BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: The Scented Room

Link | February 16, 2024February 16, 2024 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

In 1988 I was in infancy stage of designing the garden of my dreams. It started with an herb garden (15 X 16′) inside a picket fence and surrounded by roses. The same fence is there today … of course built by the mega talented Mr. G.

During that time I was reading anything I could get my hands on regarding historical roses, fragrant roses, rose crafts and gardening. I found several stories of pioneer women who left the east to travel the Oregon Trail in search of adventure and a new life. As I read their stories, I found myself feeling akin to these women in so many ways, especially when their stories turned to the plants they grew and the way they used them.

It was also during that time that I found a book that is a game changer book – I love it to this day. A book that brings beauty from the garden on every page.

THE SCENTED ROOM by Barbara Milo Ohrbach

A beautiful and practical book filled with potpourri recipes, wreath making designs, floral arranging tips, growing and preserving flowers.

Mr G Made me 2 large racks and I filled them!

RESOURCES!

In the back of THE SCENTED ROOM was an extremely valuable RESOURCE GUIDE (no internet) for both US and England! Where to find essential oils, florist supplies, dried flowers and roses! Under the heading RARE & UNUSUAL ROSE BUSHES is … High Country Rosarium (today High Country Roses) and Roses of Yesterday and Today along with others. Fun!

If you were gardening during that era you may have this book too. If not, it is still for sale on Amazon (link) for a fairly good price! I would highly recommend it! Every time I pick it up I am transformed to beautiful, fragrant places and inspired to create more and more beauty from the garden.

I’m curious, what is one of the books that continues to inspire your garden adventrues through the years.

POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS

A few weeks ago I set out to make a fresh batch of potpourri. Once I gathered up a glass bowl, wooden spoon and flowers I dried last year. It was time to open the storage box for oils, fixatives and dried flowers from the garden.

Every time I open the little boxes the smells transfer me back through all the years of gardening in this space. Some of the oils date back to the beginning. And it all smells earthy and floral!

It is now in a glass jar being turned regularly to cure. It will be ready in a few weeks.

Note: I didn’t use an actual recipe — just made the most of the supplies I had on hand. I used lavender, roses, cinnamon sticks, various flowers from the garden, and lemon verbena. Oils were rose, victorian rose, and lavender. Fixative was orris root.

MEMORY LANE

Warning: Rabbit Hole…

Along with Barbara’s book, other places I found resources were magazines like The Herb Quarterly and Victoria. I subscribed to several rose newsletters like Bev Dobson’s Rose Letter and Heritage Roses by Jan Wilson. Do any of you remember those? We also attended herb festivals, which was fairly common during that time. Actually some of my first Old Garden Roses were bought at Herb Festivals. My favorite was the festival at the Newburgh Country Stone in Newburgh, Indiana. If I remember correctly they had old garden roses from Pickering in Canada. Two of my first Old Garden Roses were Madam Hardy and Bourbon Queen. I still have them.

Aren’t garden memories so special? I’d love to hear some of your earliest memories in your garden? Share below!

I still order organic lavender and organic rose petals for my potpourri to have enough but supplement with the flowers I dry from the garden.

Whether I officially make potpourri or not, I always clip enough roses during the season to fill a bowl or two of timeless beauty.

ROSE CHAT

So many of you have told me how much you enjoyed my chat with Gaye Hammond on The History of Roses. Huge thanks to Gaye for her research and her love of all things ROSE! She is a treasure!

You can listen anytime… HERE

🌹NEW ROSES

I am making some tweaks to the garden (raise your hand if you are shocked) and wanted to try some new roses and “new to me” roses so I have several on order. 🎉🎉 There are soooo many beauties out there!!! We’ll talk about those next time…

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: IT’S IN THE AIR

Link | August 19, 2022August 23, 2022 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

It’s in the air friends! 🍂 Time for me to tweak my attitude and prepare for fall. Each year I enjoy this time of year more and more … specially since I retired and have more actual time in the garden in all seasons! Fall will never be spring to me but that’s okay. My attitude was adjusted a couple years back with this quote that appeared on a card I received…

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
Albert Camus

Another thing that has helped is for the last few years I have become more and more focused on late summer / fall seasonal power bloomers. Dahlias have been a game changer for that. They work beautifully with Zinnias and the Non Stop Roses. Add to all of that, many of my roses that took a break from the intense heat are now budding up and primed for a great fall flush. September is going to be a blooming season! Garden excitement and beauty right up to frost! (Here are five roses I consider some of my Non Stop Roses: Mother of Pearl, Petit Pink, Easy on the Eyes, Music Box, and Sweet Drift. These roses are rarely without bloom.)

