Most of you are probably like me and in the midst of a heat wave making mornings so very important to us! To spend time in the garden we have to beat the heat!
My favorite way to start the day is with coffee in the garden doing my devotions. My devotions this time of year are centered around the garden. Time began in a garden. Jesus went to a garden before the cross. Jesus said I am the vine you are the branches. There’s a flood. There’s drought. There’s rocky soil. There’s the mustard seed. You can’t go very far in the Bible without bumping into a garden or garden illustration. It’s very gardeny.
I was recently asked for recommendations for gardeny devotional books, so here is a list of the ones I have, they’re all a bit different. Several I bought many years ago but they may still be available through Amazon or other online outlets.
Garden Mercies by Laurie Ostby Kehler
Devotions from the Garden from Thomas Nelson Books
A Gardener’s Little Devotional Book by Worthy Publishing
Meditations on a Rose Garden by Carolyn Huffman
Down a Garden Path by Karla Dornacher
A Well-Watered Garden by Harriet Crosby
NIV Gardeners Bible
POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS
In the potting shed, I have Foxglove seeds started for next year’s garden. As biennials, in my garden, they make leaves the first year and winter over and bloom the second year. They also are known to be prolific self-seeders and that has worked for me lately but there were many years when we’ve had colder winters that did not happen. Last year I bought a lovely pot of peach foxgloves. This year in that same area I have 4 peach foxgloves! Self-seeding at its best. Always good to note about this plant ALL PARTS ARE POISONOUS.
My beautiful self-seeders
Little miracles
The seeds I planted are Carousel Mix from Renee’s Garden. They will be a mix of pastel shades.
BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK
Many of the roses are laying low, hiding from the heat and the Japanese Beetles. Since my open garden on June 12, we’ve had NO rain! NONE. The only upside to the lack of rain is that the barrage of Japanese Beetles has been stymied due to the hard ground. Only a few brave souls have emerged. We are looking forward to a drenching rain but so far none is in the forecast.
This time of year it is great to take note of those things that are doing very well. There are some roses and many perennials and annuals that don’t seem to mind the hot dry condition. Here are my BFFs right now – coreopsis, daylilies, coneflowers, daisies, veronica, and phlox. So far my dahlias are doing okay too. I’d not say they are thriving but growing and I’m still hopeful they will be spectacular. The big exception there is Creme de Cognac… I started the tuber inside and it did well and now it is blooming like crazy – way ahead of the others.
Only for a day – but worth it!Self-seeded LarkspurConeflowerLuminary Backlight Phlox AnnabelleScabiosaLemon ZestFlamenco RositaCreme Brulee CoreopsisCreme de CognacVeronicaClematisPomponella is beautiful even as she fades
YOU ARE IN GOOD COMPANY IN THE GARDEN
Never forget you are in good company in the garden.
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; there he put the man whom he had formed. Genesis 2:8 He is the Master Gardener.
This has been a year for the record books. Aren’t they all! 😳
Leading up to “Open Garden” day, we had torrential downpours almost every day. Some days it rained all day. So with standing water in areas of the garden two days before “open garden” I was close to canceling. I can tell you my master gardener friends were not big fans of canceling. And yes it was raining the day of the big event but not torrential downpours. My thoughts were… if we were England we would not cancel, we would just dress for the weather. So, I sent out a note saying just that and added – bring your umbrella and wear your Wellies it’s garden tour time.
30 minutes before people were to arrive the rain stopped and the sun came out!!! We had the best time! Did the garden look it’s best…. HEAVEN’S NO! Every bloom had been water damaged. But, that didn’t stop the fun. We had the best time. How can you not have a good time with friends in your garden — it’s just the best.
Guest entered the garden through Mr. G’s lineup of tomatoes!Deep in thought – answering questions.Picking out a Zinnia!
ZINNIAS FOR EVERYONE
I just love Zinnias. I tried several “new to me” varities from seed this year plus a few extras to share. A few weeks before open garden day, I had so much fun potting up Zinnia seedlings for visitors to take home.
ROSEFEST UPDATE
Rosefest was a big success. Loads of people and loads of roses. In the Rose Show I saw some of the most beautiful roses I have ever seen thanks to all those who entered … especially John and Donna Hefner. They are such experts and are so willing to help others. They took home the top honors.
