Well, for the last two weeks I have been “gardening from a fire hose.” For sure. With winter refusing to leave and spring rains turning to spring floods, all the spring chores around here were crammed into the last two weeks. Of course, there is not a real “deadline”, however, I want things to be ready when FIREWORKS and FRAGRANCE season starts and the old roses lead the way in late May.
So with every minute I had, I was planting, pruning, fertilizing and mulching. As of Wednesday of this week, most of those tasks have been crossed off the list. Whew! Just in time to see this beauty take center stage as the first rose to bloom.



Therese Bugnet (Hybrid Rugosa (Georges Bugnet, Canada, 1941)
If you would like to know more about her or would like to have one in your garden, check out the High Country Roses website HERE.
So in this flurry of garden activity, I found a place for 24 dahlias.😳 Still a mystery to me how I found enough room. Also found plenty of room to plant cosmos and zinnia seeds. My plan is that they will take up the slack when the roses have to lay low while the Japanese Beetles are on the hunt for them mid-summer. Praying that the JBs do not find Dahlias and Zinnias tasty. Can’t these dreaded creatures just go away! Remember last summer …
ROSE CHAT
If you need some company while you’re weeding, check out the latest podcasts. I’ve been chatting with some great guests. Access list below..

Hybrid Musk Roses – Matt Douglas – Rose Chat Podcast
Yes, May Madness is upon us! The garden is filled with excitement. So many roses are budded up and will pop soon! FIREWORKS AND FRAGRANCE to be continued.
In this time of gardening from a fire hose…. the scripture Psalm 46:10, Be still and know that I am God…. is something I need more than ever. He is the creator of all this beauty we see and I am grateful.
Have a wonderful week in your garden and I hope you have time to just be…
My roses, flowering vines (Confederate Jasmine and Wisteria), peonies, and bedding plants are thriving. The two vines had become invasive to other nearby shrubs and really needed pruning desperately. I have spent two full days of just pruning those two vines and a few shrubs (holly, quince, Russian Olive). Last week all of my roses had just exploded and did quite well, then the heat came, and this week we have had rain and a cool spell, so I was able to prune. My yard is like a jungle! Have not been able to remove the spent roses due to other garden chores. My lilies and irises and now my hydrangeas are blooming. I welcome the rain, and more is coming tomorrow. I try and take a few photos each day of my roses and other flowers in bloom. My Sunsprite yellow rose bloomed (a floribunda), and it is so pretty. I am very pleased with it. My Charisma has bloomed also, but the one rose that bloomed is not as large as I had hoped. Maybe the next ones will be larger, but I am very pleased with the colors (red/yellow). This has really been the BEST Spring that I can ever remember. I don’t even want to think of those nasty Japanese Beetles. I have seen a couple of Stink Bugs in my vegetable garden. They will eat tomatoes. Last year was the first year that I had ever seen or had those. Do you have those? They smell a little like the herb, cilantro. I will try and send you a few of my recent roses in bloom. So beautiful! My Savannah Pink was absolutely so beautiful this spring. WOW! (Thurs., 05-26-2022)