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK

NEW TO THE GARDEN

I found something new this week at Dammann’s Nursery … Belinda’s Blush. Do you grow it? It is a sport of Belinda’s Dream (Earth Kind Rose) which I do have. I just love the color and fragrance, plus there are very few thorns. If you’d like to know more or purchase one for your garden, read on here. Or if you are local go to Dammann’s – they had several.

POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS

It’s seed-saving time and first up is Larkspur. I don’t know the name of my larkspur but it’s the one I love so I save the seeds each year.

ROSE CHAT

The latest Rose Chat is one I think you will really like. I chatted with Teri Speight, a great garden friend who not only released two books this year but volunteers in a variety of places making a huge difference! Teri is so committed to sharing the love of gardening and flowers with as many people as possible and works tirelessly to do. I think you’ll find her inspiring. I sure do – she’s a total delight!

Listen to the podcast here…

WHAT'S NEW AT DAVID AUSTIN ROSES – Rose Chat Podcast

WHAT'S NEW AT DAVID AUSTIN ROSES Rebecca Koraytem, US Sales Executive On this episode of the Rose Chat Podcast, host Teresa Byington is joined by Rebecca Koraytem, U. S. Sales Executive for David Austin Roses. This chat is one of our annual favorites as we take a look at what's new in the beautiful and charming world of English Roses. Rebecca will also announce a Rose Giveaway for the Rose Chat community! NEW DAVID AUSTIN ROSES! Bring Me Sunshine Elizabeth Eustacia Vye ROSE CHAT TEAM: Executive Producer & On-Air Personality: Chris VanCleave – http://www.RedneckRosarian.com Creator of the Rose Chat Podcast. Mr. VanCleave is a nationally known rosarian, television personality, speaker and advocate for the rose. Content Creator & On-Air Personality: Teresa Byington – http://www.TheGardenDiary.com Co-Host Teresa Byington promotes roses as an integral part of the landscape, as a Consulting Rosarian, Master Gardener, writer, and speaker. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to Rose Chat Podcast Updates: http://eepurl.com/hAC6gP

You can follow Teri on Instagram and Facebook.

IG… here
Facebook… here

TERI’S BOOKS…
Black Flora… here
The Urban Garden… here

BLOOM THYME MINUTE

I am continuing to add short videos to my new YouTube series, Bloom Thyme Minute. You can take a look here. If you like them, please subscribe to be alerted when a new one is released.

The latest one…

BACK TO FALL…

Kudos to Starbucks for joining much of the known world around a seasonal drink. PSL had its first limited launch in 2003. Can you believe that! Want to meet the “father of the PSL? Listen here… (It’s a fun and interesting video from CBS Mornings – about 6 minutes – once you get through the ads.😉)

I was a skeptic at first … Pumpkin Spice Latte … Seriously???? Well, that question has been answered and I am happy to tell you that it looks like the 2022 release date for Pumpkin Spice Lattes is August 30 and I’ll be there for it. It’s not a drink I have often as I like my coffee pretty plain but that seasonal “event’ certainly adds fun and flavor to my transition to fall.

