Bloom Thyme Friday: WaterWorks

Link | June 30, 2017July 1, 2017 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

For as long as I can remember, I have had a “sprig of something” rooting in water on a windowsill. My mom did that. My grandmother did that. My Aunt Myrtle did that.

This process never fails to wow me. Never fails to bring me great joy. I love being able to see the tiny roots form. Showing life. Showing rebirth. Showing re-creation. A good reminder of how simple the needs of a plant and a person can be. Strong roots that start growing slowly and get stronger as they continue to feed on things that are good for them. Basic things … like water.

Life can get complicated, but in reality our needs are so basic. God. Water. Family. Friends. Red Lipstick. Tacos. 😉💄🌮😉

On my potting shed windowsill today I have Coleus, Mint, Wandering Jew, Unidentified Trailing Plant, 3 African Violets (that are just about ready to be potted up) and Lavender (lavender roots best if you get down to the woody part of the stem)!

Not every plant will root in water. Many things I have tried just rotted.

Today I returned home from California to see roots on something I have never been able to root in water before!

DRUM ROLL!

For the very first time, I have roots on a Rugosa Rose cutting! I am just over the moon about this one.

Last week when I walked into my daughter’s California kitchen, guess what I saw.

Her windowsill with plants getting their baby roots. Joy! #happymomma

I even have a “sprig of something” on my kitchen windowsill where it gets little to no light! (Wandering Jew)

Do you like to put “sprigs of something” in water?

PROCESS (It’s Basic.)

Take cutting
Remove last 3 or 4 sets of leaves
Put stem in a tiny bit of root tone
Put in water
For most plants, sun will definitely help!
Watch for roots!

For African Violets, I just take a leaf and suspend it in water. Small jam jars covered in plastic wrap secured with a strong rubber band will do the trick! Cut a slit in the plastic wrap.

Keep putting down deep, strong roots and Happy Bloom Thyme Friday!

Bloom Thyme Friday: Arranging Things

Link | June 23, 2017June 23, 2017 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

I took Wednesday off to get ready for a class I was teaching on roses at the local library. I wanted to have time to make bokays to have for door prizes! The dreaded Japanese beetles who had descended a few days earlier and an all night rain meant there was a chance that no “suitable” roses would be found for my bokays.

So I woke up early eager to get started and I was greeted with a cool, peaceful, misty morning. A morning perfect for gathering flowers! Sometimes you just feel you have God’s stamp of approval on the task at hand and this was such a time! #grateful

I loaded up my wagon with buckets of water and a nice big container to hold the weeds and dead heads I found along the way.

The fruit of my labor…

There are few things I enjoy more than a morning in the garden to gather! Unless it’s arranging the “gathering”! I forgot to take pictures of all the arrangements but here is one…

Version 3

TIPS FOR YOU

Last week at Rosefest I did a mini workshop on flower arranging. It was such fun! Here are some tips I gave those who attended for extending the life of their bokays.

Morning is the best time to cut flowers.

Use sharp snips or pruners.

Choose blooms not yet fully open.

Place in water immediately. (Take bucket to garden!)

Re-cut stems under water before adding to arrangement.

Remove leaves that will be under water.

Use flower preservative in water.

Change out water and recut stems every day or two!

On this Bloom Thyme Friday, I wish for you a beautiful, peaceful, misty morning to be in your garden and flowers to pick for your bokay!

Bloom Thyme Friday: The Garden at Its Happiest

Link | June 16, 2017June 16, 2017 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

This week was Garden Party Week!

My garden is never happier than when it is filled with special guests.

The week started with a garden party that included the board members of the Indianapolis Rose Society and our special guest speaker for Rosefest, Pat Shanley, American Rose Soceity President. It was a wonderful evening of friends, fellowship, roses and CAKE. Oh, that cake!

Later in the week came a large group (56 or so) of very special people from our church. Most of them are at the time in their life when they are not able to work in a garden as they once did, but are right at home in a garden and were very excited to be here. It was so special to have them. We laughed, we ate, we talked gardening, roses and friendship.

Mr. G and I are feeling so blessed to be able to share our little piece of heaven with each one of them. I do hope they will all come again. The garden is the happiest when it is filled with those we love.