MOONSTONE – Queen of ShowJohn and Donna – Moonstone!Swirly PopThanks to RISE UP AMBERNESS (Proven Winners) I won an award for an arrangement. The class was “BIRTHRIGHT… honoring our parents”. In the arrangement I included foliage from the Rose of Sharon shrub from my (deceased) Mom and Dad’s garden.
ROSE CHAT
More episodes are being released all the time. Check them out here. When you click the most recent episodes will become linkable. First up you’ll see my chat with Tom Carruth – one of the most successful rose hybridizers in the world. He has brought us classic beauties like Julia Child, Hot Cocoa and the amazing Forth of July climber to name a few. He is currently the currator for one of the most beautiful rose gardens in the world … The Huntington Rose Garden in San Marino, CA.
P. Allen Smith on Moss Mountain Farm: A Sense of Place | Rose Chat Podcast
What can a garden teach us about the way we live? On this episode of the Rose Chat Podcast, Teresa Byington sits down with celebrated gardener, author, television host, conservationist and landscape designer P. Allen Smith to talk about his new book, Moss Mountain Farm: A Sense of Place.
For decades, P. Allen Smith has encouraged gardeners to look beyond plants and think about the larger story a landscape can tell. At Moss Mountain Farm in Arkansas, that philosophy comes to life through gardens, architecture, agriculture, conservation and thoughtful landscape design.
In this conversation, Allen shares the inspiration behind Moss Mountain Farm: A Sense of Place and the ideas that shaped this remarkable garden and farm. We talk about garden design, sustainable gardening, stewardship, garden history, creating meaningful outdoor spaces, and the relationship between people and the landscapes they call home.
Whether you're a longtime gardener, a rose enthusiast, a landscape designer, or simply someone who loves beautiful gardens, this conversation offers plenty of inspiration for creating a garden with a stronger sense of place and purpose.
Listen to the Rose Chat Podcast with P. Allen Smith and discover the stories, ideas and gardening philosophy behind Moss Mountain Farm.
In this episode:
P. Allen Smith's new book, Moss Mountain Farm: A Sense of Place
The story and philosophy behind Moss Mountain Farm
Garden and landscape design principles
Sustainable gardening and environmental stewardship
The importance of garden history and sense of place
Creating outdoor spaces that reflect your personal style
Finding inspiration in the landscape around you
Guest: P. Allen Smith
Host: Teresa Byington
Podcast: Rose Chat Podcast
ORDER THE BOOK HERE.
TOUR INFORMATION HERE.
MORE ABOUT P ALLEN SMITH HERE.
The Rose Chat Podcast
Our 15th Season
MEET THE ROSE CHAT TEAM
🎙 Executive Producer & On-Air Personality
Chris VanCleave – RedneckRosarian.com
Chris—aka The Redneck Rosarian—is the mastermind behind the Rose Chat Podcast. He’s a nationally known rosarian, speaker, and TV personality who believes roses are for everyone, not just folks with fancy garden gloves. Whether he's talking bloom care or thorny troublemakers, Chris brings heart, humor, and a whole lot of rose wisdom to the mic.
🎙 Content Creator & On-Air Personality
Teresa Byington – TheGardenDiary.com
Teresa is a Master Gardener, Consulting Rosarian, and one of the kindest garden cheerleaders you’ll ever meet. She’s been growing roses for decades and still gets excited when one bursts into bloom. With stories, tips, and a dash of garden gossip, she helps make Rose Chat feel like a visit with a good friend, who just happens to be a rose expert.
Wanna Keep in Touch?
We’d love to pop into your inbox now and then (we promise, no spam—just roses).
Click here to subscribe to Rose Chat updates!
Oh, how I hate to tell you that it’s now Japanese Beetle season again. 😫
You know how much I love my Vanessa Bell roses. Well, the Japanese Beetles chose her to be the first to munch on. So, it begins. 😡 If you’d like to read my article on Japanese Beetles from last year, read on here.
PRESSING FLOWERS
I haven’t pressed flowers for many years but I have been craving to do so this year. Mr. G gifted me with an absolutely gorgeous (and large) press from Gardeners Supply. He loves to buy gifts from there as they have such quality! If you are interested in pressing some beauty too, here’s a link.
