This has been a year for the record books. Aren’t they all! 😳

Leading up to “Open Garden” day, we had torrential downpours almost every day. Some days it rained all day. So with standing water in areas of the garden two days before “open garden” I was close to canceling. I can tell you my master gardener friends were not big fans of canceling. And yes it was raining the day of the big event but not torrential downpours. My thoughts were… if we were England we would not cancel, we would just dress for the weather. So, I sent out a note saying just that and added – bring your umbrella and wear your Wellies it’s garden tour time.

30 minutes before people were to arrive the rain stopped and the sun came out!!! We had the best time! Did the garden look it’s best…. HEAVEN’S NO! Every bloom had been water damaged. But, that didn’t stop the fun. We had the best time. How can you not have a good time with friends in your garden — it’s just the best. 

ZINNIAS FOR EVERYONE

I just love Zinnias. I tried several “new to me” varities from seed this year plus a few extras to share. A few weeks before open garden day, I had so much fun potting up Zinnia seedlings for visitors to take home. 

ROSEFEST UPDATE

Rosefest was a big success. Loads of people and loads of roses. In the Rose Show I saw some of the most beautiful roses I have ever seen thanks to all those who entered … especially John and Donna Hefner. They are such experts and are so willing to help others. They took home the top honors.

ROSE CHAT

More episodes are being released all the time. Check them out here. When you click the most recent episodes will become linkable. First up you’ll see my chat with Tom Carruth – one of the most successful rose hybridizers in the world. He has brought us classic beauties like Julia Child, Hot Cocoa and the amazing Forth of July climber to name a few. He is currently the currator for one of the most beautiful rose gardens in the world … The Huntington Rose Garden in San Marino, CA.

FIND YOUR BLOOMATE – Rose Chat Podcast

FIND YOUR BLOOMATE: Lessons from the Philadelphia Flower Show Robin Jennings, Heirloom On this episode of the Rose Chat Podcast, host Teresa Byington chats with Robin Jennings, Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Heirloom Roses. Robin recaps Heirloom’s recent experience at the Philadelphia Flower and breaks down the questions they heard from new and non-rose growers reaching for their “perfect bloomate.” From “Are roses hard to grow?” to “Which one won’t die on me?” Robin shares real conversations from the booth floor and unpacks what new gardeners are actually looking for. We’ll talk about the biggest misconceptions around roses, what traits beginners care about most, and how the industry can better guide first-time buyers. If you’ve ever wondered what new gardeners are thinking when they approach roses for the first time, this episode gives you a front-row seat.   The Rose Chat Podcast Our 15th Season MEET THE ROSE CHAT TEAM 🎙 Executive Producer & On-Air Personality Chris VanCleave – RedneckRosarian.com Chris—aka The Redneck Rosarian—is the mastermind behind the Rose Chat Podcast. He’s a nationally known rosarian, speaker, and TV personality who believes roses are for everyone, not just folks with fancy garden gloves. Whether he's talking bloom care or thorny troublemakers, Chris brings heart, humor, and a whole lot of rose wisdom to the mic. 🎙 Content Creator & On-Air Personality Teresa Byington – TheGardenDiary.com Teresa is a Master Gardener, Consulting Rosarian, and one of the kindest garden cheerleaders you’ll ever meet. She’s been growing roses for decades and still gets excited when one bursts into bloom. With stories, tips, and a dash of garden gossip, she helps make Rose Chat feel like a visit with a good friend, who just happens to be a rose expert. Wanna Keep in Touch? We’d love to pop into your inbox now and then (we promise, no spam—just roses). Click here to subscribe to Rose Chat updates!

1. FIND YOUR BLOOMATE 35:29
2. DAVID AUSTIN ROSES 54:44
3. A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON ROSES 54:37
4. A BLOOMING FUTURE FOR ARS & ARC 58:37
5. LANDSCAPING WITH ANTIQUE ROSES 41:25

THey’re back

Oh, how I hate to tell you that it’s now Japanese Beetle season again. 😫

You know how much I love my Vanessa Bell roses. Well, the Japanese Beetles chose her to be the first to munch on. So, it begins. 😡  If you’d like to read my article on Japanese Beetles from last year, read on here. 

PRESSING FLOWERS

I haven’t pressed flowers for many years but I have been craving to do so this year. Mr. G gifted me with an absolutely gorgeous (and large) press from Gardeners Supply. He loves to buy gifts from there as they have such quality! If you are interested in pressing some beauty too, here’s a link. 

What am I going to do with the flowers I press??? I’m not sure but I do envision a jar filled with beautiful pressed flowers. We’ll see!

ROSE OF THE WEEK… BLISS PARFUMA

What a rose! It has stood up to all the rain like a champ! This rose came to me from Heirloom Roses last year and it is outstanding. A strong, vigorous plant with gorgeous blooms. Like all the Kordes roses in my garden, it is disease resistant. It also has a light fragrance. To read more, here is a link to Heirloom.

COMPANION OF THE WEEK … SELF-SEEDED FOXGLOVE

Look at this beauty. It self-seeded from a Foxglove I bought at Lowes last year. Such a beautiful color. I will be saving seeds and making sure some make their way into the ground again!

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK

The rain gave way to torrid heat. I think most of you are in the same hot boat! Many plants are “melting” but some are taking the heat in stride. And, I’m trying to do the same.

We will close out the gallery with the boldest of all… one of the newest kids on the block – South Africa.

Whew, she is making a name for herself. She is positioned right beside the prissy pink Pomponella who may be giving her a side-eye. I might have to find a better place for her “boldness.”

Friends, glad you stopped by. Stay cool!! 

Maybe make some lemonade. This is the recipe for lemonade I loved to serve to guests coming to the garden — back when the world was more comfortable with that sort of thing. I sure hope we get back to that soon.

My kids call it, “LEMONADE THE MOM WAY.”

For each can of Minute Maid (or other brands) Frozen Lemonade add…

• 2 cans water
• 2 cans Canada Dry Ginger Ale
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large sprigs of fresh mint
• 1 – 2 lemons, thinly sliced
• Add ice and ENJOY!