BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: NOT THE TUNNEL OF LOVE

Link | August 24, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

This week the moles have moved in and are creating havoc with their tunnels! 😫

We have them from time to time, but they are usually in Mr. G’s “turf” garden (lawn) and not in the mulched areas (my gardens)!!!! But, this year they are all over the mulched area. Some areas look like a rototiller has gone through!

While I was out in the garden this morning I was a bit overwhelmed by all their damage and then a💡light💡went on! GRUBS. LARVA. JAPANESE BEETLES. Are they going for the Japanese Beetle Larva. We have not had many Japanese Beetles for several years so I am sure that there were more tasty morsels in the “turf” garden. But not this year! We had thousands of Japanese Beetles on the roses and of course they are in the “mulched areas.” While I sent many of the Japanese Beetles off to their heavenly reward via a bubble bath, there were many I did not get … so you know what happened. They have been here since the middle of June and while I am no expert on Japanese Beetles and am not quite sure how big the larva are at this stage – I’m sure if I were a hungry mole, size wouldn’t matter — plus we have a ton of red worms.

Even if they might be helping with the JB population, they need to go! I can tell you this … Mr. G has that “Rambo” look in his eyes and I am thinking of going to Pet Smart to get the very best kibbles on the market to entice all the neighborhood cats to come help us with this situation. If you have more information, thoughts or tips, leave them in the comment section — please!

On a happier note, since the JBs are are gone there are more blooms!

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK…

Lady Ashe … She is gorgeous. She is listed as a climber but she doesn’t get too tall for me. I bought her at Chamblee Nursery … you can too https://www.chambleeroses.com/order/Own-Root-Garden-Roses/Lady-Ashe/469

Quietness Buck Rose … another purchase from Chamblee

Bokays from this week…

As I finish this post a storm is moving in and I am grateful for the rain, grateful for blooms and grateful for garden friends.

Happy Bloom Thyme Friday

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: UNEARTHING TREASURES

Link | August 17, 2018August 17, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

If you are familiar with the movie A GOOD YEAR you might remember this quote… “all she needs is a fresh coat of paint and a good scrub.” This a family favorite movie so I have enjoyed that quote many, many times.

This summer marks 20 years that my dream of a potting shed/office became reality. Mr. G out of love for me and the secret desire to reclaim some of our home from all the garden stuff, built this tiny bit of heaven for me.

A couple of weeks ago, I thought of the movie quote while standing in my potting shed. Summers are a time of gathering things in the potting shed and little time to tidy things up. So, as I stood in the middle of all the stuff, I thought YIKES I think she “needs a fresh coat of paint and a good shrub.” So it began … moving stuff —lots and lots of stuff.

While moving things around I unearthed so many memories!

Catalogs from the 80s and 90s…

Then and now, I love pouring over catalogs!

Receipts from Jackson and Perkins test panel roses (Anyone remember those?) I had high hopes that one of my test panel roses would “take off” and I would be able to officially name one for my daughter.

Picture from the early 90s… (Sorry for the blurry picture of a picture.)

So many fragrant petals. In those days I dried roses, herbs and flowers to make wreaths and other garden crafts to sell at a local garden center. SO MUCH FUN.

And, while digging in the garden last week I also unearthed a plant tag from Jackson and Perkins, Medford Oregon…. Not sure of the date, but I haven’t grown roses in the place I found this tag since the late early 90s. Note the AARS trademark.

It was a lot of fun to see old things again and walk down memory lane. Many of the roses in the pictures I no longer have.

Tastes change.

Garden conditions change.

Little trees grew.

Large trees were hit by lightening.

A few pests showed up.

Sustainable growing practices became more important.

Some things hold true. I was over the moon about roses and all their companions then and I continue to be today. The garden has always been a balm for my soul; the place where my creativity soars; a place where I have the closest connection to the Creator.

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK:

Yes, a fresh coat of paint and a good shrub was just what was needed….

… plus a new lamp, a super cute spool of jute (thanks Lacey) and a cute baby boy pic!

Zinnias out growing their space and bringing in the butterflies and hummingbirds.

Mother of Pearl again … I can’t get enough.

Evening view from the potting shed porch.

WISHING YOU A PLACE TO CALL YOUR OWN AND

A VERY HAPPY BLOOM THYME FRIDAY!