Until next time…

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: LET THE SUNSHINE IN

Link | November 5, 2021February 20, 2022 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Our first “real” frost came this week. Funny, it was sandwiched in between days soaring to near 60. Regardless, the reality is setting in – winter is coming. BONUS: The sun is shining almost every day and if the sun is shining all is good. I’m solar powered!☀️

Garden work the past two weeks has been about getting the last of the potted plants safely inside. Winters here are not only cold they are dark so I bought more grow lights to add in the potting shed and Mr. G’s shoppe. Isn’t he the nicest thing to let my large Myrtle Topiaries hang out there all winter. He may regret saying yes. This will be their first Indiana winter they are going to need all the help we can give them! #rudeawakening

Grow lights I bought… Clip On (link) and on stand (link)

GERANIUMS VS PELARGOnIUMS

Many of the plants that came into the potting shed were scented and zonal “geraniums” (pelargoniums). They are tender plants and of course, we either have to say goodbye or they come inside. The “true” geraniums like Johnson’s Blue, Rozanne, and Dreamland will greet me next spring.

The pelargonium/geranium thing is a bit confusing. The confusion seems to have started as far back as the 17th century when the first pelargoniums were brought to Europe and were called geraniums probably due to how they looked when the experts of the day in taxonomy were making those decisions for us. Want to know more? The Laidback Gardener clears it up! Read on

Regardless of what you decide to call them, these plants are absolutely necessary for my garden as I feel it would be naked without them!

Look at this”zonal” beauty. So glad I brought her in!

Here you see pelargoniums (zonal and scented) hanging out with my topiaries happy as clams in the sunshine.

POTTING SHED WINTER POPULATION

Some plants are adjusting well to the switch from outside to inside like the evergreen topiaries who don’t seem to notice they moved. The two small lavender topiaries I started from cuttings last year are a different story. They have definitely noticed! One is struggling, and the other one is giving up! 😕

BLOOM THYME

It will take more than 29 degrees to discourage some plants but others have raised the white flag until spring! Like the Dahlias and the Hydrangeas! WO!

Next up around here will be trimming roses, digging dahlias, more garden clean up and a bit of bulb planting. (I said I wasn’t going to plant bulbs this fall but I’m weak and stores know just where to place them.)

Friends until next time, wherever you are, whatever the weather stay safe and well. 😘

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: Update on the Herb Garden

Link | August 6, 2021February 20, 2022 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

If you remember a few weeks ago I mentioned wanting to totally redo my overflowing herb garden that had been damaged by some flooding in that area earlier this year and the frequent visits from deer!

The “herb” garden had become oh so much more! A place I put extras. A place for experiments. And, a place where many plants had run amuck. I needed some order. I needed more options.

So, on one of the hottest days of the year, I got busy. A huge job to dig up everything, decide what to do with the extras, and get the new raised beds down, leveled, and filled. Armed with shovels, my hori hori knife, snips, my trusty wagon, and one of Mr. G’s levels, I got started. It went faster than I thought but still took about 3 days. Plants are still in recovery mode and things look sparse, but the garden is taking shape. I am really going to like it and the opportunities the new design brings.

I still don’t know what to do with the entrance. For now, I have flagstones laying on top of the mulch. Maybe I will like them better when they are better placed and have groundcover around them. We’ll see.

We are continuing to discourage deer. Most recently I have covered some of the most popular items on their menu with bird netting. Mr. G has purchased a new spray — DEER OUT. Read about it here. Tonight will be the first night to use it. 🤞🏻🙏🏻

RECENT ROSE CHAT PODCAST

On the most recent podcast, I chat with good friend Ron Daniels about the amazing growth the Nashville Rose Society has had over the last few years, and he offers tips to others on how they too can grow.

LISTEN HERE

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK

Can you have too many white hydrangeas? I just love them and think they cool things down in the summer heat!

Since confession is good for the soul, here goes…

16) Bo Bos
7) Pinky Winkys
8) Annabelle
2) Little Limes
2) Limelights
1) Limelight Tree
2)Twist and Shout

As I type this, it doesn’t seem like I have that many… hummmm. 🙄

Pinky Winky is probably my favorite in the garden, with Bo Bo coming in a close second. My favorite hydrangea to dry is Little Lime. My least favorite is Limelight. It is just too big for my space – I thought they were Little Limes when I bought them. And, their stems are more floppy than I’d like.

