Treasured Pet and New Roses

I'm a bit early for Tuesday Treasures with Melody but have a full day out and about tomorrow.
I fully did the rose post and then noticed that it was the day for the pet posts! Aghh - had to ammend the post.

Part 1.
My chosen pet is Kanga. She is 2 years old now. I got her for Christmas 2009 and not long after, the second of our two Hungarian Vizslas passed away. It was a very sad time as he was my dearest friend. Kanga helped take my mind off my loss . She was our 'Barn Cat' as we were living in the barn for the first 9 months of having her. She is 'Kanga' because she is an expert jumper, as all kittens are I suppose but she did seem to have an exceptional aptitude for it from a very early age.
She would sleep on my bed every night and wake me with a smoochy snuggle to my face in the wee small hours when she wanted a feed or a drink of milk! Scallywag!

Cute Kanga

Naughty Kanga

Rubbish Bin Kanga

Hypnotized Kanga

Best friend Kanga

Comfy Kanga

Shocked Kanga (fell in the wading pool)

Sticky Beak Kanga

Fussy Kanga

Cuddly Kanga

It took a long time for her to be fully confident wandering around our large property but now she is full of confidence and wanders far and wide. She loves to keep us company when we are gardening though and will sit in our shade as we pull weeks or plant seedlings etc. The only issue with that is Harry, our Brittany who likes nothing better than to terrorize her and chase her from one end of the place to the other. Kanga has his number though and will dive and tack back and forth from one refuge to the next so that Harry rarely catches her. We know when he has though as she is covered in yukky, sticky, spikey patches of 'pupkus' oh ICK! 

She is the first cat I have had for a long time and I am loving every minute of her company and cuteness! 

Part 2.

On Friday we took a drive - in the ghastly heat - to Warragul and a rose nursery we had heard was there. It was a small nursery with an abundance of beautiful blooms as you can imagine.
The poor proprietor was lamenting his relentless battle against the elements, the current one being the hot dry wind.

Pink Gruss en Archen - what a beauty. This one is going near my back door in the Cottage Garden.

He was a wealth of information and knowledge in all things Rosaceae. When I inquired as to whether a certain rose was a moss rose or not he quietly yet authoritatively said "Rugosa" Oh okay! Yep, he knows his onions all right - um roses I mean.
There was row upon row of wonderful flowers, colours, perfumes and forms. There were: Pots and pots of soft apricot, gigantically petaled roses that looked like silk. David Austin roses with tight spherical buds and fabulous cupped flowers with uncountable massed petals in their centres. Velvet red Hybrid Tea's. Glorious orange floribundas which glowed as though lit from within, just to list a few.
Each plant filled my mind with pictures of their potential grandeur: An arbor covered in a pretty pink climber with a scent guaranteed to lure one into the garden and make excuses to stay there all day! "Yes I'm still weeding!" and "Just checking for caterpillars."or the old favourite "Everything needed a feed." That can take hours you know, all that measuring and carting of watering cans etc.

Anyway here is what I bought: Pictures were stolen of course, apart from the last one from my old garden.

Crepuscule.  Seen here on a fence.

St Cecelia - with a Myrrh fragrance which is hypnotizing. With fruit, grapes and licorice all wrapped up and a dainty gorgeous little rose flower.

Pink Sparrieshoop - Mine does not have such defined pink on the petal edges and the centre stamens are dark pink, almost copper.

Double Delight - Just because! This one has always been my favourite. The smell is of freshly cut ripe summer fruit.

There are so many more that I want. I am working on an area which will be filled with David Austin roses and arbors supporting delicious climbers and pillar roses. This spot will be hidden down behind a hedge of conifer trees (which are still tiny puppies). I can't wait to see it all develop. I will call it my Secret Treasure Garden - in honour of my wonderful friend Melody - see what other Treasures are on show at her blog; The House on the Side of the Hill.