The Secret Rose (rosa hilaroma) is one I bought the first year we moved to this house in 2002. It's been moved several times and continues to produce highly fragrant well-formed blooms throughout the summer.
While walking around my garden in the mornings or evenings, I pinch a leaf or two from various herbs, crush them, and bring them to my nose. Ahhh. Rosemary is one herb whose scent and flavour I adore. Mint and Lemon Verbena are others, along with sage, thyme, and oregano. I've dried two large mason jars of oregano for winter use, and smaller amounts of thyme and sage.
Lavender grows so well here. I confess to being lax about clipping it into shape and have a few scraggly bushes that desperately need attention. The bees love lavender and buzz around the slender stalks in great contentment.
Falstaff is a David Austen rose that is on my wait and see list. The bush seems a bit frail and doesn't produce very many blooms. I'm letting it go for this summer and will decide its fate in autumn. Its blooms, the few it does produce, are dark and intricate, and may be designed to make me change my mind.
Sweet peas planted in the greenhouse looked so thin and wispy that I wondered if anything would come of them. (Oh, ye of little faith) I'm clipping stem after stem of them, mostly dark pinks and purples, with white and a few pale pinks. I bury my face in the bouquet, inhaling the sweetness and enjoying the feel of velvet petals against my skin. One of the best things about sweet peas is that they positively must be picked in order to keep blooming. Otherwise they set seed for survival. So I clip with abandon, knowing that in a few days there will be more.
Early in the morning, before the heat of the day, I baked Blueberry Crumb Bars, found at Smitten Kitchen. Last week when I baked them I used all blueberries. Today I mixed the fruit, 2/3 blueberries and 1/3 raspberries. Tim said the raspberry addition added a bit of pizzazz to the deliciousness. Frozen berries can also be used, so I'll keep this in mind for winter. The scent of it baking filled the kitchen. Mmm good.
This post has taken a long time to write for I pause frequently to breathe in the summer air, feel the breeze, and just be in this moment. The little garden bell brought from Japan by our daughter tinkles. I am utterly content.
Summer afternoon - summer afternoon;
to me those have always been the most beautiful
words in the English language.
Henry James
Your text is very beautiful Lorri.
ReplyDeleteYou give us exactly the feeling you have in the afternoon in your beautiful garden,
what you see, what you feel, what you smell...absolutely literary and well-written.
Your garden is wonderful.
The raspberries certainly added flavor to your dessert.
Have a beautiful weekend.
I've saved the recipe! Anything that doesn't involve rolling out pastry gets my attention straight away. Your flowers are so beautiful. I've just looked out to see my cardoons are all flowering.al
ReplyDeleteA perfect afternoon. Sweet peas are so generous, For some odd reason mine are all white, despite having sown various colours!
ReplyDeleteWispy clouds in the sky, colours and fragrances in the garden, buzzing of the bees and the smell of a freshly baked dessert pie - Who could ask for anything more? 🌸🍒🍓 Great day to be alive.
ReplyDeleteAhhh . . . the scents of summer. I know that you have a host of glorious scents there in your beautiful garden! Your Blueberry Crumb Bars look delicious and I can imagine how that aroma filled your home. Mmmm . . .
ReplyDeleteI wish you continued enjoyment of these precious summer days!
ReplyDeleteIsn't is wonderful?!
ReplyDeleteLovely to wander round your garden with you. So much to enjoy at the moment and I love the colour of that rose. Hope it survives. We’ve had a few stragglers that have improved by being moved to a sunnier position. B x
ReplyDeleteI do that too -- pinch, crush, sniff. Almost the best part of having an herb garden. I'm wondering how my sweet peas are doing -- they always go bonkers in the summer -- and I'm never home to see it!
ReplyDeleteOh how beautiful! I feel like sitting with you on your deck and enjoying the view of the flowers in your garden. It's something I do a lot here as well, walking through the garden, watching the busy bees and other insects buzzing around the plants. There are also birds checking out the plants - it is such a delight. The crumb bars you made look delicious. I baked quite a good amount of cherry clafoutis during cherry time which unfortunately is already over for us. And don't forget those sweet and juicy peaches that I get at the farmers market - it is such a wonderful time!
ReplyDeleteYour roses look lovely, especially the first one, it's such a beautiful color. I only have two roses in my garden, but those two I enjoy a lot (I'm not particularly good with roses).
I have better luck growing perennial Sweet Peas but they lack any scent. Secret Rose...what a lovely name for a lovely rose.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful summer blooms, your photographs are lovely to see.
ReplyDeleteI like those words from Henry James :)
Keep on enjoying July's summer days.
All the best Jan
My one and only rose bushes are currently chewed up by Japanese Beetles. So I will admire yours and try to imagine that lovely scent. Your photos are all so lovely, especially the lavendar.
ReplyDeleteWould you believe I have never smelled sweet peas. I will have to check into whether they grow well in these parts.
Beautiful photos, Lorrie. The blueberry 💙 crumb bars look delicious.
ReplyDeleteI was breathing in the fragrance with you, Lorrie, but to no avail! I have rosemary growing, but my basil got eaten by something. All your flower photos are so picturesque. I really want one of your blueberry bars right now, and yes, I’d definitely add some raspberries.
ReplyDeleteThis is summer at its sweetest!
ReplyDeleteYour garden sounds like pure bliss, and those crumb bars have my mouth watering. 😋
Enjoy every sunny moment!
I am admiring your lovely lavender. They must smell wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWish there was a virtual scratch and sniff especially for the bars as they came out of the oven!
ReplyDeleteThis post is a lovely celebration of summer. The colors are exquisite.
ReplyDeleteI love these! I was just looking at lavender this morning because they say they also help deter bugs.
ReplyDeleteLovely summer thoughts and blooms. The Blueberry/raspberry Crumb Bars look so tasty!
ReplyDelete