Our Year's First Rose

Among my very first plantings, twenty-some years ago, were bluish climbing roses--"Blue Angel," purchased from Spring Hill--which I planted next to the garage. Originally there were three plants, and trellises to match; later I replaced the trellises with a small split-rail fence.

Two of the plants died after a few summers (well, winters, more likely; they were pretty exposed to the weather). The third didn't die, but the plant's no longer the Blue Angel varietal. Instead we have these simple red flowers that surely were the native flower of the rootstock.

Not a bad trade, really. All in all, I prefer these guys.