This third week in June has traditionally been a top time for Britain’s roses and their visitors. Lovely pink Fantin Latour, red-and-white-flecked Ferdinand Pichard, white Madame Hardy with her green central boss: looking forward in spring, I visualise these old-fashioned roses at their best when the longest daylight fades on June 21. I say “traditionally” because the changing climate makes primetime dating hazardous.

Londoners will dissent, because this year’s mild winter and the absence of spring frost brought the city’s roses, especially climbers, into flower about seven weeks before this midsummer weekend. I use June 21 as a benchmark only, against which to calibrate change and variation.

Are roses having another vintage year? In many ways they are, even after vintage years in 2022-23, but there has been a stain on their heavy quantities of flower: frequent rain has spoiled some of them soon after they open. I was lucky, two weekends ago, to discuss the subject in an experienced group. I made up a foursome with three owners who open their fine gardens in which roses feature.