What am I going to do with the flowers I press??? I’m not sure but I do envision a jar filled with beautiful pressed flowers. We’ll see!
ROSE OF THE WEEK… BLISS PARFUMA
What a rose! It has stood up to all the rain like a champ! This rose came to me from Heirloom Roses last year and it is outstanding. A strong, vigorous plant with gorgeous blooms. Like all the Kordes roses in my garden, it is disease resistant. It also has a light fragrance. To read more, here is a link to Heirloom.
COMPANION OF THE WEEK … SELF-SEEDED FOXGLOVE
Look at this beauty. It self-seeded from a Foxglove I bought at Lowes last year. Such a beautiful color. I will be saving seeds and making sure some make their way into the ground again!
BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK
The rain gave way to torrid heat. I think most of you are in the same hot boat! Many plants are “melting” but some are taking the heat in stride. And, I’m trying to do the same.
Rise Up Lilac Days (NEW Proven Winners)Reminicent Pink (NEW Proven Winners)Carpet RoseZaideyarrowLemon Zest
We will close out the gallery with the boldest of all… one of the newest kids on the block – South Africa.
Whew, she is making a name for herself. She is positioned right beside the prissy pink Pomponella who may be giving her a side-eye. I might have to find a better place for her “boldness.”
She’s a stunner
Friends, glad you stopped by. Stay cool!!
Maybe make some lemonade. This is the recipe for lemonade I loved to serve to guests coming to the garden — back when the world was more comfortable with that sort of thing. I sure hope we get back to that soon.
My kids call it, “LEMONADE THE MOM WAY.”
For each can of Minute Maid (or other brands) Frozen Lemonade add…
Are you tired of hearing about weather yet? We are getting almost constant rain! The garden is drenched but so green. This reminds me of 2019 when my good friend Connie Hilker came to visit and she spent her time walking in the garden under an umbrella wearing boots – the pathways were flooded. She would find the same thing today…
Here are some beauties BRAVING THE STORMS this week…
KAZANLIK is an amazingly fragrant Damask from the Bulgaria / Turkey region since before 1600s. I just had to have her and many of her cousins after visiting Turkey and learning more about their significance in the rose oil trade. Wonderful to use in potpourris! I purchased her from High Country Roses and you can too … here.
ABOVE AND BEYOND is going above and beyond, as usual, to make a big splash in the garden. Rain or shine! Thank you Dr. David Zlesak for such an amazing rose!
CLEMATIS AND LADY ASHE
The clematis is moving in a bit faster but Lady Ashe is primed and ready to take center stage. What a fabulous rose! Lady Ashe is a beautiful, well-behaved, fragrant climber from English rose growers at Peter Beale’s Roses.
P. Allen Smith on Moss Mountain Farm: A Sense of Place | Rose Chat Podcast
What can a garden teach us about the way we live? On this episode of the Rose Chat Podcast, Teresa Byington sits down with celebrated gardener, author, television host, conservationist and landscape designer P. Allen Smith to talk about his new book, Moss Mountain Farm: A Sense of Place.
For decades, P. Allen Smith has encouraged gardeners to look beyond plants and think about the larger story a landscape can tell. At Moss Mountain Farm in Arkansas, that philosophy comes to life through gardens, architecture, agriculture, conservation and thoughtful landscape design.
In this conversation, Allen shares the inspiration behind Moss Mountain Farm: A Sense of Place and the ideas that shaped this remarkable garden and farm. We talk about garden design, sustainable gardening, stewardship, garden history, creating meaningful outdoor spaces, and the relationship between people and the landscapes they call home.
Whether you're a longtime gardener, a rose enthusiast, a landscape designer, or simply someone who loves beautiful gardens, this conversation offers plenty of inspiration for creating a garden with a stronger sense of place and purpose.
Listen to the Rose Chat Podcast with P. Allen Smith and discover the stories, ideas and gardening philosophy behind Moss Mountain Farm.
In this episode:
P. Allen Smith's new book, Moss Mountain Farm: A Sense of Place
The story and philosophy behind Moss Mountain Farm
Garden and landscape design principles
Sustainable gardening and environmental stewardship
The importance of garden history and sense of place
Creating outdoor spaces that reflect your personal style
Finding inspiration in the landscape around you
Guest: P. Allen Smith
Host: Teresa Byington
Podcast: Rose Chat Podcast
ORDER THE BOOK HERE.
