October is a slow month for working in the rose garden.  We stopped deadheading in the beginning of September and set our roses free for October roses!  This way, if they can make hips (seed pockets) if they will and if not, the ends of the stems will die back.  All summer long, we deadhead spent blossoms to encourage our beauties to continue blooming.  But now, we want them to get the idea that it is perfectly fine to slow down and prepare for the upcoming winter.  The days are much shorter, there is a good chill in the air, and because the sun is so much lower in the sky, the plants are stretching out to reach for the light.

Enormous October Roses

At this time of year, it takes longer for the blossoms to develop.  The weather can be very fine, or we can get a lot of rain.  Either way, by the time our blossoms begin to unfurl, we are gifted some of the most beautiful roses of the year!  They are loaded with sugar so they are the longest lasting garden roses of the year.  The colors are deeper, the petals can be as large as an apple, and the fragrances are amazing!  The rose at the top of the page is a hybrid tea called ‘Over the Moon.’  She is a very large rose all year long and I like to describe her color as mango sherbet.  I cut this rose the other day and brought her inside to enjoy.  I couldn’t believe how big she was. She dwarfed my hand!  I pulled out the tape measure and she measured 6.5” in diameter.  Just lovely!

Varieties To Plant For Amazing Fall Color

I went outside this morning to see what October roses I could cut and bring in.  My garden is not pristine this time of year and soon it will be time to prepare the garden for winter.  However, folks still walk by every day and marvel and remark at the colors and the fragrance that follows them as they walk by.  I love a huge variety of hues in my gardens.  This morning I cut a bunch of ‘Sharifa Asma’ blossoms.  She is a David Austin rose that is large, blush pink, and one of the most heavily scented roses I know.  Next to her is ‘Plum Perfect’ who was also ready to pick.  ‘Plum Perfect’ is a Kordes rose that is a deep, dark purple and blooms in large clusters.  Another gorgeous Kordes rose is ‘South Africa.’  She is a golden, almost orangey grandiflora that is a heavy bloomer all summer but she is an even deeper color in the Fall.  I put all these beauties in a vase and they look amazing together!  And, when I walk into the parlor, all I can smell is roses.

Enjoy The Season Of Color

In our little town of Suffield, Connecticut, the skies this October are a deep, cobalt blue.  There is still plenty of colorful foliage on the trees; red, orange, yellow, and green pine trees.  The grass is so happy with the cooler temperatures that it is deep, dark emerald green.  We’ve had warm fires inside the past few nights, which feels wonderful and smells wonderful, too.  The fallen leaves which used to be a canopy are now a colorful carpet.  Autumn in New England is a treat for all the senses.  Enjoy every minute, take some pictures, and revel in the beauty all around you!