SPECIAL BLOOMERS THIS WEEK…

ONE MORE THING

If you are local, I will be speaking about growing roses at the library on Wed, June 21 at 6:30. Would love to see you there. Bring your questions!

What a wonderful week I have had. Hope you have too!

Bloom Thyme Friday: Tending the Garden

Link | June 9, 2017December 29, 2019 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Funny that the most quotable quote about names, mentions a rose!

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. William Shakespeare

For those of you who have encouraged me to “name” the garden, this is for you. Actually, some of you have more than encouraged me …. in some cases insisted the garden have a proper name—you know who you are! 😁 Grin. Well, Mr. G calls the garden, T’s Garden and I’m sure he will continue to do so. But, for the rest, it is now officially BLOOM THYME COTTAGE GARDEN. I know, a stretch, I have always referred to what’s going on in the garden as Bloom Thyme. So bring on the plaque — the garden has a name and it even has a welcome mat…

Such great work by my friend, Lauren Holt of Bear Home Goods. Check her out!

TENDING THE GARDEN…

Whether planting, weeding, cutting blooms or just walking with coffee in hand, my garden brings me immense joy — it is where I hear God’s voice the loudest, it’s where I dream, it’s where I “figure things out”, it’s where the need in me to “tend things” is realized. As my flowers bloom so do I! I don’t think that it is an accident that Genesis 2 is filled with a garden…

Gardeners, we are in great company … “God almighty first planted a garden.” -Francis Bacon. And, that garden had a name, The Garden of Eden.

Now the LORD God planted a garden in the east. …God took the Man and set him in the Garden of Eden to work the ground and keep it in order. Genesis 2

I hope you have a special place where you are able to bloom. If you do… maybe you need to name it!

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK…

Many of the roses are just now getting started. It is nice to see them return.

Proven Winner’s Smoothie is a blooming machine!

A new rose … AT LAST from Proven Winners. So far for me it is a WINNER!

Keep blooming wherever you are planted!

Bloom Thyme Friday: A Match Made in Heaven

Link | June 2, 2017June 2, 2017 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

When God put Mr. G and me together, it was surely a match made in heaven. In more ways than you can imagine.

But, one of the most obvious ways is that I am a gardener and he is a builder. If I can dream it, he can build it. I’ll admit I’ve dreamed up a ton of stuff through the years!

Last year “we” decided that the main gate to our garden needed refreshing. (Well, maybe that part was “I”.) “I” wanted it to look more like the gate/trellis’ we had done for another area in the garden. The layout of the entrance is a bit different but Mr. G, the engineer, figured out just what we needed and started building in between rain storms a few weeks ago. Digging the post holes was a two-man job and our son came to lend a helping hand. From building snowmen to building gates, these two have worked on countless projects together and are a great team!

It is now complete! I just love it! Time will give it the rustic patina we love and allow for the New Dawn roses and Etoile Violette Clematis to climb and wind and add their charm.

This is New Dawn this week over the other main gate/trellis when she was going “up and over“. When she blooms she blooms. And, such a sweet fragrance too.

Behind New Dawn is the arbor with Francis E. Lester and Peggy Martin. Picture day for these was a rainy day, but they are holding up pretty well in all the rain. Good thing!

Yes, I have planted two New Dawns that will head up and over this new handcrafted “work of art” and two Etoile Clematis. Blue Angel Clematis is already getting cozy!

TA DA! The finished product…

He is a true craftsman! The roses and the clematis will have a firm foundation. And, our guests will have a “handcrafted” warm welcome!

BACK TO “MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN”

Before you get to thinking that things are toooooo perfect around here, know this… If you know anything at all about “birth order” — we are two strong-willed first borns. Need I say more! Yes, on occasion there are “strong” conversations in our world. 😉

If you want to know more about “birth order,” read Dr. Kevin Leman’s book The Birth Order Book … Why You Are the Way You Are, immediately, from page 1 you will find yourself, your kids, your friends and yes your spouse. He will shed light on how these relationships work—with all the humor you can imagine. I read it back in the late 80s and even gave it to my children when they were in jr. high! You can purchase here. A fun and helpful read for only $12!