The little white beauty with red edges is Hebe's Lip (1829). It's the day before the Celebration of Old Roses and I'm harvesting short-stemmmed roses for a centerpiece display at Vintage Gardens.

The roses in the first shot were in a bucket like the one above

set on shadowy ground in a setting like this. I tried to cut very fresh blooms, many just opening, many in bud to arrange in clusters

in this three tiered basket.

Here's a view toward the front. All these roses and many more greeted happy lovers of our favorite flower.

It took many hands to fill the specimen tables. Here's one laden car with excited roses ready to

share their glory.

 And what a great day it was !

I told you yesterday, I would show you my Albertine bouquet today. It's not as simple as it sounds though, because other famous roses made guest appearances, and must be introduced–– Henri Martin is at the top, then comes Albertine, followed by  Glendora, Ispahan, and Kathleen.

 

Roses relish each other's company-- crowding is never a problem-- and divas don't seem to exist in the Rose world.

The artist is a receptacle for the emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web.

~ Pablo Picasso

This morning, was harvesting day in Gregg Lowery's rose garden (more than 3,000 specimens!), for the display tables at the Celebration of Old Roses. Of course I packed my camera, but it was really a distraction from the work. However, this spider web wouldn't let me go without a few shots.