Rose Buzz: Fireworks

Rose Buzz_7_whiteI am going to be doing some traveling in May so I have been taking advantage of every moment of good weather to get the roses on their way to a spectacular growing season.

The existing roses have been trimmed, fertilized and prayed over! 🙂 The new bareroot roses have been soaked in moo poo tea and planted.

Of the new ones, there are 4 beautiful new roses from Star Roses and Plants that I am trying this year. I am very excited about these beauties and can’t wait to share them with you…

 

2015_roses


 

A good moo poo start...
A good moo poo start…

Many of the Hybrid Teas and Floribundas had to be cut back to the ground 4 weeks ago but they are coming back strong!

Gertrude Jekyll was cut back to about 3” from the ground and baby look at her now. She is ready to grow. And, if you know anything about this rose you know that when she’s happy you are happy. She is gorgeous! Classic old rose form and very likely the most fragrant of all the David Austins.

Gertrude Jekyll getting ready...
Gertrude Jekyll getting ready…

Here’s one that surprised me today…. The Queen of Bourbon rose appears to have a bud! This is the first “bud” in the garden so far. Exciting! Read more about her here.

Look closely. Yep, it’s a bud…

First bud on the Queen of Bourbon...
First bud on the Queen of Bourbon…

The frost came this week and those that were a bit taller like The Generous Gardener … had a bit of burn. I’ll just trim and she’ll be fine.

Late season frosts are not our friends...
Late season frosts are not our friends…

Next week the temps are going to soar into the mid 70s, so we could have an early bloom cycle!

ROSE FIREWORKS

Since I am that person who counts down the days until spring—starting the day after Christmas, I am looking for ROSE FIREWORKS when spring finally comes. My old garden roses and the rugosas are happy to oblige. They are very predictable “spring fireworks.”

Look at these Rugosas! Hardly a bit of winter die back. Lush, green and on their way.

Rugosa starting out strong...
Rugosas starting out strong…

Here’s a peek over the garden fence…

Yes, the garden is waking up and we expect FIREWORKS soon!
Yes, the garden is waking up and we expect FIREWORKS soon!

What’s going on in your neck of the woods.

Any FIREWORKS to report? 🐝

Bloom Thyme: It’s Coming Back!

You’ve been with me as we counted down the days until spring. It is here and just when I thought that winter had taken away all the pretty things forever, they started coming back. This week was a week of big change in the garden … from dark and dreary to beautiful rebirth! Take a look…

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Lovely little violets from Uncle Tony’s garden…
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Test roses from Star Roses and Plants… so excited! I’ll keep you posted!
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Star roses getting a dunk in Moo Poo tea before planting. 24 hours in moo poo tea will work wonders!
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Cistina Plum… lovely!
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Rugosas are getting ready for their fireworks!! Only a few more weeks!
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Rhododendrons always make me think of trips to Roan Mountain!
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Daffodils are bringing the sunshine in!
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The first and very fragrant lilac! Many more to come!
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Sand Cherry. LOVE IT!

 

Wishing you a lovely week and a…

Sweet Peas_Bloom Thyme Friday

Bloom Thyme Friday: Time to Uncover the Covered

The forsythia is blooming and it is time to start giving the roses a trim. More about forsythia here.

Nothing says hard winter like black rose canes.

This week I am beginning to uncover the roses that I mounded with mulch to protect them from winter. I don’t mulch all of my roses. In fact I mulch very few—just the hybrid teas and the most tender roses. Most of my roses can take whatever winter throws at them … as was proven 2 years ago during the polar vortex. I worried and worried all that winter that all the roses would be lost but not so, they flourished last summer.

Last fall I piled about 8” of mulch on these roses and it is always a fun process to uncover them and see how they did.

So here we go … Let’s take a look… Don’t be scared … It’s gonna be ugly!

😳….😁….

This is Gemini … we have black canes, a broken cane, a frayed cane (wonder what happened there?) and a bit of green. The farther down I went, things did not get much better, but there is enough. With some tender loving care and some nutrients, Gemini will be okay–once I cut back all the black, the dead, the frayed and the damaged. Fingers crossed that “whoever” or “whatever” is responsible for the broken and frayed canes, does not return.

