Roses, heirloom roses

The iris and roses were looking nice towards the end of this past week:




This is a rose called Peppermint, or something like that.



I love a rosebud about to open.



And this weekend the roses really opened up. I think the sun and HEAT are loved by the gardens, not so much by the people.



This one below is so special to me. This rose my Mom brought to us from her house, and it's from a rosebush that she brought from my grandparents' farm to her house. The original rosebush - still on the farm which is lived on and maintained by my uncle - was planted by my great-grandmother.

My grandmother carried these roses in her wedding bouquet, and my Dad's ashes are under the original rosebush on the farm. This rose produces the sweetest smell on earth.