TOUR INFORMATION HERE.
MORE ABOUT P ALLEN SMITH HERE.
The Rose Chat Podcast
Our 15th Season
MEET THE ROSE CHAT TEAM
🎙 Executive Producer & On-Air Personality
Chris VanCleave – RedneckRosarian.com
Chris—aka The Redneck Rosarian—is the mastermind behind the Rose Chat Podcast. He’s a nationally known rosarian, speaker, and TV personality who believes roses are for everyone, not just folks with fancy garden gloves. Whether he's talking bloom care or thorny troublemakers, Chris brings heart, humor, and a whole lot of rose wisdom to the mic.
🎙 Content Creator & On-Air Personality
Teresa Byington – TheGardenDiary.com
Teresa is a Master Gardener, Consulting Rosarian, and one of the kindest garden cheerleaders you’ll ever meet. She’s been growing roses for decades and still gets excited when one bursts into bloom. With stories, tips, and a dash of garden gossip, she helps make Rose Chat feel like a visit with a good friend, who just happens to be a rose expert.
Wanna Keep in Touch?
We’d love to pop into your inbox now and then (we promise, no spam—just roses).
Click here to subscribe to Rose Chat updates!
If you’re local, the Indianapolis Rose Society and Hamilton Country Master Gardeners have teamed up to bring a beautiful day of roses. Roses for sale, demonstrations, garden tour, great speakers, and free Proven Winner’s beautiful roses to the first 40 guests! For all the details, read on here…
In these tumultuous times, weather as a problem is not even on the scale. More than ever I appreciate the beauty and love around me.
Luke 12: Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. He’s not just in control of flowers, He’s in control of us.
Until next week…. may your time in the garden give you comfort and beauty.
I am always late to the fall party … spend too much time pouting about the end of the growing season. But, I do eventually get there! And usually, it is just in time for the first snow which we had this week. Fresh snowfall refreshes the soul and makes everything look enchanting.
FALL WORK
When the sun is shining and I’m in the garden I forget what’s to come and just enjoy being there. There’s much to do. I am now on day three of trimming roses. It takes a while because I can never stay on one task. I am a garden project hopper.
I am also adding sulfur to the beds. A soil test revealed my pH was high and it was recommended I add sulfur. The lab I used for the soil test was A & L Great Lakes Labs. LINK HERE.
The final fall task will be to rake up debris from some of the beds and add a layer of shredded leaves which we have in abundance this year thanks to our neighbor who is treating all the neighbors on our street by “mowing” and shredding the leaves from their yards! So, they are literally being shredded and bagged for me! So grateful as typically we have to buy mulch!
BULB PLANTING
I love bulbs and have quite a few but I try to resist planting too many as the foliage they leave behind for such a long, long, long time tends to get in the way of the beauty of my spring “fireworks and fragrance” stage when the old garden roses start doing their thing! They take center stage and the bulbs get a nip in their life cycle if you know what I mean.
This year it was harder than ever to resist buying hundreds of bulbs I can tell you! I am following several people on Instagram that are naturalizing bulbs and they made it so tempting.
But I stayed fairly strong and only planted a few additional bulbs. It was great to get them in the ground and dream of when they will emerge doing their very popular jobs — adding beauty to the end of winter and shouting to the world that spring is coming! For the first time, I also planted a few bulbs in a container on the patio to see how well they will do.
FALL FOOD
One of the very best things about fall is fall food. It is synonymous with comfort food. So far we have had several favorites… Zuppa Toscana, Chicken Pot Pie, and Chicken Noodle Soup! What food says fall to you?
I also made several batches of caramel dip to share. It is way too good to keep around too long so it must be shared! If you are interested, you can find the recipe HERE. The next treat to share will be Grandma B’s Fruit Cake Cookies. I know. I know. You’re thinking you wouldn’t like them but I’m telling you, they are not only traditional, they are good! Especially if you add extra coconut! Go ahead, give them a try. Recipe HERE.
BLOOM THYME
Let’s talk about my orchid!
I have tried orchids several times in the past and while I enjoy them so much, I could never get a robust rebloom. That story has now changed. At the Awards Banquet for the Indianapolis Rose Society in December 2019, I was given a lovely orchid as a gift for serving as President.
