Monday 20 June 2016

Midsummer

The summer solstice has crept up on me this year, and already we have arrived at the longest day. I don't like to think of the days shortening, as it always seems too early in the summer for this, so I prefer to concentrate instead on celebrating the longest day. It's a time of early dawns full of birdsong, warm days and long evenings spent outside. For me nothing epitomises the magic of midsummer like roses. Our new rosa mundi has flowered for the first time and I love its soft stripes of deep pink and white.


 I've just been outside dead-heading and as the smell of roses wafted on the evening air, those enchanted lines from Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' came into my head as they always do:

'I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopies with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine'

Our William Shakespeare rose is looking and smelling lovely at the moment.


And Gertrude Jekyll is as beautiful and deeply-scented as ever.


Following my usual tradition, I have lit a scented candle, and I wish you a Happy Solstice and some of your own summer magic x


9 comments:

  1. I can't believe it's the longest day already - where has this year gone? Beautiful roses and I love your scented candle tradition. xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gorgeous roses, and I love your tradition of lighting a scented candle. Summer begins here! CJ xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. You just can't beat Roses, the year is certainly going quickly x

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Solstice to you! Beautiful flowers and I adored seeing the wonderful poppies in your last post too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. The roses flowering in our lanes are smelling gorgeous and when I looked at your photos, I could 'smell' them. Happy Solstice x

    ReplyDelete
  6. The garden smells in the evenings are the best thing about this year. So special when there is no wind and you are still wandering around the garden after nine. Those roses are wonderful. Enjoy them. B x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful pinks! Hope the roses bloom nicely again next year.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Don't know about you but it's not very summery where I am! Loving the light evenings though.
    Jillxo

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I don't always get time to reply, but I look forward to and love to read your comments - they really do make my day x