Bloom Thyme Friday: When the temps drop

Link | October 12, 2018October 10, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

The temps are dropping quicker that I had hoped for — at least more drastically than I had hoped for October. Seems the number 70 has been forgotten… 80 and 90 were very commonly heard from May until Tuesday. Now today we are hearing 50s, 40s, and 30s. I really should not be complaining about the weather as we watch our southern friends crawl out from under the horror that was Michael. Our thoughts and prayers are with you!

No, fall is not my favorite. I get so much more excited (many might say tooooo excited) about spring and the rebirth. 😂 By the way, as of today, I believe it is 158 days until spring. But, who’s counting!?!?!

Next for me is to don my coat and do a bit of fall cleanup. I confess to being one of those who doesn’t do much in the way of fall clean up. If you want to read more about what I do, read on here. I do have bulbs to plant and that’s real exciting. More daffodils, crocus, tulips and garlic! It will be fabulous to see them in the spring! 🌷🌱🌷

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK

Some of the roses are ready for a break, but some have been blooming like crazy. While I should be leaving the blooms on the shrub to calmly, quietly make hips and go to sleep … I find it hard to do that and have been cutting enough for a few bokays!

Even some of the perennials are showing off! Here are some going out with a bang…

Stokes Aster . One of the best rose companions.

Champagne Wishes / Easy Elegance Collection

Head Over Heels / Easy Elegance Collection

View this week from my Potting Shed porch

While we are on the topic of weather… I have to confess that I do love the snow. More each year. The days that I spend “cooped up” with Mr. G when the snow is falling are some of the very best. Those of you who know him, know that he doesn’t stay cooped up long. He has to go out and blaze trails in the snow and that is fun too.

Whatever the weather, wherever you are … BLOOM!

Bloom Thyme Friday: Hydrangeas stealing the show!

Link | August 3, 2018August 3, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Before we get to the blooms, let’s talk about my current little obsession … bottle brushes. I will never know why it has taken me this long to buy a set of bottle brushes but it did. Since I have a thing about glass, and glass comes to me from a variety of places, I am always removing labels and cleaning bottles and jars. These new brushes have simply changed my life — for the better. #happydance #iloveglass You can find more about my obsession with glass here.

BLOOM THYME…

There’s plenty blooming in the garden although not too many roses as I trimmed them back to discourage the Japanese Beetles. It has worked, they are fewer in number at this time. Perhaps there is another reason for fewer of them in the garden since Mr. G found and hung the Japanese Beetle Traps — one of his obsessions. Once the beetles were here, the traps few off the shelves. Note to: Tell Santa about Mr. G’s obsession with Japanese Beetle traps. #stockingstuffer I know there are conflicting reports and thoughts on the beetle traps BUT, I live with and love Mr. G and we go with his thoughts on this one — he has done plenty of research. And puts them way out to the edge of our property!

Now for the hydrangeas! (Maybe another obsession, but we are NOT going there.)

One hydrangea is threatening to block my way into the potting shed. I don’t mind at all, it is a beautiful welcome!

A very healthy Bobo. I have 6 of these. #favorite

OTHER BLOOMERS…

I never tire of the lovely blooms on Ping Lim’s Music Box from the Easy Elegance Collection.

Comte de Chambord and neighbors – over the top pink! LOVE!

Not sure what this Zinnia is reaching for but I love this color.

The Fawn is staying under the radar and the Japanese Beetles aren’t finding her.

Common Phlox An over achiever — beautiful but I have to keep my eyes on this one.

Dare I say it … when I see these, I think fall. 🙁

COMING SOON … A GARDEN SYMPOSIUM

The Indianapolis Rose Society is hosting the ARS Illinois Indiana District Conference and Rose Show Sat, Sept 8, 10 am – 4 pm — at the 4H Fairgrounds in Lebanon! (FYI: I will be installed as the new District Director in October!)

Cost for the public to attend the educational sessions is $10. We have some of the best of the best speakers coming from around the country and these sessions have been approved for Master Gardener Educational Credit. Click here to see the list of speakers! We would love to see you there! I guarantee you will have fun, learn a ton and see some of the prettiest roses on the planet!! There is even a lunch option too! ALL THE DETAILS HERE!

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! Send me any questions you might have!

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.