This year the beautiful orchid came back to life in January sending up 2 strong bloom “spikes.” By February it was blooming and it finished blooming in August! It was glorious! Now it is going again!
In this picture taken yesterday, you can see that the Amaryllis is clearly saying “this is my time to shine” and the Orchid is clearly saying “hold my beer.” 😳😆 They both will be bringing me immense pleasure very soon!
February
July
Want to know my orchid secret? I have a good friend who is a master at growing orchids. The most amazing orchids I have ever seen. He gave me some simple advice and that is what I do. Water every week with soluble orchid fertilizer. Amount? One jigger full of the fertilized water. It works.
BACK TO THE BANQUET
Here are a few pictures from that Indianapolis Rose Society Banquet. Such a beautiful evening together with rose friends. Little did we know how different things would be in a few short months and it would be the last of such events for a good long while. I so look forward to having them again.
Such a lovely gift that keeps giving
The Hefners installing the new board
Linda Kimmel being installed as editor
Giving out individual service awards
Presenting Teresa Downham with Bronze Medal
LATEST PODCAST
Last week I chatted with Carrie and Joe Bergs about winter rose care where it gets very cold but we talked about so much MORE than just winter rose care. We talked about roses they love, their hobby of exhibiting roses, mentoring others in their area, and the work they are doing for local societies and the American Rose Society. Joe and Carrie enjoy every aspect of growing roses – a lovely rose power couple. LISTEN HERE
Carrie did a previous Rose Chat podcast, “My Favorite Pink Ladies” where she shares about her favorite old garden roses. Listen HERE
BEST PART OF FALL
It is almost time for the best part of fall … Thanksgiving! A time to count our blessings and enjoy special moments and yummy food with those we love. We’ve learned that holidays can look very different but I’m so impressed with how we have learned to find new ways to celebrate and share. Wishing you a very special week.
Friends, when I count my blessings, I certainly count you. It is wonderful to have a community of like-minded friends who share my love of gardening and roses. Thank you.
The rains have moved in and the temps are still warm so things are looking lush in the garden again and frost seems to be at least a few weeks out! The roses are at that “messy” stage that comes when you stop deadheading but hips are forming and I do love to see those. Other roses are still giving some beautiful blooms and I’m mixing them with snapdragons and dahlias…
DAHLIAS
Let me tell you it is hard to go to England or watch Monty Don and crew on Gardener’s World and not fall in love with Dahlias.
This was my second year growing them and I am hooked. And, am spending a good bit of time looking for more. These beauties take late summer bloom thyme to the next level! Some of my dahlias struggled this year as they were in places without adequate sun. Seriously, I don’t know exactly where I am going to plant the new ones — but I’ll think of something – preferably a spot with more sun and there’s always containers!!
Here are my “gateway” dahlias. Most were bought in mixed packages at Lowe’s so I’m not sure of their names. I did plant the beloved Cafe Au Lait but it didn’t do very well for me — again sun was a factor I’m sure.
Click on an image to open the “gallery” feature for a better view.
BreakoutContainer is tooooo small.Cafe au Lait
WINNERS
One of the regional rose trial programs in the US is the American Garden Rose Selections. They recently released their 2022 winners. As we are planning for what we will grow next year, it is the perfect time to read about these beauties and where they grow best… HERE.
Congratulations to the winners!
Celestial Night
Celestial Night by Christian Bedard / Weeks
Easy on the Eyes by Tom Carruth / Weeks
Pink Freedom by Christian Bedard / Weeks
Pretty Polly Pink by David Zlesak / Star
LATEST ROSECHAT PODCAST
GROWING ROSES SUSTAINABLY with Pat Shanley, Past President of the American Rose Society. Pat has an amazing chemical-free garden and wonderful advice for growing roses sustainably! LISTEN HERE.
ME AND ETTA
I just learned that a photo that I took of Proven Winner’s beautiful rose ‘At Last’ (Song by Etta James) will be on the October page of the American Rose Society 2022 Calendar. I feel like with paper I am going full circle. I switched to online calendars a few years ago but I’m now back to paper! If you like paper calendars, this is a beautiful one. You can order them here.
