ROSE BUZZ: 2016 Gift Ideas for Gardeners!

Link | November 26, 2016November 27, 2016 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

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We as gardeners love what we do! But, the right tools can make all the difference and Christmas is the perfect time to share ideas with Santa to get just what we want and need for the coming growing season! Plus, getting garden goodies in the middle of winter is just FUN!

Below are some garden gifts that I highly recommend you buy for yourself, your garden friends OR whisper in Santa’s ear so they show up around your Christmas tree or in your stocking! NOTE: Make sure you have a BIG STOCKING!

A YEAR IN MY ROSE GARDEN

Teresa Mosher has written a book that all rose gardeners will want on their Christmas list.

Teresa is President of the New England Rose Society, and one of the leading Garden and Rose Consultants in New England. This book is a wonderfully practical book that rose growers at every level will benefit from having! With this book comes the best gardening journal I have seen. Teresa has been so thorough with information that even a novice gardener could pick up this book and be good to go! From basic rose care information, a list of tools and supplies, rose terminology and ideas for garden design — it’s all there!

ORDER BOOK HERE.

To hear Teresa talk about her book and her gardening experiences, listen to a recent Rose Chat Podcast here…

COW POTS

All Natural Made with 100% Renewable Composted Cow Manure
CowPots stay intact for up to 12 weeks before planting in the ground
Roots easily penetrate the walls of CowPots.
Perfectly odor free

Available on Amazon here.

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AMERICAN ROSE SOCIETY TRIAL MEMBERSHIP

WHAT A VALUE!! All rose lovers will enjoy this gift! With a trial membership comes discounts at public gardens, copies of the ARS award winning magazine, American Rose, plus a ton of other benefits … all for only $10. Details at Rose.org.

HANDCRAFTED TOOLS

My good friend, Chris VanCleave, the Redneck Rosarian, has partnered with DeWit Tools to bring us a beautiful, handcrafted line of tools. These lovely tools come with a life-time guarantee and are destined to be heirloom pieces you will want to hand down to the next generation. Take a look at these beauties on Amazon.

THE GARDENER’S HOLLOW LEG

The Hollow Leg was given as door prizes at the Indianapolis Rose Society this year and everyone wanted to be a winner! So, even though the Hollow Leg appeared on last year’s list, I wanted to feature it again.

Bob Blomberg’s Gardener’s Hollow Leg® makes yard and garden clean up tasks easier! This handy “hands-free” debris holder is a must have for all pruning, weeding and harvesting tasks.

A 15% discount!

FROM BOB: Tell your readers to use GHLUSER at check out for the discount!

To learn more or to buy online, read on.

Even Mr. H has the Hollow Leg Jr!!

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The wonderful items on last year’s list are still available and you can read about them HERE.

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Christmas is really the most wonderful time of the year!

ENJOY EVERY MINUTE!

Potting Shed Review: Everyday Roses

March 8, 2013March 8, 2013 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Whether you are just beginning with roses or have been growing roses for a long time, you will thoroughly enjoy this book by popular garden expert, Paul Zimmerman. This book is beautiful, helpful, inspirational and pure garden joy.

Everyday Roses is designed specifically for weekend gardeners and homeowners who love roses but don’t have the time or inclination to deal with the care and prevention measures high-maintenance roses require.

This handy reference shows how you can enjoy the best of both worlds: gorgeous, healthy, long-flowering roses with a minimum of fuss.

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Paul on Rose Chat Radio. You can listen to the recording of the show HERE.

Don’t miss one of my favorite parts of the chat … when Paul talks about his friendship with famed British nurseyman and rose expert, Peter Beales.
If you’d like to purchase a copy or read more about this book and other articles by Paul, hop over to his website and check it out … click here.

ROSE FORUM
Paul also manages a rose forum where you can seek answers and offer advice! Click here.

Potting Shed Review: R is for Rose

October 20, 2012October 21, 2012 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

I am currently reading Carolyn Parker’s book R is for Rose and am taking my time to savor every story and every picture. This book is not only eye candy for rose lovers, but it also showcases so many of Carolyn’s talents:

As a garden designer: She shares with us her amazing garden.

As a floral arranger: She uses a unique variety of containers to showcase her beautiful roses.

As a photographer: She has an amazing gift as a photographer.

And most of all, her skills as a storyteller: With each letter of the alphabet she draws us in with one heartwarming story after another!

GRAHAM THOMAS & CAROLYN

My favorite story in Carolyn’s book is in chapter “G” … for Graham Thomas English Rose. This rose is named for the legendary gardener and rose expert, Graham Thomas. She actually had the opportunity of a life time to meet him and to share the story she had written about him in person! You just have to read this story!

BLOG TALK RADIO

I had the privilege of interviewing Carolyn recently about her book on Blog Talk Radio. She was enchanting! You can listen to that interview here.

FINDING THE BOOK

You can find her book on Amazon … click here.

Garden friends, this is a book you just might want to mention to Santa … to be sure he gets it on your Christmas list.

I think you will also enjoy Carolyn’s blog … rosenotes.com.

Potting Shed Review: How to Eat a Rose by Jim Long

August 18, 2012 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

I had the pleasure of speaking with Jim Long during last week’s Rose Chat interview about his book, How To Eat a Rose, the rose as herb of the year and so much more.

