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And So It Begins: First Blooms of 2023!

VRS Member Alex Waterhouse-Heyward, a renowned Vancouver photographer and noted blogger, suggested a few years ago that we begin sharing our first blooms of the new season with each other. The idea quickly caught on and we've been doing it every year since.

The 'First Bloom' of 2023 is actually a bud! Close enough...and what a beauty! This fabulous pic has just been sent in from John M. from his garden in Victoria, BC.

Thanks so much for sharing your 'Canary Bird' (Rosa xanthina "Canary Bird') with us, John. Only in Victoria!

And just a reminder to everyone to share your 'first blooms' with all of us!

Keep checking back as we post more 'first blooms' from other members' gardens as the new season blooms on!

5/9/2023 - From John M. in Victoria: R. xanthina “Canary Bird” - listed as Breeder unknown, before 1945.
It is also listed by David Austin as being introduced in 1867 by William Paul - but apparently that is a different variety now only known to grow at Sangerhausen in Germany. This one has dark reddish bark and always blooms early, with occasional blooms later. Quite amazingly sharp thorns.

5/9/2023- Also from John M., his 'Lady Banks'.

Larry W, Vancouver, says he finally has a couple of first blooms to share with you. This is 'Open Arms', a mini climber that is always the first to bloom in his backyard.

Larry also shares his 'Black Baccara'. The second rose to bloom right behind Open Arms is 'Black Baccara'. The photos don't do it justice, it's really dark-red, as dark a colour while still seeing some red.

Tina B of Burnaby says her 1st bloom this year is 'Charles de Gaulle', with a clematis wall in the background. There are 4 varieties of roses but the wall has ~12 clematis varieties in total.

Paul T from West Vancouver says his 'Michel Trudeau' has been blooming all week but this is the first one accessible for a photo!

Evelyn R in Coquitlam shares her first bloom which was 'Blanc Double de Coubert'.

Karin S, in the colder part way up the hill in Port Moody is very excited to share her first bloom, 'Maigold'.

Sunhee C in Coquitlam shares a poignant story with us about her sadly departed husband, Antonio. He planted this 'Orchid Romance' last Summer.

Victoria B in Agassiz sent a sampling of the roses that are blooming in her garden right now. This is
'Altissimo', a climber.

Darlene S, West Vancouver: 'Étoile de Hollande' (Star of Holland) - Climbing Hybrid Tea. Many times a blue ribbon for fragrance at our Rose Shows.

From Carolyn W, West Vancouver - her first blooms - 'Munstead Wood'.

Brenda V's garden in Coquitlam - Scotch Briar (r. spinosissima)

From Arlene A, in Burnaby, her first bloom of 'Mme Alfred Carriere', a white 'noisette' from 1879 that she grew from a cutting.

From Mary I, in Vancouver, on the wall of her garage facing south, 'William Morris', an apricot blend David Austin shrub.

Brad Jalbert shares a new hybrid of his that has been growing in his greenhouse, hence the early bloom. He says it has an amazing strong citrus perfume, it has been field tested for 4 years and will be going to be budded up for sale in the next year or so.

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You can read about -- and see more photos of -- first bloomers in Alex Waterhouse-Hayward's blog at:

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/06/roses-clematis-hosta-scanned-ii.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/06/single-malt-scotch-rosarians-delights.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/06/roses-clematis-hosta-scanned.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/06/two-gardens-of-earthy-delight.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/06/rose-is-rose-is-rose-is-rose.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/06/tres-alejandras.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2015/06/chapeau-de-napoleon.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/06/purple-haze-fashionable-twice.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2013/06/in-lieu-of-that-readhead.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/06/rosa-constance-spry-happy-man-makes-me.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/06/yellow-she-affords.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/06/sanda-simic-generous-gardener.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/05/a-sepal-petal-and-thorn.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/05/rosa-souvenir-de-malmaison-corn.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2019/05/my-first-rose-of-season-rosa-sericea.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2019/04/the-first-rose-to-bloom-in-our-garden.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2017/05/jacqueline-du-pre-returns-i-smile.htm

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2017/05/rosa-james-mason-all-potential-more.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2008/06/russian-frenchman-canadian-placid.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2013/07/all-that-jazz-lurid-wonderful.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/05/plants-their-faces.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/05/naked-nude-observed.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/05/rosa-benjamin-britten.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/05/dr-huey-makes-house-calls.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/05/accuracy-then-beauty.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/05/leander-is-back-to-heros-welcome.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2007/04/rosa-agnes-john-tuytle-vandusen-plant.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2020/05/gertrude-jekyll.html