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Gemini last summer… 🙂

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Joy had a better winter… as I uncovered I found a lot of green and that made me very happy as this is one of my favs.
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Joy doesn’t look like much now but this is what she can do…

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To read more about this rose, click here for an article I wrote last summer.


Spring has officially sprung and I am back at it. I could not be happier!

How about you, what chores are you doing in the garden this week?

 

Overwintering Plants

When winter approaches I typically bring potted plants I want to save into the Potting Shed where there is controlled warmth and light (geraniums, mint, lavender, etc.), except for my large potted roses, they are taken to the garage (no windows). The roses go dormant and “spring” back to life in the spring. Because of “over crowding” in the Potting Shed, I took this pot of herbs to the garage too.

Last week I brought the pots out of the garage and couldn’t believe how well these herbs sprang back to life. They never lost their “green” completely and now they look almost robust! Today they are outside getting some sunshine and intermittent light rain. Let the thriving begin!

The roses left in the garage are doing quite well too.

I typically cut any spindly growth completely back and let the roses start fresh. But this one is recovering so fast that I may do minimal pruning and she how she does. Meet the “winter in the garage, in the dark version of the Coretta Scott King” rose. Anemic though she may be, I think we are going to start from here and see what she does.

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Coretta Scott King in the garden last summer…

Coretta Scott King
Coretta Scott King

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Happy Spring!

Bloom Thyme Friday: Sweet Peas

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Just the sweetest!

Around here the spring garden season kicks off with the planting of the sweet peas on St. Patrick’s Day! I know it sounds early but it works every time.

Sweet Peas are well named as they are one of the sweetest little flowers in the garden and I love to tuck them into bokays! They are a wonderful rose companion!

The Victorians, who also went crazy over bokays, used them too. With Tussie Mussies in hand, the Victorians used the subtle messages of flowers and herbs to convey not-so-subtle meanings. Sweet peas were used to convey departure, delicate pleasure and many thanks.

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As I write this I have in mind the many such “subtle” moments in the movie, The Age of Innocence, one of my favorite movies. If you’ve seen it, you know just what I mean… the costumes … the society … the flowers.

MANY THANKS TO HENRY!

The Victorians and I have Henry Eckford to thank for the lovely sweet peas we know today. He is credited with developing over 100 varieties of this dainty beauty.

PLANTING SWEET PEAS

Before I plant my sweet peas I soak them over night to soften the hard shell.

Like all plants, sweet peas prefer well-drained, fertile soil. I plant them about 1” deep and about 2” apart. Water them in and provide a trellis and you are done! They will do the rest!

We have the sweet peas trailing on some wire fencing that we added over the picket fence…

Climbing up...
Climbing up…
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Eckfords Finest!

Note the name on the plant tag… Eckfords Finest. Burpee has put together some of his “finest” varieties and you can find them on their website here.

VARIETIES I’M PLANTING

This year I have found several varieties at various garden centers as well as big box stores…
  • High Scent: Couldn’t pass this one up! Package says it is the most fragrant of all the sweet peas!
  • Mammoth Mix: These bloom early. Bonus!
  • Galaxy Mix: Large flowers!
  • Eckfords Finest: Just have to have this one!

ONE MORE THING ABOUT SWEET PEAS!

As sweet as the sweet pea is to look at and many of them have the sweetest fragrance … DO NOT EAT THEM.

TIME TO GET THE GARDEN PARTY STARTED!

Spring is truly just around the corner. Are you ready? What is your first task in the garden?

Sweet Peas_Bloom Thyme Friday

The Lion…

March is coming in like a lion! But, it is beautifully peaceful in the garden and the birds are loving it. So, I guess if you can’t beat them, you join them! Today I will enjoy the snow we have and the snow we continue to get for the rest of the day. Mr. G says it is a church, soup, movie and brownie day – in that order.

Hearing the happy birds chirping…

Yesterday I saw pictures of my friends in the south pruning their roses. No roses are being pruned here!

How are things in your neck of the woods today?

Bloom Thyme Friday: Now you see it. Now you don’t!

If you have been following my blog for a while you know that I have posted my fair share of pictures of my New Dawn Roses. They were spectacular last year (summer 2013).