At Last
BLOOM THYME
Like it or not, fall is fully upon us. Things look different these days but if we look, we always find beauty – in life and in the garden…
The Generous Gardener
Cosmos FINALLYChampagne WishesSavannahTopiaries getting a trim before coming insideThe Lady Gardener (Container)Basil still a wowPomponellaBaby FoxglovesThe Faun
Friends, I hope your fall is going well. Mr. G and I already have a coffee bet on when the first snowfall will be. What do you think? ☕️🍂❄️
There is a post on social media these days that asks a question that it appears the whole world is answering…
WHAT IS ONE THING THAT MOST PEOPLE LIKE BUT YOU DON’T?
Here it comes.
Fall.
I don’t like fall.
Before you judge me, know this… in the midwest, fall is beautiful but only about 4 minutes long and it ushers in winter. While I love a beautiful blanket of snow as well as the next person, beautiful snows are few and the cold, dark days of winter are plentiful. Another thing about winter here is that it does not know when to leave. It hangs on and on and on. #badform 🙄
Note: Mr. G and I will be in line to get one of the first Pumpkin Spice Lattes! So cheers to that part of fall… 😉
July DOUBT
The “season” of JULY has some issues too.
Japanese Beetles come around the 3rd week of June. Add to that some intense heat and drought robbing us of many of our summer roses. Not the garden’s finest hour. As I wander in the garden in July, I ask myself deep questions 🙄 like … Why are you are a gardener? Do you really want to be a gardener? You know, the usual horrible weather conversations gardeners have with themselves.
ATTITUDE
A few years ago someone sent me a card with the quote, AUTUMN IS THE SECOND SPRING. YESSSSSS. I loved that and it gave me the late summer attitude adjustment I needed. While I don’t do things much differently than I did before, just thinking that I am getting my garden ready for the 2nd spring makes all the difference.
So what does summer care look like for me?
In mid to late July, I start trimming back my reblooming roses (shrubs and hybrids – not old garden roses), give them their last dose of fertilizer (I most often use Mills Mix Easy Feed – a great tonic of organic and inorganic plant yumminess) AND last … (this is the best!) … clean up the fallen leaves around them and give them a fresh coat of mulch. Nothing says spring or beautiful garden like a fresh coat of mulch. It is just the best. I appreciate all the health benefits of mulch, but the pretty side of mulch is my favorite!
NOTE: The 2nd Spring trim is not as low or “severe” as the 1st Spring! Remember that the lower you trim, the longer it takes for the blooms to return. When it comes to climbing roses, they are handled differently as well.
⬆️ Fresh mulch around one of the bulletproof roses in my garden – Petit Pink. No need to do the late pruning, it just keeps on going!
Yes, we are on our way – if the “spring” rains would start, all would be good as we wait on those amazing 2nd Spring rose blooms.
FIRST FROST DATE
The predicted FIRST FROST DATE dictates much of our late summer/fall care. That date has been established as October 10 until recently I have seen that the USDA Hardiness Zone lists dates as somewhere between October 13 and 21. Good to checks things out for your Zone.
In Zone 5b we don’t fertilize beyond August and we stop deadheading roses in September as the roses need this time to go dormant before winter arrives. Pruning and deadheading our roses signal it’s time to bloom again and will leave them vulnerable to the cold.
ROSE COMPANIONS
Our roses don’t want to be alone! It’s good to have some pretty fall-blooming perennials, annuals, and shrubs that will complement the roses.
In my late summer/fall garden…
Shrubs that are beautiful this time of year are the Carpinteria (Bluebeard) that are just coming into their beautiful blue blooms and hydrangeas continue to be beautiful in the fall.
Annuals that hold their own during this season are…
Dusty Miller
Zinnias
Victoria
Blue salvia
Cleome
Diamond Frost euphorbia
Cosmos
Snapdragons (that were give a mid summer chop)
Nasturtiums
Lantana
Tall Phlox and Snapdragons
Perennials that make a huge difference this time of year in my garden are…
Asters
Hyssop
Sage
Tall veronica
Sedums (both the ground cover sedums and the tall sedums)
A few Black eyed Susans make it this far
Sedums getting ready!
POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS
Finding foxgloves locally, especially in the color I want is difficult to impossible. So last year I put some seeds in the ground and a few plants came up! This spring they grew so strong! They were the best foxgloves I had ever had – strong stems that bloomed for a very long time.
