"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Saturday, June 13, 2009

A pretty combination.

I was going to call this post Abraham and the drunken sailors, but decided to go with a less catchy title.  I'm just loving my new rose 'Abraham Darby'.  I have to say that it was my oldest daughter that convinced me that this was the rose to buy.
We had several lined up, and really I had been wanting a yellow rose.  She insisted that this was the one.  She was right.
Here it is with the drunken sailors.  I found online that Red Valerian (centranthus ruber) is also called Drunken Sailor.
I'm wondering where that name came from?  Is it because it tends to flop over once in awhile?  Anyway, I still like it and I think the two of them look very pretty together.
My friends took me out for an early birthday breakfast this past week (my birthday isn't until the end of the month) and all went in a gift card for my favorite nursery.   
I'm taking Sweet Pea with me to help me choose another rose today.
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26 comments:

  1. I like your original post name better. Live on the edge ;)

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  2. Drunken sailor? Isn't that an interesting name for a plant?!?!? The rose looks great with it.

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  3. Your daughter has good taste!

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  4. That is a beautiful color combination and what an interesting name "Drunken Sailor" is! How nice to have a gift certificate and maybe you'll find a perfect yellow rose today.

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  5. I agree with Sylvana, great title Abraham & the Drunken sailors! @ of my favorite plants you have shown here....justwatch out for the drunken sailors....they tend to reseed readily.

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  6. She made a good choise. That's a reaaly nice looking Rose and planted with those drunken sailors it looks great / gittan

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  7. Catherine, Happy Almost Birthday!! Please remind me later... At any rate your Sweet Pea chose a beautiful rose and YOU chose a great place to plant it. Great combination. (You also have Very Nice Friends - a gift card to your nursery is quite the appropriate gift!) :-)

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  8. I am going to check my book on antique perennials as the valerian, aka centranthus may be in there. Not sure. But one reason it might be called drunken sailors is because of the sedative effect it has? Maybe? I'll look further into it. It is so pretty. I wish I had some that bloomed like that!

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  9. Beautiful pictures Nicely done blog.

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  10. Oh those are so pretty. Pink, my very favorite.
    Debbie

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  11. I liked your first thought title too but then my sense of humor is a bit warped or at least bent a little sometimes!
    They do look very nice together. I love my Red Valerian too - although the color is a bit off from my color scheme I allow it to stay because it's so dang pretty - and makes babies for me!

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  12. I love that rose! Never heard of the drunken sailor plant, but you crack me up with the flopping over thing!

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  13. I've been lusting after Abraham Darby for a few years now. Can you keep the pictures coming?
    But that Honey Perfume in your last post is quite the winner also.

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  14. oooh, I had Abraham Darby in my line-up this spring too but decided on Gentle Hermione instead. Not sure if that was a good choice or not as she's not doing well for me. :-( It could be my fault tho ~ I've moved her twice trying to find the perfect spot. Abraham looks very content and happy in your garden. I've never heard the reference of drunken sailors to Centranthus before?? I'm curious now as to the reason. Happy early birthday too ~ the nursery gift certificate is the perfect gift!!

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  15. Sylvana - I agree, I should've gone with the original title :)

    Susie - Isn't it weird? I found it on almost every description of it.

    Laura - She does, she really likes helping me choose plants.

    Jana - Thank you for visiting!

    Mildred - Well, I did find a rose. But not yellow again :)

    Susie - Yes, I'm keeping an eye on the drunken sailors. They've been behaving themselves so far though :)

    Gittan - She did make a great choice, it's my favorite rose now.

    Shady Gardener - We are a good team, she loves helping me with my projects. These friends are great. We've been friends for years and take turns celebrating each others birthdays.

    Tina - Let me know if you find out why. I just think it's such a funny name to give a plant. I might just call it that instead of Red Valerian now :)

    Oge - Thank you!

    Debbie - Pink is one of my favorites too, I tend to go looking for one color and end up with pink instead.

    Linda - I thought it was funny, but didn't know if it was just me. Sometimes I do these post late in the evening when my brain is tired :) I know it doesn't always fit where I have it, but it's so long lasting and bright that I have to have it.

    Ginger - Only excuse I could come up with to call it that. You never know :)

    Kim and Victoria - I will keep the pictures coming. It's got quite a few new buds coming. I can't wait for it to get a little taller so it's more noticeable. Honey Perfume is a really pretty one and a very good fragrance too.

    Kathleen - I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that keeps moving something before it has a chance to get growing. I do that all the time with certain plants. I'm sure your rose will be very happy, some seem to take a little longer to get blooming.

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  16. Hallo,I'm Italian and I like your blog.I love flowers and gardening too.Come to my Italian blog if you like.You can write in English,of course.Bye.

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  17. I think they work really well together.

    Rob

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  18. I would happily stopped at a post with Drunken Sailor in the title. Very nice flower combination!

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  19. It's nice that your sweet pea has this interest in plants and gardening! I agree, the rose is lovely. Thanks for introducing more plants that I don't know about--valerian isn't something I've ever had, although the name sounds familiar. It is very pretty!

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  20. Ive never heard of the term "Drunken soldiers" being applied to red valerian,but I like it ;-) I too wonder ..why?LOL Your Abraham Darby is indeed beautiful.Im glad you have him too(whichever one of the three Abraham Darbys he represents!LOL)

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  21. Anna - Thanks for visiting and I will come to visit your blog.

    Rob - Thanks, my roses always get mixed in with the other flowers, I'm glad it landed in the right spot on the first try.

    Heather - It probably would've grabbed a lot of attention with that title :)

    Jan- Red Valerian is a great plant, it blooms non stop. It does reseed, but not bad, at least in my garden.

    Julie - Whoever they named it after is lucky to have such a beautiful rose named in their honor.

    Lanny - Thank you!

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  22. Beautiful combination! The Red Valerian almost looks like Crape Myrtle in the second shot.

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  23. Funny name! I see that plant everywhere, just never knew what it's called. I was curious about the name so I looked for a story but haven't found one - just that its leaves are edible raw or cooked, it's not a true Valerian, and it's also called Bouncing Bess and Bovisand Soldier. Cool about your GC! Curious what your fav nursery is...

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  24. You have a wonderful blog and I included you in my blog roll a well as my fave blogs on Blotanical! I look forward to many returns!

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