I’m loving the rain we’ve had this week. The pond and stream are expanding in this wet weather and everything is back to being Washington green.

It’s the time of year when Coppertop’s roses are winding down and just beginning to drop their leaves. We’ve had steady blooms since June offering spots of color and sweet fragrance throughout the gardens. For not using any insecticides, fungicides, or other special treatments, the roses have done surprisingly well.

Because all of the roses were planted before we moved in, I’m not able to identify any of the varieties other than our white Rosa Rugosa. Throughout October, the large bush blooms occasionally, and its rose hips are beautiful as well. 

We have three healthy bushes of what seem to be floribunda roses in shades of pink, peach, and coral.

Our four climbing roses are deep pink. These roses arch along trellises and fences at Coppertop. Their last buds are opening this week.

I’ll be braver to cut back the roses severely in March of next year. All of the bush roses could stand to be reshaped and the climbers are out of control as well.