Descanso Rose Garden post-flush with companion plants

[aimeekitty]

TODAY IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY!




I had an appointment in Pasadena, so on the way back, I stopped by Descanso Gardens to see how the rose gardens looked a few weeks later. For reference, this is what they looked like about 3 weeks ago.

Also, I wanted to study more what types of companion plants they planted around the roses. I'm considering planting a butterfly bush or a california lilac or a vitex tree... it was fun to see that they had some of these in the middle of the rose beds. I hadn't noticed them before because they weren't blooming yet. So as the once-blooming roses are dying down, these companion plants are coming up and other roses are blooming.

ALSO, for Doctor Who nerds, I do feel somewhat attached to the VITEX tree. hurhurhur

It was nice, too, to see some plants I'd already planted in my garden looking so beautiful mature at Descanso... like guara, lamb's ear, chinese foxglove, salvia, etc.

This lady was painting in the gardens. I thought she was charming.


Some general shots and shots of companion plantings:






Does anyone know what these charming plants are? Someone told me they might be some sort of speedwell or veronica.




More guara (I LOVE GUARA)


I liked this large daisy put in with the roses.


huge bank of guara backed with butterfly bushes




lamb's ear


detail on one of the harlequin butterfly bushes. They had several large butterfly bushes in the middle of some of the rose beds. Here it's in the old tea section with rosette delizy.






a large Swany Rose


carefree delight rose and others with gladiolas growing right out of the midst of them (love this!)


More Carefree Delight


Bishop Darlington


a bench so covered in roses that you can hardly see the arbor or the bench.




Hollyhocks among the roses


still really like Crocus Rose


a gorgeous bloom on Maman Cochet cl.


chinese foxglove with roses


a mix of yarrow and other things


What Francoise Juranville looks like later in it's bloom cycle


similar shot of Marchesa Boccella. It seems like a lot of Hybrid Perpetuals, old Teas and wichurana rambler blooms don't shatter, but instead turn brown on the bush. We'll see if I get used to that or not.


white eden (how gorgeous is this?)




BONUS HUMMINGBIRD

Comments

[spooypress.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

How pretty! I love roses, and the circus rose and white eden are gorgeous. Those tall blue spindles of flowers definitely look like veronica, veronica grandis maybe? Also, you'd probably love astilbe, foxglove, columbine, and ixora, but Im not sure what would grow in your climate...roses are always a good way to go in a garden :) I'm curious though, do you use any of your rose leaves for tea? I buy my own rose tea since I don't have a backyard to grow roses, but always loved the idea of picking/drying/using the leaves. Lovely photos!

[shipperamy.livejournal.com]

Does the rose tea you buy contain rose leaves? The rose teas I know of are made from rosebuds; do rose leaves have any rose taste to them?

[spooypress.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Oops! I kept saying leaves, I don't know why lol but you're right, they're petals! Probably rose bud petals too since they're so tiny. I bet the leaves would taste yuck, my mind must have been too into looking at these plant photos :)

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Beautiful! I want to go there now!

[stormyheart]

Those crocus roses are really pretty!

Knowing the size of your backyard, I would advise against butterfly bush. It's a very aggressive shrub - many biologists consider it mildly to moderately invasive (I'm on the fence on that one). It will, however, grow really big, and overtake your yard in a few years.

Hee. Vitex tree :)

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I love the hummingbird pic!

[kittykatie.livejournal.com]

Sooo pretty. My roses are out now too. I need to go trim them I little already. >.

[supinternets.livejournal.com]

Awesome shot with the hummingbird!~

[taperkat.livejournal.com]

Your mystery plant, i'm almost certain, is Flowering Sage:

http://www.gardenstew.com/plantstew/32748

because those look REALLY REALLY alike. And if it's not, well it's another good companion plant (and quite delicious).

I adore butterfly bushes. they do alright here, but...

[nina-tsukiko.livejournal.com]

Very beautiful pictures! I like the last white flowers ^^

[beesandbrews.livejournal.com]

I love Descanso Gardens. It was one of my favorite places as a kid. And your photos are lovely!

[unravelingsky.livejournal.com]

oh how lovely! i want to visit some gardens soon~

[angelsamui.livejournal.com]

I love your photos of these gardens. They make me so happy and serene.

[darkroselily.livejournal.com]

What a peaceful place XD The photo with lady who's painting * almost looks like a oil painting & not a photo <<33
XXX Lily XXX

[nav.livejournal.com]

The white eden roses are so beautiful! Very Alice in Wonderland-ish.

[adichappo.livejournal.com]

those pictures are beautiful. I really love lambs' ear - so fuzzy!

Totally off the subject - I just found this blog about probably the COOLEST cake ever created. And the light really blinks on top *squee*...ok enjoy and happy gardening in this lovely weather!
http://www.celebrationgeneration.com/blog/2010/06/09/w00tstock-awesomeness/