JIM LONG

Jim has appeared on numerous HGTV and Discovery Channel gardening programs as well as P. Allen Smith’s garden series. His gardens have been featured in Southern Living, Gourmet and Better Homes & Gardens magazines. He also writes the syndicated newspaper column, The Ozarks Gardener that runs in newspapers in Missouri and Arkansas. Check out the Ozark’s Gardener blog here.

He is the proprietor of Long Creek Herbs where you can find many wonderful products derived from herbs.

INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE

Twelve years ago while in India, Jim was surprised to see ice cream flavors listed as chocolate, vanilla, pistachio and rose. So his interest was sparked as to how roses are used in other countries and his research began!

HERB OF THE YEAR

Each year the International Herb Association chooses the herb of the year (click for details). This decision is based on 3 things…

Does it have medicinal properties?
Is it an culinary herb?
Can it be used for crafts or manufacturing?

At first I thought it was odd that the rose would be herb of the year, but with the rose, the answer to all 3 questions is, “YES.” So, Jim’s says it fit perfectly as herb of the year.

WHICH ROSES TO USE

Jim says, “If it smells good, it will taste good–just be sure there have been no sprays or systemic fertilizers used on the roses!”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

This book is a great value for only $5.95. If you love roses, you need this book in your collection. You can purchase a copy here @ longcreekherbs.com, Jim’s website.

Potting Shed Review: Two New Books

December 13, 2011December 22, 2011 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

As much as I love and look forward to spring, I do enjoy the slower pace of winter that comes after Christmas and allows more time for reading. Something warm to drink, a fire in the fireplace and a good book. Yes, I can do that while I wait for spring … just not too long!

I recently purchased two Christmas presents from me to me that are sure to make a big difference in my gardening experience this winter.

Book #1

Sleep, Creep and Leap by Benjamin Vogt
http://deepmiddle.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/#!/BRVogt

First of all, don’t you just love the cover!

Benjamin Vogt is a poet, essayist, gardener and blogger.

This book is a memoir of three years in his garden. … beautifully and thoughtfully written.

On getting started he writes this,

“It’s late morning already, and we’ve finally made it to the new house. In two weeks we will move in, married on 7/7/7, but until then–and before the sod gets laid–my financee and I are here to spread mulch. 20 yards.”

I so get that! And, if you are a gardener, I suspect you do to. I look forward to having the time to dive into this book!

Book #2

Yes, You Can! by Daniel Gasteiger
http://www.smallkitchengarden.net
https://twitter.com/#!/cityslipper)

My mother canned most everything we ate from the super huge garden we grew. She had an amazingly green thumb and hated to see anything go to waste.

I have her green thumb but don’t grow very many vegetables. I spend most of my gardening time growing roses and their companions…. So, to date, I do not “can.” Armed with Daniel’s encouragement and easy to use tips plus a few trips to my friendly farmer’s market, I plan to add canning to my 2012 list of things to do. I bet my mom will be smiling!

The pages of this book are amazing. Pictures and step by step instructions. When I asked Daniel about the book (we are Twitter friends), he said he wrote the book as though he was in the kitchen giving a demonstration. Looks easy…. wish me luck!

Do you have any encouraging words regarding canning?

Potting Shed Review: Down the Garden Path

November 4, 2011December 22, 2011 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

A book I can read over and over is Down the Garden Path by Beverley Nichols.

The very British Beverly will pull you into his world (1930‘s England) of gardening and eccentric neighbors and make you fall as in love with his garden as he is. If you are a gardener and haven’t read one of Beverley Nichols’ books, well let’s just say you should go to Amazon this minute and find one. Most are out of print but you’ll find them. It’s worth the effort. Don’t just take my word for it…Other reviews…

This semiautobiographical story of Nichols’ first bumbling efforts at transforming a neglected property into a garden, was an immediate success and still rings true with amateur gardeners today. -Lori D. Kranz, Bloomsbury Review

Nichols has a wicked sense of humor. I highly recommend this book as a means of relaxing after a hard day and having a good laugh. -Bobbie Schwartz

Lucky for us he was a prolific writer and there is much to read! Enjoy!

Thank You Margaret Roach

May 15, 2011July 26, 2020 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

I just finished reading and I shall have some peace there by Margaret Roach. In 2008 Margaret left her job as editorial director of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia to live and garden in upstate New York.

This book is about Margaret’s journey into her new life. This journey introduces you to her adventure of self discovery, birds, plants, frogs, cats, misc wildlife, local friends, tractors, apples, and, most significantly for me—snakes.

All through this very entertaining book, Margaret confronts, deals with and sort of conquers her fear of snakes. As she did … so did I.

Each year I encounter at least one snake in my garden and, unlike Margaret, my encounters are with the small and non-poisonous varieties.

Margaret said, “But again and again, I retreat to the safety of the reference books to find something that will help me feel at ease, playing to the comfort of intellect rather than the feelings all of this provokes. Facts have always been my magical thinking; if I put enough of them in my pockets, like Hansel with his crumbs, I can walk a few steps farther into the woods.”

So, here’s to you Margaret … now I too “can walk a few steps farther.” But, I don’t mind telling you that I feel more confident with my Wellies on!