Bloom Thyme Friday: Bokay Day

Link | July 20, 2018December 6, 2019 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

The rain held off this morning and I was able to do some work in the garden. What started out as Japanese Beetle “bubble bath” day and garden “clean up” day, soon moved to BOKAY DAY. I just couldn’t help myself. With a garden the size of my garden there is always something to pick and the JB are SOOOOO attracted to the roses that they leave many of the other beauties alone. I became mesmerized by the bloom explosion that was happening today and decided that today was to become BOKAY DAY. So I’ll make bokays and share them. #favoritedays

Since I can’t share a bokay with each of you today, I thought I would share my favorite bokay makers and a few tips and tricks for your fresh cut bokays.

PERENNIALS (Bloom year after year)
Roses
Oriental Lilies
Yarrow
Coreopsis (Favs Moonbeam & Creme Brûlée)
Phlox
Dianthus
Bellflowers
Daisies
Stokes Asters
Ferns
Herbs (Lavender / Sage / Thyme / Mint)

ANNUALS (Bloom for one season)

Zinnias
Larkspur (reseeds)
Nigella: Love in a Mist (reseeds)
Superbenas (Proven Winners)
(Favs Violet Ice / Whitecap / Royal Chambray
Senorita Rosalita Cleome (Proven Winners)
Herbs (Rosemary / Parsley)
Euphorbia Diamond Frost (Proven Winners)

SHRUBS
Hydrangea (Favs Bobo / Pinky Winky)
Boxwood
Lilacs
Viburnums
Evergreens

MY MORNING HARVEST…

TIPS AND TRICKS

Morning is the best time to cut flowers.
Choose the freshest flowers — best to pick those not yet fully open.
Take bucket to garden with you.
Place in water immediately after cutting.
Let “condition” before arranging … even as little as one hour can be very helpful in their recovery and being ready for arranging. I go for at least 4 hours.
Cut under water if possible before adding to bokay.
Use preservative in water.
- I purchase floral preservatives …
- But, there is a recipe below if you want to make your own.
No greenery underwater… begins to decay quickly and that takes away from the life of the arrangement.
Every 3-4 days, recut stems, add fresh water (with preservative) to your vase.

P. Allen Smith’s Floral Preservative Recipe

Equal parts lukewarm water and lemon lime soda
One aspirin
Half a teaspoon of bleach

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK…

Here’s a video of one of my evening garden walks this week after work. In the video you will see many of the annuals and perennials I mentioned above. Most of them are very hardy and have done fine in all the heat we have had this year. We do water occasionally, but not extensively.

Well, it is time for me to get back in the garden and continue with my original plan … Send more Japanese Beetles to a soapy “bubble bath” ☠️ and garden “clean up.”

HAPPY BLOOM THYME FRIDAY

Bloom Thyme Friday: The Good. The Bad. The Bugly

Link | July 13, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Yes, it is still 90+ degrees but many of my blooms are beating the heat! Now the roses are doing their best to bloom in spite of the Japanese Beetles but you can decide for yourself as you see the pictures below how successful they are. UGH.

THE GOOD…

Up first are the ORIENTAL LILIES… they are spectacular and filling the garden with fragrance. For those of you (and I know they are many) who are sensitive to their fragrance, so sorry, but you can enjoy the pictures!

ROSES

THE FAWN (Faun)

This beauty was the first thing I saw this morning — practically took my mind completely off my morning coffee. Not easy to do. Luckily Mr. G did not forget my coffee and brought me some yummy coffee in a pretty rose cup. (He really is the very best and knows very well how the garden can steal me completely away from the real world. LOL)

The Fawn is a ground cover rose that has her roots in French soil. Simply gorgeous and it looks like it would have amazing fragrance but I hate to tell you, it doesn’t. It does, however, have super disease resistance and an abundance of blooms all summer long. Mine came from Heirloom Roses. I just checked and they still have it in stock. Take a look here.

CHERRY PARFAIT

Another French beauty from the esteemed House of Meilland is Cherry Parfait. My plant is smaller than normal in the heat but giving some incredible blooms. And, there was not one Japanese Beetle on her! She has a light fragrance.

SWEET DRIFT & PETIT PINK

Both of these shrub roses are doing so well as they do most every year and are not very popular with the Japanese Beetles.