So this year I decided to do everything possible to ensure we have foxgloves next year. I’ve tossed seeds in the garden. I’ve started seeds inside to get little plants. They are hardening off now. I even put a few of the little seedlings directly in the ground a few weeks ago without hardening them off and so far they are doing great. Also hoping some of this year’s foxgloves will self-seed, but so far I don’t see any evidence of that.
Regardless of what happens, I love the process…
Waiting their turn.
ROSE CHAT PODCAST
THE DIRT ON SOIL with GAYE HAMMOND
In the most recent episode, I chat with a great friend, Gaye Hammond, to get all the dirt on soil! Grab your pencil and paper because we’re going to class.
Gaye takes us on a deep dive into the importance of good soil, moves into soil testing and pH, gives us up-to-the-minute research-based info on fertilizers, and ends with the importance of mulch – and it’s not just for “pretty!”
Gaye is an outstanding resource for all gardeners, especially those who grow roses. LISTEN HERE.
NOTE: On the podcast, the products to use for raising and lowering pH were reversed… Use Limestone to raise pH and use sulfur to lower. Personally, my pH is a bit high and I have bags of sulfur to use this fall.
BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK
One of my favs: CalendulaBullet proof Petit Pink blooms all summer.Rugosa hips are beautiful.Garlic this year: Brown RoseSavannah’s healthy growth after her 2nd Spring trim!Fav color of geraniumStill hanging on but fewer!Another bullet proof rose – pink carpet rose
SEASONS
Regardless of the season outside, our world is in a difficult season. Once again gardening has become more therapeutic than ever and my garden has become my prayer closet.
Yes, the garden has become a soggy jungle. 🐒 My apologies to those of you who are experiencing drought, I do pray rain is coming soon for you. But my garden is drenched. With almost daily rain and a healthy bunch of storms, pathways have flooded, large tree limbs are broken and much of the garden has standing water. Mr. G’s grassy areas are a mess.😞 Today we are getting sunshine (and steam) so I ventured out for a look-see. Sad. Broken plants, mulch has moved on to the neighbors garden, everything is just icky and in need of a good cleanup. I hate wet and icky. Good for us we almost always have a few bags of what I call “emergency mulch.”
THYME OUT FUN
It’s not all gloomy! One dry afternoon I spent some time in THYME OUT (my outside potting area) and had a blast trimming up some of my small topiaries. It is great therapy! This outside girl is going to need more than “topiary therapy” if we don’t get some regular sunshine. There has been way to much inside time. I learned years ago, I am solar powered!! ☀️
One of my two little lavender topiaries I started from cuttings.
A new one to add to the collection. There are a few others peppered around the garden.
LATEST ROSE CHAT PODCAST
Recently I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Malcolm Manners about his work with Rose Mosaic Virus, work in the rose district in Harlem and so much more! Once you listen to this podcast you’ll know why he was named Great Rosarian of the World in 2013. Listen here.
COMING SOON: We are currently working on a new series called ASK THE EXPERTS.
Subjects we are tackling are:
GROWING ROSES SUSTAINABLY: Pat Shanley
DESIGNING A ROSE GARDEN: Carolyn Parker
GROWING YOUR ROSE SOCIETY: Ron Daniels
ALL ABOUT SOIL: Gaye Hammond
If you have questions for any of our experts, please send them to me via email HERE.
ARS GREEN THUMB WEBINAR
The American Rose Society has been doing a series of Green Thumb webinars. All of them have been great but I am particularly excited about this one!
TOPIC: Going the Distance
PRESENTER: Will Radler (Father of the Knock Out rose)
DATE: Sat, July 24, 1:00 – 3:00 pm (Central Time)
$10 (Non aRS Members)
FREE For ars members (use THE MEMBER CODE in email FROM ARS)
Take a ringside seat and enjoy the inspirational tale of The Knock Out Rose® as told by its creator, Will Radler. One might expect that the world’s best-selling rose was conceived in a laboratory under the direction of a seasoned rose breeder holding many horticultural degrees. Instead, a nine-year-old with two quarters in his pocket changed the rose industry forever. Radler shares a blow-by-blow account of his journey from fringe contender to international champ. The behind-the-scenes details will both amaze and inspire you. Making it to the main event is one thing. Sustaining is another. Radler, with his unconventional methods, is certainly doing something right with 50 plant patents to his name. Fast forward to 2021. Modern day rose breeding has evolved dramatically. Going toe-to-toe in today’s industry presents both opportunities and challenges. Learn an insider’s perspective of the state of the revitalized industry.
