What is it about roses that invoke those warm and fuzzy romantic feelings from those long...long ago dating days.(well it feels like it) Where you would receive them sometimes as a special "romantic" gesture from your "Beau", a secret admirer on valentines day, to make up from a "misunderstanding" among lovers or a forgotten anniversary, birthday or significant event, to cheer you up on a bad or sick day or simply to say "i love u".

I have loved roses for a very long time... can't remember when i didn't like them! I am not sure what exactly attracts me to them, whether it be fond memories of those "dating" days, or to watch a small bud unfold into a perfect petaled rose, the gorgeous scent (on some), or the myriad of types, colours and scents that are available! They fascinate me, intrigue me, delight me and sometimes take my breathe away when spying a beautiful & different flower! (ask bevan... i get excited looking at new varieties)

I first spied my favourite of all favourites in the Newtown Park State Rose Garden on Holberton Street. They had used this particular rose (in mass planting) to start climbing up long curved poles which created an arbour of sorts. The effect was breath taking really and i was enamoured by it instantly. After a bit of research and a lucky feature on Better Homes & Gardens i found out what it was called...

Blushing Pierre De Ronsard

"White" Pierre De Ronsard

How gorgeous is that bloom! Simply stunning! I have planted two of these gorgeous climbing roses either side of our vegetable garden entrance to climb up the "arbour" we created as well as planting two "white" Pierre De Ronsards either end of the fence. The Pierre De Ronsard grows to about 2.5-3 meters and flower prolifically throughout the growing season. It was c reated in France in 1987 by Marie-Louise Meilland, and known also as ‘Eden Rose ’88’. Old style flowers, coloured cream with pink shades, with 55-60 petals, slightly perfumed. It is also very resistant to diseases - great for those first time rose gardeners!

Gorgeous in mass planting!

I did a bit of research to find out where the name "Pierre De Ronsard" originated... this is what i found out......

The rose name honours Pierre de Ronsard (B.1524 - D.1585). Pierre de Ronsard was a famous French Poet whose 16th Century poetry earned a place in literary history. He enjoyed a great life: well educated, well travelled, highly productive, popular and he mixed socially, as friends, with royals such as King Charles of France, Queen Elizabeth I of England and Mary Queen of Scots. His own generation, in France, called him the “Prince of Poets”.

Mr Pierre De Ronsard

Well.... "pring of poets" eh? how romantic is that! Perfect for this rose i think! Anyway the whole point of this story was that i am super excited that my "Pierre De Ronsard" has now started flowering........