SWEET DRIFT

PETIT PINK

POPCORN DRIFT

This is a new rose to me and I love it! Absolutely love it. However, I can already tell I planted them tooooo close together! #bloomingmachine More info to come on this one as the season continues.

SUMMER FLOWERS

Stokes Aster

This is a great performer in my garden and makes me happy every time I see it. It is just easy breezy and pretty. The only extra care I give this plant is sometimes a “ring” to keep it from “flopping,” especially if is too close to a rose I want to feature. It is so easy to divide so there is plenty for you and plenty to share. Oh, and it does well in arrangements and compliments the roses!

Phlox

The phlox has been the very best this year! I guess we can say they like hot, dry conditions!

Coneflowers

There are many reasons to plant this hardy workhorse — it’s place as a herbal remedy, beautiful summer color, pollinator attractor and tasty seeds for the birds (in particular gold finches) to name a few. Breeders have been having fun with this plant the last few years and we have moved way beyond the original pinkish purple — although I love it still!

THE BAD…

UH OH…

Who planted the Lemon Grass too close to the Zinnias — ME!

Who nestled up a little too close to the Lilies — ME!

Yes, it stains. One trick– don’t rub … lightly brush off!

THE BUGLY

The Japanese Beetles just keep coming and coming and coming. Warning ugliness below…

Look what they did to my lovely Gemini…😡

And, they are soooooo attracted to my Golden Fairy Tale because it is yellow. Can you believe this! 😩😡😭 More — a lot more — soapy water.

Well, we don’t want to end on a bad “bugly” note!!!! So here are two bokays from the week. One I made to take to the propagation workshop at our rose society meeting on Tuesday and one for our table — it is in an antique pitcher from Mr. G’s momma. Isn’t the pitcher lovely!

Bugs or no bugs, so glad you stopped by. I am loving my day in the garden and hope your day is wonderful too.

Happy Bloom Thyme Friday

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: Summer Care and Summer Blooms

Link | July 5, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

In many areas extreme heat is the order of the day and our roses are showing the signs — curled leaves, slow growth and smaller than normal blooms that sometimes look distorted. All these are normal under these conditions. While I was away in May the temps soared to the 90s and haven’t come down much since.

WHAT I’M DOING…

WATER
Do keep watering if you can. A good deep soaking once a week should be sufficient except for your containers — mine need water everyday unless we get rain. Resist the temptation to overwater!

FERTILIZER
I fertilized them when I cut them back in June. And I’m usually on a every 6 weeks schedule. I’ll see how the weather is then. If it’s too hot still, I’ll be careful about doing much. When they are under stress, I find that too much of anything just contributes to the problem.

Maybe we will get lucky and July or August will be the May we missed! I just received a notification from the Weather Channel that Tropical Storm Beryl has formed in the Lesser Antilles – who knows what that will bring! Don’t you just love real time notifications!!!

Back to today–managing all this heat is tricky as it is a first for my neck of the woods – so time will tell.

Several years ago we had a severe drought and had no measureable rain for 7 weeks. I was in a panic as we could only water very minimally. I assure you the roses looked horrible at the end the drought. However, it was amazing how quickly they bounced back once regular weather returned. Praying the same thing happens this year when “regular” weather returns.

JAPANESE BEETLES
We are also dealing with Japanese Beetles — who came very early to my garden. They usually show up around the first week of July. This year I saw them the second week of June. I made my decision that day to cut back all the roses (blooms & buds) to make them less appealing. I was leaving for California so it seemed the perfect time. The result has been fewer JBs! WIN. The roses are now starting their second flush of bloom now and we’ll see how the “population” of beetles go!

To control JPs simply have a bucket of soapy water to drop them in. If you bend the cane down, their tendency is to drop and the soapy “bath” will be waiting! I received another tip this year from good friend, Dr. Mark Windham … trim off the damaged leaves! It seems it is the “damage” that encourages other JPs to come. Resist the urge to squish. I hear that process sends out a signal to others JPs to come visit via pheromones released. Yuk!

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK

There are some lovely blooms coming this week and the butterflies are loving them!

Watch the butterfly run through the coneflowers and daylilies in the video below…

As much as i want to be in the garden, I am limiting my time and you should too.

Grab some ice tea or lemonade to help you beat the heat and have a lovely

Bloom Thyme Friday.

