Rugosa Rose Garden

The rugosa roses in this part of the Hen House garden are early to flower. There are many assorted perennials in between them, and some flaxes and grasses to add all year round texture.

The Rugosa Rose Garden in Summer 2008

I dug the rugosas out of a nearby country garden, planted them triumphantly in their own garden, and promptly forgot all their names. Several have been shifted out, and one or two have been poor doers and have been pulled out.

Path Moves

Below are two even older photographs of this garden. Being mainly filled with rugosas and perennials it doesn't look to have changed all that much. But the path has been seriously moved twice, other roses have arrived and pushed in to take up space, and there is less grass. The garden has certainly tried to get bigger!

The Rugosa Rose Garden in Summer 2003

In the summer of 1999 the Hen-Huse Garden was quite new. The red rose on the grass edge of the Rugosa border is Robusta - a modern rugosa hybrid which unfortunately does not set any hips.

The Rugosa Rose Garden in Summer 1999

I'm pleased to report that the Hen House is still standing, though regretfully unoccupied - at the moment.