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: Hello Beautiful

Link | October 6, 2017October 6, 2017 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

While I was at the Biltmore Rose Trials my neighbor called and said there is a big box on my front porch — it might be roses. YIKES! That week the temps in our area were in the mid 90s. She took them home for me and took great care of them while I was away. Big shout out to my special friend Z! A trip to the Biltmore winery unearthed the perfect gift to reward her for her quick response! 💪🏻 👊🏻

I returned home to a beautiful box of strong, healthy Jackson and Perkins roses to test in my garden. Savannah, Belinda’s Dream and Jasmine! Gorgeous all.

SO MUCH PINKNESS! Be still my heart!

Savannah: A lovely, fragrant Hybrid Tea was a big winner at the 2015 Biltmore International Rose Trials … Best Hybrid Tea, Most Fragrant, and Most Outstanding Rose of the Trial (Best in Show). Read more here.

From Jackson and Perkins website: Savannah™ Sunbelt ® boasts silky petals that go from powder pink to deep salmon. Their large flowerheads rest against a handsome backdrop of glossy dark green foliage that holds its tidy and shapely form quite well. Punishing heat and high humidity do nothing to diminish the extravagant beauty. Not even diseases like Black Spot and Powdery Mildew dare challenge this sweetest of roses.

Last year I added one Savannah. It is doing very well and I look forward to having more to test for this area.

Belinda’s Dream: An Earth Kind shrub rose that I have grown, but never had out in the garden. I have grown this rose in a container on the deck.

From Jackson and Perkins website: The romantic, arching habit of grandmother’s cottage garden rose, plus modern vigor. You owe it to your gardening forebearers to take a look at this charming rose. Bred by a mathematics professor(Dr. Robert Basye) who spent his life trying to knock out blackspot in the roses he bred (with a good bit of success, we might add!), ‘Belinda’s Dream’ is a lavish, over-the-top fragrant beauty of soft pink with an old-fashioned habit, petal-packed hybrid tea bloom form, and disease-resistant foliage that stands up to the worst summer heat and humidity.

Time will tell! I am expecting GREAT things. More information here on Earth Kind roses…. here.

Jasmina: I have wanted this climbing rose ever since I saw Bill Kozemchak’s pictures on Facebook!

From the Jackson and Perkins website: Jasmine is part of the Arborose® series, which means it is not your average climbing rose! The flowers are bigger and come in greater numbers. The canes are softer, making them easier to train onto any structure. The plant has fantastic own-root vigor and resistance to the biggest rose killers: cold, powdery mildew, and blackspot

Thanks to its flexible canes and fantastic performance, Jasmina™ is a dream to grow near practically any garden structure. Plant it this season and enjoy its soft beauty and rich, fruity fragrance for years to come! Zones 5 to 9.

Jasmina in Bill Kozemchak’s Garden. Check out his Facebook page here.

Hey, Annie, here’s Savannah getting her first drink of Moo Poo Tea just like all the other roses in my garden.

Savannah’s Christening…

And, to my friends at Jackson and Perkins … a big Thank You!

Fall is here. Spring is 166 days away.

Regardless of the season, let’s bloom wherever we are planted!

Happy Bloom Thyme Friday!

Bloom Thyme Friday: What’s Next

Link | August 18, 2017August 18, 2017 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

This lover of spring is noticing how “fall things” have started to creep into my world. 😢 One upside is it’s time for assessing the year and making plans for next year! I really love the making plans for next year part! Hope “springs” eternal for gardeners! 😉

NEW FOR 2018

The last couple of weeks on Rose Chat we have been interviewing the rose suppliers on 2018 releases. I can tell you with great enthusiasm, there are some beauties coming. I’ll be making some room! The first in the series was with Jackson and Perkins and it is out now. Check them out at rosechatpodcast.com.

Yep, it’s that time of year to fall in love with new ones. I don’t know about you but whether I’m adding a couple or a dozen, it always “requires” some REEEE designing and some REEEE arranging. (I love that part!!!) Makes Mr G gets a bit nervous. He’s the kind who likes things in the garden the way they are now — regardless of how they are now. Which is a blessing in many ways! But, I LOVE to move things around! He says he trusts me, but when I get started I see that eye twitch until it is done. 😳 😂

Before I fall full into planning for next year, I’m looking at roses that were stand outs in my garden this year.