New Dawn over the Potting Shed
New Dawn over the Potting Shed

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But you will not be seeing pictures like these for quite a while — maybe years, as the Polar Vortex and New Dawn did not agree on conditions fit for roses this winter. I have grown New Dawn for more than 15 years and have never had to do a hard pruning. But, this year I pruned all the way to the ground. Yes, to the ground.

Take a look.

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A clean canvas ready for new possibilities…
Don't mess with a girl with a sharp pair of Barnels in her hand!
Don’t mess with a girl with a sharp pair of Barnels in her hand! The bionic gloves and long reach Corona loppers sure came in handy too!

 

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Job done. Where’s my Coke?

Vita Sackville West once said, “I am not an armchair gardener. For the last forty years of my life I have broken my back, my fingernails and sometimes my heart in the practical pursuit of my favourite occupation.”

I think Vita could identify with the day I’ve had. 

It had been my experience that gardens are ever-changing and I am glad for that. If things were always the same, I most likely would get bored. So, this year we will focus on other plants. There are 3 clematis that also grow in this area and I am asking that they step it up this year! They need to be more than fabulous! I think they are up to the task. Henri I, Etoile des Violette and another one (whose name I can’t remember at the moment) … you are on!

I’ll keep you posted.

MORE  ABOUT SPRING…

How are things going in your garden this week? Anything that didn’t make it through the winter? Are you moving ahead with Plan A or are you like me looking for the positive side of Plan B?

Other than the New Dawn roses, things are shaping up nicely this week. The roses that had to be pruned WAY back are recovering nicely and doing very well!I am seeing some strong growth and am hopeful for June blooms!

Here are some of the bloomers in my garden this week…

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Daffodils we planted for Uncle Tony...
Daffodils we planted for Uncle Tony…

Bloom Thyme Friday

HAPPY BLOOM THYME FRIDAY!

Bloom Thyme Friday: Excited about everything!

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The above is VERY true! Today is a wonderful day and I am excited about everything!

It’s Good Friday and I know He lives.

Gonna be in the 70s for the next 10 days.

I planted roses today in the sunshine!

My spring tree blooms did NOT get nipped by the frost!

Vacation in 18 days! AND…

I am grateful for spring blooms and for GREEN!

Click on any of the pics below to start the gallery feature!

What’s going on in your garden today?

Bloom Thyme Friday

HAPPY BLOOM THYME FRIDAY!

Bloom Thyme Friday: Getting Started

This has been a week of temps in the 70s and some much needed garden clean up and planting bare root roses. But, before I could plant the new roses, I had to remove the roses that did not make it through our harsh winter. As you probably know, digging out these roses is a tough job. The roots were deep and wide. And, it’s sad to lose them. But, I said my fond farewells and am moving on.

Hope springs eternal for gardeners and I am ready to get the new roses started.

New to my garden this year are 3 lovely roses to test from Week’s Roses ….

Just like her namesake ... sunny and charming.
Just like her namesake … sunny and charming.

Doris Day / Floribunda
Disease Resistant
Old Rose Form
Scent is fruity/spicy
Parentage: Julie Newmar x Julia Child

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I can just hear him singing, “Cracklin Rosey…”

Neil Diamond / Hybrid Tea
Classic Rose Fragrance
Zones: 4 – 10
Size: 4.5 – 5

Look at that red!
Look at that red!

Take It Easy / Shrub
Parentage: Teeny Bopper x Double Knock Out
Slight tea fragrance
Size: Medium Height

And, the Queen is....
And, the Queen is….

I also planted three of the Tom Carruth beauties … Moonstone. All year long I have heard …. And, the Queen of the Rose Show is … Moonstone. It is an amazing rose and one that many of my local rose friends are growing, so I feel it will do pretty well in my garden. Fingers crossed. 🙂

I have some David Austins coming but we’ll talk about those next week.

NewsflashIn other exciting news….

I received an invitation this week that set my heart all flutter. I have been invited to serve as a juror at the 2014 Biltmore International Rose Trial Competition! Look at the stunning invitation…

IMG_9179I can’t wait!

How about you — are you getting started in the garden this week or are you one of those southerners who is looking for that first bloom or a Cali rose gardener who is now cutting roses for vases!!

Bloom Thyme Friday
Happy Bloom Thyme Friday!