BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: FIREWORKS BEGIN

Link | | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

I always refer to my spring bloom cycle as “fireworks and fragrance,” primarily because the rugosas and the old garden roses go crazy! I love it so much. And right now it is beginning. My first rugosa gave me the much anticipated first blooms and the other shrubs are loaded and just about ready to go.

Belle Poitevine…

Would you look at that center!


Soapwort… Has a short but beautiful bloom cycle. I love it that she’s early and holds her own even in the crazy spring weather.

Bloomerang Lilac still going strong… and filling the garden with fragrance! 

Rugosa buds…

Peonies…

Three beautiful roses came today from Roses Unlimited and they look fantastic. One Papi Delbard and 2 Mother of Pearls. EXCITING!!

MR. G HITS PAY DIRT!

Mr. G is over the moon excited with his new wheelbarrow. IT’S A CRAFTSMAN. Guys his age will understand his excitement with finding CRAFTSMAN anything these days – especially at Lowes as it was a Sears feature for so many years, but that’s another story. When he called me from Lowes to tell me of his good fortune, he failed to mention the wheelbarrow was RED — CRAFTSMAN RED.  🚒🔥🚨  All I could think was the numerous times in my youth when I was told not to wear pink and red together — they would clash. 💞❤️ 💞  You and I both know that my garden is filled to the brim with pink roses. So what am I to do. Of course I can try to photograph the garden around this “great wheelbarrow with a lifetime guarantee,” 🙄 or… you and I can play a game of WHERE’S WALDO / RED WHEELBARROW. When you see it in a picture, let me know and I’ll feature you in a post! 🤷‍♀️

Well, we wont’ lose it! 🙂 Plus, it holds a ton of mulch!✔️✔️✔️

HAPPY BLOOM THYME FRIDAY!

Bloom Thyme Friday: SO MUCH NEW!

Link | | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

In my world there is so much NEW!!! Fresh new blooms and a fresh new kitchen. Yes, we updated our kitchen — saying goodbye to the 80s.

All this “new” is overshadowing all the rain I could focus on. I’m not going to lie, I AM tired of rain. We have had rain. I mean RAIN. ☔️ RAIN. ☔️ RAIN. ☔️

The spring flowers don’t seem to mind the rain as much as I do, however, a few of them are turning yellow. So, maybe they really don’t like this much.

Several days ago I dug a hole for a new shrub and it immediately filled 1/2 way with water and hasn’t fully drained since. Today I believe we will get a break and I plan to get back to gardening!

NEW ‘BLOOM THYME’ BLOOMS

The roses are growing strong. Of course, they just had a big gulp of fertilizer. No sooner than I put down the BLOOMKOTE fertilizer til we had a rain storm and I think we had inches of rain that night – probably sending BLOOMKOTE to China to fertilize their roses — no doubt. I don’t know about you, but as a child, I thought we really could dig to China or at least it would be fun to try. HAHA!

NEW KITCHEN:

We prayed over our kitchen renovation as we desired for it to be a place for wonderful connections filled with light, love and a better view of our garden.

We are starting down the home stretch on the kitchen project and very grateful the water is back on! The are still little details that will come over the next few days like finishing the electrical, painting and the big question … what surface do we want on our island that Mr. G is making. The “surface” you see is heavy duty cardboard. That makes me think I do like black. (Leave your ideas in the comments below!!) Here’s where we are today….

Yes, the finish line is in our sight. We love how it is along and are so grateful for our new gathering space. But, if you ever have to do without running water in your kitchen for 7 weeks, let me know, I will pray for you! 😂😂😂

The finished pictures will come soon.

NEXT UP FOR BLOOM THYME:

Mulch: It is time to mulch and I have been waiting for a dry day. Since we have lost the last week to rain, I have some helpers coming this weekend to help — if it stops raining. And, between you and me, the outlook for that a completely dry day is slim.

Whether or not the sun is shining outside it sure is “shining” in our new space and I hope you have sunshine where you are too.