Here are 5 of them…

5. Quietness: Year after year, this rose quietly steals the show! Beautiful, healthy, easy care and fragrant — the whole package. Purchase your own at Chamblees Roses (Link). You really will love it!

4. Olivia Rose Austin: These pictures say it all. Well almost all. Until we have scratch and sniff blog pages, you can’t fully experience all this rose has to offer. The fragrance is not to be missed. You can have one (Full disclosure: I have two. LOL) too, just follow this link. David Austin roses are in the charm and fragrance business for sure!

3. Peggy Martin: A one-time blooming show stopper! She filled the early season with grace, beauty and charm. All are words I’d use to describe her lovely namesake! Just talking about her makes me miss her! 😘 Love you Peggy. This rose is available at Chamblees.

2. At Last: New to my world but made a big impression. Lovely color. Quick to repeat and a light sweet fragrance. Can’t wait to see what she will do next year! Locally, Country Harmony had this rose. (Link)

1. My Girl: As I look out at the (3) My Girls, I can’t believe how well they have done! 2 are in pots and one is in the ground. Loads of blooms and probably the most healthy roses in my garden this year! A deep pink color that is hard to photograph but trust me it is gorgeous! This beauty is from the Easy Elegance collection–found locally at Lowes and Frazee Gardens (Link).

SPECIAL MENTION…

Special mention goes to Music Box also from the Easy Elegance collection! Strong beautiful shrub giving me loads of blooms for bokays! Here’s a video I did for the American Rose Society…

One thing that does get my attention in the fall…

Are you a pumpkin spice “YAY” or a pumpkin spice “NAY” person?

If not pumpkin spice latte, what is your fall drink of choice?

Today I’m wishing you a happy Pumpkin Spice Season and a very happy Bloom Thyme Friday.

Bloom Thyme Friday: Going Up and Over

Link | May 26, 2017May 26, 2017 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

While much of the garden is suffering a bit from all the rain and the lack of sunshine, many of the climbers and ramblers are “going up and over” beautifully. The two main arbors that are across from each other are making magic happen. The stuff that makes this gardener’s heart sing!

They don’t always bloom at the same time but this year … Oh yea! that is just what they are doing! Most ramblers and many of the climbers I have only bloom one time per year. It is wonderful to see them create rose fireworks together! Timing is everything … well almost everything. A few dry days and some days with sunshine would certainly be welcome.

Front Arbor: New Dawn Back Arbor: Peggy Martin Rose and Francis E. Lester

Celsiana … a large rambling fragrant Damask.

A typical day in my neighborhood…

For those of you considering adding more climbers to your garden and maybe even a rambler–if you have the space, here are some varieties to consider.

Zepherine Drouhin: Mostly a one time bloomer. Sometimes you will get a few blooms later in the season. It is a thornless Bourbon rose that is quite fragrant.

Francis E. Lester: Read all about him here. You can buy one from my good friend, Guinivere, at Roses of Yesterday.

Honeymoon Arborose: A lovely Kordes white climber that did very well at the Biltmore Rose Trial winning the coveted Lord Burleigh Award for Most Disease Resistant Rose. This is one I hope to add next year! Sold out for this year at Jackson and Perkins. Guess I better place my order for next year soon!

David Austins’s The Generous Gardener: A gorgeous rose that is very disease resistant in my garden. One of the prettiest Austins I have. See it growing in my garden here.

David Austins’s Albrighton Rambler: This rambler is considered a “well behaved” rambler and it grows 15′ or so and not 20-30′! I absolutely love it in my garden. Check it out.

Jasmina: This is a rose our society sold this year and they sold out quickly before I had a chance to get one. I plan to add it in the future. See it here.

New Dawn: Grows like crazy once it gets established. Soft pink and a soft fragrance! I have had this rose in my garden for more than 15 years. Love it.

For more on climbers and ramblers, my good friend Stan Griep did an article for Garden Know How you might enjoy. Read on.