We are having a very dark week and I’m going back to sunny days in May (when it wasn’t raining… and it rained a lot!) ☔️
Let’s start with Niobe Clematis: Gorgeous blooms for months! She cared little about the torrential rainfall — just did her beautiful thing!
Reine des Violette: This almost thornless, one-time blooming OGR gives so much in beauty and fragrance that you forgive her for leaving so quickly!! Hybrid Perpetuals usually rebloom but she hasn’t in 5 years. She is in a bit of a shady area so that could be the issue.
Sweet William (Dianthus): Makes spring so special with it’s dependable mass of bloom! Great in a vase!
Rosa Mundi (Gallica Rose) and friends…
Rosa Mundi is a beautiful and fragrant one-time blooming machine! I dream of her blooms in winter! She is fantastic!
Easy on the Eyes Rose: This disease resistant, fragrant beauty blooms all summer long and is indeed easy on the eyes and gets a lot of attention in the garden. I don’t think I ever saw a spec of disease on this one. Thanks Tom Carruth! 2018 release from Weeks.
Peonies: The rain beat them down too quickly, but I had plenty to bring inside! Their season is always short and sweet but I couldn’t do without it! Even after my blooms were gone, I bought bundles from the grocery store to bring home.
IN OTHER NEWS:
BULB UPDATE:
As of today, all bulbs are planted. Daffodils, Alliums, Crocus. I was so surprised how soft the soil still is. It was a pleasure to be digging!I have a lot more garden clean up to do and am hoping that will happen this weekend as the weather looks to be just perfect for some outside work — once the rain moves on!
ROCKY:
We have a raccoon that is making our bird watching fun most unpleasant. One evening while sitting in our chairs we heard a loud thud from outside. A few minutes later, we heard another thud. I said, “I am sure it’s just a raccoon on the bird feeder.” Not really sure that was it at all. Mr. G goes to investigate and the fattest raccoon you have ever seen, was climbing up our window (how do they do that) to try to get to the feeder and he did! Got right in the middle. Raccoons are a year round problem here. We are spreading around more cayenne pepper. But, if you ask me he kind of likes it — or at least sees it as a challenge. Any tips??
AMARYLLIS:
It’s time to plant amaryllis… I’m waiting a bit later than usual to plant them this year so that I have blooms in January when I return from England. I’ll really need them then!
Look at these amazing bulbs I found! You probably can’t really tell the size but they are huge! The last time I grew a Mount Blanc – it had 14 blooms – at one time. A record for me! Seriously, I have a picture somewhere! Apple Blossom is always pretty. I wanted red this year but didn’t find any large bulbs. #sizematters
I also had to buy this Smith and Hawkins pot for old times sake. I miss the Smith and Hawkins store so much. Trips to that store made my winters so much more pleasant! It is where I did so much spring dreaming! Anyone else remember those amazing places for gardeners. Glad Target keeps the memories alive with their S & H garden collection.
POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS:
Repotted a very leggy Swedish Ivy that was in a tiny pot. Swedish Ivy is not a picky plant. I don’t ever remember buying this plant but I sure like it. If you are new to houseplants, this would be a great one to buy!
Took some cuttings from the Ivy and potted up a broken stem of the Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus. We’ll see what happens with them. Hope they take. I love having new babies. (Like I need more. 🤦♀️)
Window garden still looking good. The sun found us a bit today!
GIVING THANKS:
I hope you enjoy this very special week. A time to stop and think about all the people and all the things we have been blessed with. And cook all our favorite foods! Yummmmm.
Til next time… know that I am thankful for you and the Giver of all good things…
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thanks for the photos. It’s a dreary day in Ohio!
Each year I forgot how really dreary winter can be … that’s why I have come to like snow. It makes things prettier! At least when it first falls!
Nice post. I always love to review the season.
Photos of the growing season save me! But, it also makes me uber excited for spring!! Thanks for stopping by.
You keep turning our eyes and hearts in the right direction. God is good. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Wishing you and your family a very blessed Thanksgiving!
Lovely to see these pics of your very healthy garden, Teresa, your foliage is almost as glorious as your blooms. I don’t know anything about racoons (except what I read in a favourite childhood book Little Raccoon and the Thing in the Pool by Lilian Moore) but I have just read that a spray made up of 1 part molasses to 4 parts of water might deter possums, caterpillars and grasshoppers!
I have been in Disney World this past week and saw some beautiful flowers, plants, and vegetables growing there plus several types of fish that are in tanks. They use the fish and lettuces for the restaurants there. I loved the Bougainvillea and real hanging Cinderella pumpkins from their vines. I must tell you that I saw a miniature blue Morning Glory with a tiny pink star center in the flower. It really looked like a Morning Glory flower to me anyway. The park was decorated for Christmas. You and I have a lot of the same roses and flowers. BTW, we have a flower farmer who lives close by in our area. You write so well, and I love seeing your beautiful flowers and plants. Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. We all have so much to be thankful for in this great country.
Re: Your dried rose petals, rosebuds, and roses – Do hope you haven’t disposed of any of them yet. You can put them in a clear plastic Christmas ball or a larger size one with a pretty small ribbon bow on top and have a lovely Christmas ornament for yourself or to give away as a gift. I put mulling spices in mine (whole cloves, cinnamon bark, etc,) for scent since they are dried also. Very elegant with the right colors and ribbon like velvet (almost reminds me of Victorian). Check out a craft store near you. Take some pics if you make some.
I use to have the Swedish Ivy plant in a hanging basket. It has pretty tiny white flowers. But I love the variegated Spider Plants that have tiny baby Spider Plants. I use to have a green one also. They do well in hanging baskets. Do you have pansies in your garden during the winter? I love those and the violas.
Peonies are so enviable! Well, so are clematis. Clematis prefers more humidity than they get here. Peony prefers more chill. Peonies supposedly ‘can’ be grown in the (so-called) higher elevations of the Santa Monica Mountains above Los Angeles, but I have never seen it. There are some in my former neighborhood here that do quite well, but only sporadically. No one can explain it. They were not happy at my home, but were quite happy a bit more than half a mile away.
I miss Smith & Hawken so much, I worked at 2 different locations and scored some great deals on beautiful teak furniture and other garden accessories.
Your flowers are beautiful and make me yearn for spring. I know it’s not too far off, in my garden just north of Atlanta daffodils are poking out about 2 to 3 inches and I saw bud of a hellebore in the woods.
Looking forward to seeing your photos from England. Safe travels.
What a fun place to work. Yes in Atlanta you will see spring long before I do! You’ll have to share pictures. Merry Christmas!