fragrance at all. Hints of sandalwood. Others have commented on its downsides: extremely thorny canes, growth that can be scraggly and rebloom can be less than others. It also is susceptible to thrips and wind damage, but when the flowers open, that damage becomes less noticeable.  I still find it to be a worthwhile rose.

May

May is the best time of the year for the garden. The garden becomes a series of fireworks displays, one after the other, flashes of brilliance and delight. I'm working on the garden having a longer period of bloom, although that also means that the peak is lower. It is spectacular when the entire garden comes into bloom, but when that only lasts a few weeks, what do you do about the rest of the year? I have something blooming just about year round now, but the most dramatic time is still May. Two years ago, I added some bearded irises to bloom earlier, before the roses, lavender and catmint. Right now it's peak time for them and the Salvia x sylvestris 'May Night'. I've removed the Salvia nemerosa 'Caradonna' for poor appearance after bloom. With 'May Night' I could just shear it to the ground and it will spring back and bloom again, just as dramatic. In a few weeks, the bearded irises will be done, and the spuria irises will come into bloom, as well as the roses, and lavender. Then other things will come into bloom as the summer goes on.