Happy Bloom Thyme Friday!

Bloom Thyme Friday: It’s Time!

Link | | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Yes, it’s time…

…TIME TO PRUNE THE ROSES

My Forsythia is blooming letting us know that the ground temps are now around 50 degrees and it “should” be safe to start pruning the roses.

As I took a quick look over the garden this week, I saw some things that made me very happy and a couple things that are iffy.

The brightest spot was seeing Peggy Martin who you will remember died back to the ground last year (Read the story of Mother Nature’s curve balls here.) but, she has now made it up and over the arbor again and I see buds all the way. Praying we don’t get a late frost or freeze like we did last year.

…TIME TO PLANT BARE ROOTS ROSES

Boxes have been arriving this week: 2 from David Austin and 1 from Palatine Roses. These bare roots look fabulous. Some are going in the ground and some are going in pots.

New Ones: Vanessa Bell, Dame Judi Dench, James L Austin, The Generous Gardener (I already have one and just love it!), Ghislane De Feligonde, Jasmine, and Papi Delbard. I simply cannot wait to see how these beauties grow and bloom! I’ll share!

They are all fabulous, but look at this dreamy Vanessa Bell!! Named for the artist, designer and founder member of the Bloomsbury Group – sister of the writer, Virginia Woolf. (DA)

NOTE: For more tips on spring rose care, read on here.

…TIME TO BUY POTTED ROSES FROM OUR ROSE SOCIETY

The Indianapolis Rose Society had their annual rose sale and the plants were fabulous. I bought 2 David Austins: Queen of Sweden and Wollerton Old Hall. If you are local come and join us, our 2019 Meetings and Events Schedule is posted here.

And, Wollerton Old Hall — Oh my!

Wollerton Old Hall in Shropshire, located not far from the David Austin nursery, has one of the most beautiful private gardens in the country. The gardens are set around a 16th Century hall and feature roses in creative plant combinations, including many of our own English Roses. Wollerton Old Hall is open to the public on selected days throughout the summer. Read more here. http://www.wollertonoldhallgarden.com )

…TIME TO ENJOY BLOOM THYME BLOOMS

Isn’t spring just the best… except for those friends are getting pelted with snow as I write. So sorry! Hoping this will be the last.

…TIME TO GET SOME REST

Today I worked a little too hard and a little too long— if you get my drift. 😉😉 Think I should take a cue from our Southern sister Scarlet who said, “tomorrow is another day!” However, I typically run my life in “no time like the present” mode. 😃

Have a wonderful week. I’m heading for a bit more Advil! My body might be tired/sore but my spirit is soaring!

Bloom Thyme Friday: SPRING HAS SPRUNG

Link | | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

To say that I am excited that spring is here would be a grand understatement!

Today we have beautiful sunshine to celebrate even though the temps are cold. I’ll take it. I know we are on the right track.

Today I have pansies and violas to plant! These little beauties can take the cold and keep smiling.

As soon as I see the forsythia blooming, I will be pruning and starting garden clean up! To read my top tips for spring care for roses, read on here. Until then, I’m making lists and checking them twice — and running to garden centers any chance I get!

BLOOM THYME…

Let’s look back to Spring 2018 and remember the kind of things we have to look forward to…

ROSE CONFERENCE…

As the ARS District Director of Illinois and Indiana ( https://illinoisindianadistrict.org ), I cordially invite you to attend a one-day conference to learn and grow.

Sat, March 30 in Logansport, IN

SPEAKERS

Dr. Mark Windham, Plant Pathology / University of Tennessee, will present three programs on diseases, insects and pesticide safety.

Curtis Aumiller, ARS Chairman of Photography, will share tips and tricks of rose photography and help us better prepare for entering photography in rose shows.

For additional information on this event, including a registration form… read on.

These programs are approved for Master Gardener Education hours and Consulting Rosarian credit.

Wishing you a wonderful week blooming wherever you are planted!😘