The Dortmund roses that line the split rail fence in front of Cedar Bluff have lovely hips left from their summer blossoms last year. Soon I will be pruning the roses and all of the dead leaves and these swollen hips will be history. I usually try to prune the roses when the forsythia blooms. It feels like late spring this year so it could be a few weeks before the roses will be nipped back.
This hip formation is on the Martha rose. Martha is the furthest south rose along the fenceline. This rose bloomed profusely last year but has yet to show any growth this year. That's not unusual; the Dortmunds seem to bud a bit later than some of my other roses.
The photo was taken late in the evening, about a half hour before sunset. The magic light of the evening has cast a subtle color spell that livens the winter weary rose twigs and hips.
Copyright 2011
Wanda Hayes Eichler
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