The sun has finally decided to stay for a few days, and the roses are popping. This is my favorite time in the garden, and I relish the morning ritual of picking blooms for my vases and my camera. In France, roses are everywhere from May though October (and beyond, if you live in the south). My happiest childhood memories come from the time we lived nears Orléans on the Loire River. Our house sat in several acres of walled park and garden, and the formal parterres that lined the lower paths were filled with 25 varieties of tea roses (we counted them!). My mother once made a spectacular hat out of roses for one of the many luncheons she attended. There is so much shade in my garden, that I can't indulge my lust for tea roses, but I've had a lot of success with climbing roses along the walls of the house. They only bloom once, but they're very generous. And if it doesn't rain too much or get hot too soon, I can enjoy my roses for another few weeks.