A couple of months ago, I planted out three Roses that I’d bought from a local market. I’d carefully picked out ones classed as ‘fragrant’ or ‘very fragrant’.

This week, after weeks of watching them grow and develop buds, one of them decided to flower.

Here’s the Rose Just Joey budding up on 29th May.

Aphid attack

As you might be able to spot, the aphids found that rose bud, so armed with a plant mister, some water and a little washing-up liquid, I up-sprayed it to the underside of the leaves and lightly over the buds.

This seemed to get rid of the aphids, who disappeared overnight, and I was pleased to find a ladybird on a different rose bush in the front garden (fingers crossed it’s texted it’s friends to the party). Hopefully they’ll munch their way through any more aphids now that they’ve found a few.

Yesterday, the large, delicate, pinky-peach petals opened and although the rose is quite short in its first year, and the flower isn’t at nose height, the flower is wonderfully fragrant.

Here’s the same bud on 8th June.

It looks and smells wonderful, and hopefully some more of the roses are going to open very soon.

As ever, thanks for reading and have a happy gardening weekend,

Andrew