Proven Winners has done something about those floppy stems and improved a few other things in an updated Limelight … Limelight Prime. Read more HERE.

BLOOM THYME

Many of the roses are taking a break as I have trimmed off buds to “protect” them from the Japanese Beetle invasion. They will have their time to shine later. More about that next week.

A few roses are being snubbed by the JBs and that is okay with me. JBs seem to avoid Sweet Drift, Popcorn Drift, Petit Pink and The Faun. I am very good with that. But, I can assure you that they will travel miles to devour a Rugosa. They do seem to love the fragrant ones. Oh well, their days are numbered.

Our weather has been quite pleasant this week and we are getting a break from the intense heat. A quick peek at the weather app revealed that the heat will be back on soon … but those hot days are numbered too.

The COVID news is getting a bit “complicated” again too. Be well and be safe my friends… 😘

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: SUMMERTIME

Link | July 2, 2021July 2, 2021 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Summertime and the living is easy! WHAT? Not for gardeners! It’s our time to roll up our sleeves and get busy.

But when Ella sings it … you feel it!

CURRENT JOB LIST:

With all the storms and rain the jobs are endless, so I have made a list to keep me on track!

Deadhead Roses
Plant 3 new roses (Bliss Parfuma (2) and Perfume Factory)
Move roses that are competing for space. I believe several of these will be potted up and gifted.
Divide the spring blooming Sweet William and share.
Trim Topiaries
Trim Boxwoods
Weed
Start foxglove seeds
Start lavender cuttings
Add to “Plotting and Planning” Inspiration Book
MAKE BOKAYS
Have fun!

PLOTTING AND PLANNING

Summertime is the second best time for plotting and planning. In my opinion, winter is the best time as you have more time and the sky’s the limit on what you can do. You are far removed from garden’s reality and your creative juices can go wild. 👩‍🎨🪴🌸🌹🎨👒🌻🌺

Summer plotting and planning is reality time … being in your garden to see what IS working and what IS NOT working leads to tweaks. Most likely you are visiting other gardens too and getting new ideas and plants! So very thankful that gardens are being opened again. I have two to visit next week and I am thrilled.

This week PLOTTING & PLANNING is moving to DIGGING. I have been digging up plants, moving plants, trimming plants and making lists of things to add and things to change. So F U N!! Don’t you just love this part!

You are probably thinking, “Is this the best time to divide and transplant?” That answer mostly likely should be “no”, but I garden with the theory that when you have time and tools – it’s the right time. But, don’t forget to keep the newbies and transplants watered.

GARDEN REPORT

WEEDS!

As I mentioned in a previous post this is the year of the weed! They threw a party while we were away and invited all their friends and family. We have had a huge amount of rain this week, so weeds are extra happy but the rain sure makes them easier to pull!! Don’t tell anyone, but I’m kinda getting attached to the wild strawberry.

Oh DEER!

Yes, DEER. We have never had deer in the summer before! It’s not just what they eat, to get to the objects of their desire, they are trampling other plants – a lot of them. 😫 The deer have ravished the herb garden and the hummingbird garden and peppered their presence throughout the garden. 😫 My delicate, beautiful Dreamland geraniums – smashed to smithereens.

Here are some things I now know about the deer diet that I never knew before…

They love poppies – ate the tops of all of them all.
They love yarrow – sheared all the blooms and I have a lot of yarrow. (Almost a Chelsea Chop – hope they do rally and flower.)
They love parsley and are very good at eating just the tiny leaves and leaving the stems.
They love roses but haven’t eaten as many as I thought they would. 😫🙏🏻 Maybe they are grossed out by the Japanese Beetles too.
They love asters – strategically nipping all the little buds.
They love tomato plants but so far have only eaten one. You know what that means, Mr. G is on the warpath and armed with DEER AWAY spray. Not good to come between Mr. G and his tomatoes. Hopefully they will move along soon! 🙏🏻🙏🏻

JAPANESE BEETLES

Yes, they are back and the spa treatment has begun. A nice soapy bath to send them to beetle heaven. So far I am seeing fewer than before. Hopefully, my drowning them before they make it to the ground is paying off. Or they are just going to come a bit later. Time will tell. To read my “comprehensive” article on Japanese Beetles … read on here.