2015 Top 5 Roses

October 25, 2015 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

2015 was a beautiful rose year in my neck of the woods. To pick only 5 roses from this year provides quite a challenge. But, I do want to get down to some of the top performers in my Zone 5 garden and share some standouts with you.

Dick Clark – Grandiflora: This was the 3rd year in my garden and it was a blooming machine. Staying healthy all the way to October. Very little disease. I have to say the first year this rose was not impressive in the blooming department but that was all forgotten this year! Many roses do not show their best self until the third year. Maybe you’ve heard this about perennials and shrubs…

1st Year: Sleep
2nd Year: Creep
3rd Year: LEAP!

So, it is best to give them 3 years in your garden to prove what they can do and be for you. This rose was hybridizing giants Tom Carruth and Christian Bedard.
More information @ http://www.weeksroses.com/_Roses/DickClark.html

Petit Pink – Shrub: This easy care shrub from the Proven Winners OSO Happy series bloomed all summer with no sign of disease. Looks good up close and from far away. The long-lasting blooms are small—about an inch in diameter.
More information @ https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/rosa/oso-happy-petit-pink-landscape-rose-rosa-x

Little Mischief – Shrub: (Easy Elegance Collection) These adorable deep pink sprays look amazing in the garden as well as in arrangements. I should know… arranging these little blooms put me in the winners circle at our local district rose show!

More information @ http://www.easyeleganceroses.com/roses

Music Box – Shrub: (Easy Elegance Collection): This is a shrub rose with a pretty little bud and a hybrid tea like bloom. True to the series name, this rose is easy and elegant and completes the package with a lovely fragrance.

More information @ http://www.easyeleganceroses.com/roses I bought mine the last two years from my local Lowes.

Moje Hammerburg – Rugosa: This rose could not be easier or prettier or more fragrant. A medium size Rugosa — some of them can get quite large! If you are not familiar with Rugosas, let me tell you there is not a more hardy, disease resistant family of roses.

There were so many beautiful roses this year. Look at some of my recents posts and you will see many more!

THE 2016 LIST

Like many of you, I am now beginning to make a list of wants and needs for next year. One that is already on the list is my second Tahitian Treasure from Star Roses and Plants. She was a late bloomer and it took the 3 years for her to really show off. But this rose was fabulous this year. Pretty, fragrant, disease resistant and very long lasting in a vase!
More information @ http://www.starrosesandplants.com/plants/grandiflora-rose/tahitian-treasure

This rose was on my potting shed desk for more than a week when I took this picture!

AND, JUST ONE MORE…

Honorable Mention for 2015…

Belinda’s Dream: A rose from the Earth Kind Rose collection. This floriferous rose has beautiful form, is disease resistant and has a beautiful fragrance.

More info @ https://www.chambleeroses.com/order.php?id=25.

This picture show’s Belinda’s Dream growing in a large pot on my deck. She will over winter in her pot in our dark, slightly heated garage. Fingers crossed she will emerge in April ready for another wonderful year! Note: All my roses that I over-wintered in the garage last year did very well!

WHAT ABOUT YOUR GARDEN?

If you have roses that have done particularly well for you this year, please share the name and your growing zone in the comment section below. We learn best from each other!

🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝

Bloom Thyme Friday: Easy Elegance

April 25, 2014 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

All the beauty, none of the work!

That is the way Ping Lim describes his EASY ELEGANCE line of roses. Ping Lim, the renown hybridizer, has a line of beautiful, easy care roses that has been getting a lot of attention. I’ve been thinking about adding some for the last couple of years.

Last weekend while at Lowes, I noticed they had a very large selection of EASY ELEGANCE roses and I never remember their having very many of them before, so I took that as a sign that this was the time to try them. Wouldn’t you think the same thing????? I know what you are thinking, I am very easy to persuade when it comes to roses and you are right. 🙂 My rose society also has some of the Easy Elegance roses for sale at a very reasonable price, so I have stocked up!

Here are the ones I bought: Music Box, All The Rage, High Voltage, Sunrise Sunset & Sweet Fragrance.

ADDED BONUS: This is the first rose collection to offer a 2-year homeowner guarantee to show how confident they are in their roses. You can read more about these roses here… http://www.easyelegancerose.com/

I am very excited to see how these roses do in my garden!

I’ll keep you posted!!