05/22/17
spring 2017 roses

Spring 2017 Roses

Spring 2017 Roses

Spring 2017 Roses is a small collection of images of roses mainly grown by me. ‘Austrian Copper,’ the species rose R. foetida bicolor, was grown by Tim and Laurie Price. If you wish to see any of the images at a larger size, click on the image.
You may also watch a slideshow containing these and other images.
Additional post will be made throughout the season.
I hope you enjoy the varied beauty of the roses.

Miniature Rose, ‘Incognito,’ after a gentle overnight rain
Susan Brandt Graham Photography: Spring 2017 Roses &emdash; Rose 'Incognito'

Species Rose, R. foetida bicolor, grown by Tim and Laurie Price
Susan Brandt Graham Photography: Spring 2017 Roses &emdash; Rose 'Austrian Copper'

Spray of shrub rose, ‘Route 66’
Susan Brandt Graham Photography: Spring 2017 Roses &emdash; Rose 'Route 66'

Spray of miniature rose, ‘Bees Knees’
Susan Brandt Graham Photography: Spring 2017 Roses &emdash; Rose 'Bees Knees'

Shrub rose, ‘Pike’s Peak’
Susan Brandt Graham Photography: Spring 2017 Roses &emdash; Rose 'Pike's Peak'

Shrub rose, ‘Othello’
Susan Brandt Graham Photography: Spring 2017 Roses &emdash; Rose 'Othello'

Miniature rose, ‘Spring Fling’
Susan Brandt Graham Photography: Spring 2017 Roses &emdash; Rose 'Spring Fling'

Floribunda rose, ‘Betty Boop.’ Rose shows now frequently have a class for “Rose Art,” and very often what you will see are images that use photoshop filters or other editing that leads to the destruction or loss of beauty of the rose itself. I want to show that images can be greatly edited, and/or enhanced, without destroying the integrity or the beauty of the rose.
Susan Brandt Graham Photography: Spring 2017 Roses &emdash; Rose 'Betty Boop'

04/22/17
friends

Friends

Friends

“Friends are the siblings God never gave us” ~ Mencius

friends

“Friends” – Rose ‘Marmalade Skies’

Continuing a series of individual rose images, the rose featured today is the floribunda, ‘Marmalade Skies.’ It is capable of making large sprays, as well as blooms that briefly have the exhibition form of hybrid teas. The color is wonderful for rose arrangers. It definitely stands out across a room.

The roses in my yard are definitely ahead of schedule this year. I am enjoying them while they are blooming, because it may be fall before they have another good bloom cycle.

03/13/17
rose photography

Rose Photography in the ARS

Rose Photography in the American Rose Society: Results of the 2016 ARS Digital Photography Contest

Rose photography in the American Rose Society has a growing interest, no pun intended. 🙂 The American Rose Magazine has had a photography contest for some time. In recent years, the contest has become a digital competition. Online entry is easy, and mailed CD’s, DVD’s, and thumb drives are also accepted. Yesterday, March 12, the ARS used online methods to announce the winners of the 2016 competition. Not only was it fun, but all of the winners could be shown. While the top winners will appear in the American Rose Magazine, print space does not allow for the showing of all winners.

I was very happy to win the Judges Class with ‘Hot Cocoa,’a floribunda rose grown by my mother and photographed by me. ‘Hot Cocoa’ is a russet rose, and russet is always a challenge to photograph!

rose photography

Floribunda Rose ‘Hot Cocoa.’ Winner of the Judges Class, 2016 American Rose Society Digital Photography Contest

A very big winner in the regular classes is the fourth, and newly appointed, PSWD Photography Chair, Juanita Ortega. I remember when Juanita was just beginning rose photography. She won awards with gorgeous images taken with a point-and-shoot camera and no editing software. (I also remember when she was just beginning in Arrangements.) She brings knowledge, dignity, and commitment to PSWD photography, and the PSWD is lucky to have her. Yesterday I lost track of all of her awards, but you can see all of them in this YouTube video, along with all of the other winners. A brief introduction is followed by all of the winners in all of the classes. Enjoy!

The rules for the 2017 ARS Digital Photography Contest have already been posted. Think about entering.

Rose show season is rapidly approaching, and the emphasis will move to rose photography in print form. Some people say entering a print is too expensive, referring to having it mounted and matted somewhere. Last year I prepared a short “how-to”in Kindle form. I show not only how to do it easily, but also how to do it inexpensively. More than that, this method eliminates all the “waves” frequently seen in some of the images in our rose shows.

The American Rose Society now offers a variety of options and settings for sharing your rose images.

05/4/15
morning in the roses

Morning in the Roses

Morning in the Roses

Morning in the roses, especially when they are at the peak of spring bloom, is such a refreshing start to the day. I thought I would share a bit of my morning walk with you.

roses

A Variety of Roses

Blooms in this image are the floribundas ‘Chihuly,’ ‘Marmalade Skies,’ ‘Dream Weaver,’ and the shrub, ‘Flower Girl.’

This next image shows the hybrid tea, ‘Veterans’ Honor,’ one of my favorite reds.

morning in the roses

‘Veterans’ Honor’

My neighbors and I share a wall of climbers. In this image, on my side, you see ‘Royal Sunset’ and ‘Fourth of July.’ They have ‘Eden,’ ‘Climbing Peace,’ ‘Don Juan,’ and ‘Royal Sunset.’ It is very nice to have neighbors with such a wall of blooms!

morning in the roses

On my side, ‘Royal Sunset’ and ‘Fourth of July’

Our winter here in the high desert was so warm this year, that spring bloom has reached it peak quite early. I have enjoyed it immensely, of course.

The Albuquerque rose show is the last weekend of May this year. The early bloom may affect the number of blooms entered, although perhaps people in cooler areas (here in Albuquerque, as well as in Santa Fe) may have more blooms than usual to enter.

The blooms are certainly enjoyable now!

05/3/15
Floribunda marmalade skies

Floribunda Marmalade Skies

Floribunda Marmalade Skies

The floribunda ‘Marmalade Skies’ is a real eye-catcher in the garden. Its bright orange color screams for recognition, even from a distance.

This rose is capable of making large sprays, but at the moments, it is producing solitary blooms. The blooms of this floribunda can have close to exhibition, for a brief period of time. This is when the color is most intense.

Floribunda Marmalade Skies

‘Marmalade Skies’ with close to exhibition form

The blooms can open fully within a day. This image was taken during Golden Hour, and the orange of the fully open bloom seem almost fluorescent.

Floribunda marmalade skies

Fully Open ‘Marmalade Skies’

Rose people generally focus a lot on the stamens of a fully open rose to assess its freshness (in a rose show). The stamens of this very fresh fully open ‘Marmalade Skies are not spectacular. But I was struck by the beauty of the stigmas and red styles of this rose. I have had this rose for some time, but had never really paid much attention to this. I am glad I noticed it this year!

Floribunda marmalade skies

Stamens, stigmas, and styles of fully open ‘Marmalade Skies’

This rose lives happily in the high desert and Albuquerque area, and, once established, requires very little water. It can be a show stopper in the garden, and is a useful rose for arrangements.