BLOOM THYME

Here’s are the standouts for this week…

Pink Pearl Sweet Pea … Beautiful, very floriferous but unfortunately no fragrance.

Mother of Pearl Rose and her neighborhood.

LONG WEEKEND AHEAD

This week we have had heat, storms and torrential rain but the weather outlook for our long weekend is perfect. Sunny and 75ish! We plan to soak it up. 😎 All meals and all activities are outside!

Wishing you a wonderful and safe holiday weekend and may God Bless you and our wonderful country.

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: Open Garden and a Rose Explosion

Link | June 11, 2021June 11, 2021 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

We have had more rain than my liking but the roses have loved it and many have responded with record-breaking blooms (well for my garden). It is wonderful to see them and to share them!

I was contacted by a garden club I had spoken to a couple years ago (before COVID) and they wanted to come see my garden. After so long of saying “no”, it was good to say “yes”. They even had me saying ‘yes’ to the next time I would come to do another program! Great to be planning again.

I also invited my master gardener group as it had been so long since I had seen so many of them!

In a week of rain, it was a wonderful morning – hot but with a great breeze. It was a balm to my soul to see so many people enjoying the garden.

UP AND OVER

As though they knew that people were coming, my climbers chose to be their very best selves on Open Garden day. I love most anything that vines or climbs in the garden and probably have way too many climbers in the garden! And, I have on more than one occasion invited a climber that ended up being a nightmare … yes I had a porcelain berry vine that was bent on world domination. And, I still see bits of yellow trumpet vine lurking about.

If you have been following for a while you may remember the tears when Peggy Martin died back to the ground and didn’t cover her arbor for almost two seasons. And the time New Dawn did the same thing. It doesn’t all go according to plan, but this year the arbors are doing what I dreamed they would do… cover the arbors with beautiful flowers and all do it at the same time. Seeing them looking so good sure made the time on the ladder in dubious fall weather so worth it!

Front Arbor: New Dawn and Peggy Martin and Etoile Violette Clematis

Back Arbor: Peggy Martin, Francis E. Lester and Etoile Violette Clematis

THE MOST GROWN FLOWER IN EVERY STATE

Did you see this article by Spring Hill Nursery? To find out, what was the most grown flower in every state, they shared a list of 20 flowers with Americans in every state and the District of Columbia and asked them to choose the flower they plant in their gardens most often. Read on to see what gardeners in your state are most likely to grow! (Link)

GOD BLESS THE QUEEN

I can’t imagine what it has been like for Queen Elizabeth to say goodbye to her devoted prince after nearly 74 years of marriage. But it was good to see her smile as she accepted a new rose that was given in honor of what would have been his 100th birthday. The ‘Duke of Edinburgh’ rose will be planted in a mixed rose border of Windsor Castle – and there’s so much more to the story! You can read the entire Town and Country article by Annie Goldsmith here…

IAN GAVAN / GETTY IMAGES

BOKAY DAY

With the flowers at peak this week it was time for a BOKAY DAY. I packed up trugs, buckets and tools in my trusty wagon and got busy. What a pleasure it is to be close up and personal with all the blooms. Seriously, it was quiet, peaceful and the fragrance of roses filled the garden – it was as though for a few hours I was in another world.

Once the bokays were made, we were off to make deliveries.

Here’s a few pics of how the morning went…

Bucket w/ tools & jar of alcohol to disinfect pruners between roses

TIPS TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR CUT FLOWERS

Morning is the best time to cut flowers.

Use sharp snips or pruners.

Choose blooms not yet fully open.

Place in water immediately. (Take bucket to garden!)

Re-cut stems under water before adding to arrangement.

Remove leaves that will be under water.

Use flower preservative in water.

Change out water and recut stems every day or two!

WHAT A WEEK!

It has been a busy but wonderful week in the garden. So much beauty to be a part of – both people and flowers. May I never take it for granted and may I never forget who the real master gardener is.