Bloom Thyme Friday: A Family Garden

Link | June 29, 2018June 29, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

When our kids were small they had their own gardens. Mr. G built each of them a 10 by 10 raised bed for them to “garden” in. They could grow whatever they wanted. It was so fun!

Fast forward to today and our entire family is still into gardening!

As most of you know, I am just back from time in California with my daughter’s family where she and her husband are not only growing a garden they are growing the best things yet… three adorable boys. The 4 year old can tell you about everything in their garden and even has a garden patch of his own with lemon thyme, succulents and nasturtiums – all of his own choosing!

I would love to take you on a tour of the Lynch Family Garden… a garden filled with good food, herbs, pretty flowers, boys and loads of fun!

Guess whose speciality is watering!

Yes, gardening is serious business and sometimes it is good to wear your helmet.

Little hands. Little tools.

This boy’s specialty is planting, plant identification and eating straight from the garden.

That smile.

The harvest.

So many rewards!

Be still my heart. They are the very best things growing in California.

You can follow along with their adventures on Instagram…
LaceyXLynch and LaceysKicthen — to see yummy food they create.

Thank you California for being a place where everyday is #bloomthyme.

Bloom Thyme Friday: Lemons to Lemonade

Link | June 15, 2018June 15, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

In gardens and in life it’s best when life gives you lemons, to make lemonade.

If you have been gardening for even a short time you know that gardens are ever changing. One of the strongest agents of change in my garden is winter. While I am a huge fan of spring. Sometimes the changes that winter pushes through while we are all comfy and cozy by the fireplace with our loves—are “chilling.” Such was the case this year. Our winter came late, was harsh, warmed up early and then really hit us hard. A few of my roses were not fans and gave up or decided to take their sweet time showing up again.

But it was not the roses that took the biggest hit. It was our Winter Gem Boxwood Hedge. Many of the plants in this hedge had been here 10 years, some only 6. Ironically, we loved them especially in the winter when the snow would fall on them. They are gone now … all of them. I cried. As I looked at the blank canvas, Mr G says he saw that gleam in my eyes. I will add a few things this year but will do more in 2019 as it evolves and I live with our new open space. No question, I will miss my hedge and may even plant another one. But, I’m gonna take some time.

ABOUT CHANGE…

One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 43:19. He’s always got a plan!

LEMONS TO LEMONADE…

Hope your week is filled with beauty and a tall glass of homemade lemonade, if you need a recipe to try, my recipe is here. Sure love making lemonade with my boys!

BLOOMING THIS WEEK…

HAPPY BLOOM THYME FRIDAY!

Bloom Thyme Friday: Things are Blooming!

Link | May 25, 2018May 25, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

This is what we wait all winter for! The Bloom Thyme garden is filled with fireworks and fragrance and we are just getting started!

Look at the Rugosas… go ahead, inhale. The fragrance is so strong you can probably smell them from where you are!

Iris..

These iris are from Mr. G’s momma’s garden and we can’t wait to see them each year. I love “pass-along” plants, don’t you! They give us so many garden stories.

Loving these peonies!!

Mr. G’s tomatoes are on their way to being delicious. And the nasturtium seeds are up!

The President Clematis looking pretty good but has many more blooms to come and needs a bit of a “tie up.”

Tiny Zinnias are holding their own among the herbs. They won’t be small long! Stay tuned.

And, the garden view I love best… the view from my potting shed (garden office) porch.

Now for the best bloom this week…

Introducing the oh so precious Mr. Wyatt…

He joins his two growing and equally precious brothers…

What a special time I have had in California with these guys and their parents! Family Blessings! I will miss them terribly when I leave this weekend.

Special shout out to Mr. G, who has been faithfully watering my all of potted plants and sending me the real-time pictures of changes in the garden while I’ve been away. 😍 #hesthebest 😍

This Friday finds me so grateful for all I have been given…

WONDERFUL FAMILY

WONDEFUL FRIENDS

AND, PLENTY OF BLOOMS

Wishing you a wonderful weekend and a happy Bloom Thyme Friday.

Making progress…

Link | April 28, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Making progress…

We are definitely making progress! It has been a week of greening and flowering. The birds are loving it and have entertained me all day as I did my own brand of “flittering around the garden” … planting, pruning and even started fertilizing!