God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures. Sir Francis Bacon

Gardeners, we are in great company. 😘

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer

Link | August 15, 2020 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

The lazy, hazy days of summer are certainly here!

It is too darn hot to be in the garden much this week and my to-do list is growing by the minute. Things like…

Pick leaves on those roses that have decided that August is a good time to say yes to more blackspot.
Divide and move perennials.
Deadhead spent blooms
Look for sales at garden centers (easy one!)
Water, water, water
Sketch out new areas and sketch tweaks to existing areas.

I bought this graph composition book for $1 a couple of weeks ago in the “back to school” aisle and it has been perfect to make these kinds of notes and sketches. Don’t you love a new composition book of any kind this time of year? And, new pencils and binders and all the school things!!

“Back to School” is difficult this year and that is heartbreaking to me as I have the very best memories of back to school times for myself and my children. Let’s all stop right now and take a minute to pray for the children, parents, and teachers and all that they are dealing with during this most difficult season.

BOKAY DAYS

Bokay Days go to a whole new level! Last week when Mr. G saw me packing up various vessels for bokay transport, he went out in his shop and made me this beautiful carrier. He looked at the sizes of vases (spaghetti sauce and jam jars 😉) I usually use and made this beautiful carrier to fit them. It worked perfectly! I have already used my new carrier several times! Mr. G is the very best!

THE VERY BAD AND THE HELPFUL

This week I found something in my garden that no rose lover wants to see … RRD (Rose Rosette Disease). I had noticed this rose was beginning to struggle. Then boom, there it was!

I have been growing roses for more than 30 years and have seen plenty of Rose Rosette other places, I have been fortunate to see very little of this in my garden. RRD is caused by a virus (yes another virus you have to hear about) and a tiny mite that carries it to the roses. I am in my garden every day and spotted it at a very very early stage. I dug the rose out and destroyed it.

At the present time, RRD has no cure but there is fabulous research going on and new ways of managing the problem while we search for a cure (sound familiar??). On August 22 at 2 pm there is a premiere of a new project Paul Zimmerman is working on with a team of RRD experts from around the country. You can go HERE to sign up to receive a reminder for the video. The premiere will include live chat with the panel of experts so you can get your questions answered.

Today I chatted with Paul Zimmerman about the project on Rose Chat and that podcast conversation will be released Sunday evening HERE. While you are waiting for that episode to be released you can catch up on the other recent episodes!

I never want to lose a plant to pests or disease, however, I have a long list of other beautiful roses I want to try in my garden and I am on to picking one of those!

Japanese Beetles are still attacking my Quietness roses and a few of my Zinnias but they are few and far between. I will be glad to see them go. If you are new here and want to know more about my experience with Japanese Beetles, read on HERE.

BLOOM THYME

James Austin DA just making this bokay sing!

The phlox blooms are beginning to fade but they are still very attractive to the pollinators!

Dahlias in the cutting garden are going to find their way into bokays today!

Fred and family are keeping cool in the pond. Wish it will big enough so that Mr. G and I could join them!

I hear cooler weather is coming next week and I am surely looking forward to it!

Friends, thanks for stopping by. I hope you are doing well and do take care! Let’s embrace the season and maybe have some ice cream…

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: SUMMER EXPLOSION

Link | June 26, 2020June 26, 2020 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

It was as though when the calendar said “first day of summer,” there was an explosion of color. Summer bloomers joined the spring perennials and early roses held on longer than usual. Peggy Martin still looks fabulous from afar. I love how her blooms dry in place – giving her the look of a painting that just lasts and lasts.

COMPANIONS…

Loving the Etoile Violette clematis surrounding the gate.

ROSES…

‘Imogene’ (David Austin) This is the 3rd year for this rose and it is just stunning. Right now it is just covered with blooms.

‘Quietness’ (Buck Rose) This is such a pretty, easy care rose with a sweet fragrance.

‘Bathsheba’ (David Austin) Poor Bathsheba was left out in her container all winter and I was sure she was dead but here she is in that same container. I do need to find her a place in the garden. She has definitely outgrown her container.

‘Champagne Wishes’ (Easy Elegance Series) This color is so rich and so is the fragrance.

‘Little Mischief’ (Easy Elegance) A tough and pretty ground cover rose.

‘Golden Fairy Tale’ (Kordes) Power bloomer and since she is yellow, the Japanese Beetles find her first. 😩

‘Music Box’ (Easy Elegance) Fragrant and pretty at every stage.

INSTAGRAM…

Many have asked me to do online tours. My answer to that was to start posting longer videos to an Instagram IGTV channel — complete with bird song and neighborhood activities like mowing lawns and motorcycles, etc. 😳 You can find those HERE.

LATEST PODCAST…

Last week on Rose Chat I chatted with Ping Lim the creator of the Easy Elegance Rose Series and a New Series called True Bloom. Ping is a great rose friend and it was great to hear his heart for people and roses and his way of bringing them together. You can listen to the chat here.

GOOD NEWS / BAD NEWS…

The temperatures this week have been perfect. It has been so nice to spend time in the garden. The roses and their companions are going strong but the Japanese Beetles have decided to join the party. Only a few so far but we’ll talk more on that next week.

Until next time…

I’ll leave you with the bokay I made this week entirely from my favorite Easy Elegance Rose, Music Box.

Bloom Thyme Friday: Time to Assess

Link | June 21, 2019February 15, 2022 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Yes, it is time to assess the garden! There has been so much rain. So many storms!

So grateful that this morning in the garden is like paradise … if you don’t look too close. The sun is shining (Yes, you heard me correctly. Don’t worry, rain is coming back tomorrow). Back to paradise… sun is shining, nice breeze blowing, temps nearing 70 and birds are singing the most beautiful songs.

On my morning garden walk – which was limited as some of the areas of the garden are water filled – I saw new blooms emerging, like the beautiful phlox that last year gave me blooms for most of the summer. Roses that are still holding their head high and some not so much. Most clematis doing well, however, some are succumbing to the dreaded wilt.

Bloom Thyme This Week….

Twist and Shout (Endless Summer Series) Hydrangea has never looked better. And, has never bloomed this early!

Flame White Eye Phlox Paniculata… simply gorgeous and has a very long blooming season!

CLEMATIS

During my open garden day someone asked, “Just, How many clematis do you have? I said … “Not sure …. a bunch.” “Ask Mr. G, it’s likely he’s keeping tabs.” LOL #truth

I do have a lot because I love them. Some clematis have already finished blooming but here are this week’s bloomers. You can see from the picture gallery on one of the main gate trellises, Etoile Violette is doing great on one side and the other has succumbed to the dreaded Clematis wilt. It happens. I hate it, but it happens. I will cut down this wilted one and destroy. You can read more about Clematis Wilt here.

Catmint: Nepeta Walker’s Low

These plants have never done better! It is getting near the end of their first bloom cycle. I will cut back and they will bloom again! This has proven to be an excellent edging for our deck — near the potted roses. (Don’t be fooled by the word “low” in the name; these babies are 3′ tall!) Pollinators love them!

Roses in pots are blooming nicely.

Wollerton Old Hall (DA)

Bathsheba (DA)

Creme Brûlée Coreopsis (Love) Excellent companion for roses.

Ghislaine de Felligonde (Hybrid Musk Rambler) first blooms tell me I am going to love having her in the garden. She first started blooming this week during a torrential downpour and I feared I would not see a petal left.

Little Mischief rose is starting to bloom. I just love it. Who doesn’t want a little mischief in their lives?!?

A small bird, I think it is a finch, is building a nest in my potting shed window box. I’ll need to be careful watering! Yikes.

UH OH…

I hear large equipment at a neighbor’s house and I see they are taking out big limbs near the power lines. I always get a bit nervous when I see trees go down! Especially when I suspect my tree line is next. 😬

If you need me, I’ll be deadheading. And, checking out the tree limb/ power line situation!

Hope you get to experience a bit of paradise today!

Genesis 2:15: God Placed man in the garden (of Eden) to tend and watch over it.