Webinar Topics Include:
The Rose Industry Today
Marketing Challenges
Competition
Diseases (and perception of diseases)
Breeding Priorities
IPM (Integrated Pest Management)
BLOOM THYME
Not everything has been beaten down by the rain and storms! Some plants are letting their light shine and making me smile.
Stargazers
Daisies don’t tell and they don’t let the storms bother them.
Trust me … it looks better from a distance. 😳
BETTER WEATHER AHEAD
Well, it looks like better weather is coming soon – after a bit more stormy weather. Fingers crossed.
If you read the Springhill article in last week’s Bloom Thyme Friday, you know that roses are planted more than any other plant. It was fun to read the favorites for each state. LINK
GARDEN ROSES
You hear a lot about types of roses and there are many: hybrid teas, grandifloras, noisettes, polyanthas, old garden roses – just to name a few! I believe all of them are beautiful and have their place. I especially love old garden roses and will even give some room to a diva or two. However, most of the roses in my garden are ones I simply call “garden” or shrub roses. Even though my garden is large, it is a cottage garden and is home to all kinds of shrubs, perennials, herbs, veggies, annuals, and roses! So I want roses that work well with the other plants, aren’t difficult to care for and are great for cutting and sharing! Note: I have about 175 roses tucked around all those other plants!
FRAGRANT GARDEN ROSES
Contrary to what you might have heard, there are easy care shrub roses with fragrance.
Here are a few of the fragrant ones in my garden…
SAVANNAH: Large vigorous shrub with large full blooms filled with deep rose fragrance. A standout in the garden!
Savannah
MOTHER OF PEARL: A fabulous bloomer with gorgeous peachy pink blooms. Light sweet fragrance. I keep adding more! I think I’m up to eight of these! They pair very well with white lilies in the garden.
Mother of Pearl
FLAMENCO ROSITA (Ivor’s Rose): Lovely old fashioned blooms on a large, hardy, disease resistant shrub. Stunning color and a wonderful fragrance.
Flamenco Rosita
QUIETNESS: Such a pretty soft pink bloom with medium rose fragrance. Delicate looking blooms on a sturdy shrub.
Quietness
MUSIC BOX: Small hybrid tea-type blooms on a large, blooming machine. Light rose fragrance. Confession time: I have 9 of these roses. They look so pretty in the garden and last well in a vase! (Easy Elegance Collection)
Music Box
Vase of Music Box roses
CHAMPAGNE WISHES: Rich creamy white blooms with an ivory center on a medium-sized shrub. Sweet fragrance. (Easy Elegance Collection)
Champagne Wishes
AT LAST: Great bloomer, lovely petals, with ruffled edging and the orange/peachy color is divine and right on point with today’s color preferences. This one has a wonderful medium to strong fragrance. Proven Winners has a real winner in this rose!
At Last
DESDEMONA (David Austin): A lovely, floriferous bloomer that as you can see the pollinators love. Lovely light old rose fragrance.
Desdemona
THE GENEROUS GARDENER (David Austin Climber): A well-behaved climber – about 8′ – 9′ in my garden. The blooms are large and open beautifully. A lovely old rose/myrrh fragrance.
The Generous Gardener
EARTH ANGEL: This one is relatively new in my garden and has taken a while to become her best self. Now in her 3rd year, I can say that I need at least one more! Beautiful, fragrant and few roses match her in beauty and charm!
Earth Angel
POSEIDON: Full blooms in a wonderful lavender color. The petals have beautiful ruffled edges. The fragrance is light to moderate.
Posiedon
Pomponella, Posiedon, and Earth Angel are Kordes roses. I find that Kordes roses do very well in my garden (Zone 5b) and there are many on the market. Note: More than 30 years ago the Kordes Company (Germany) made the unpopular business decision to stop spraying their rose fields. The result was that they were way ahead in the sustainable rose department.
SPEAKING OF FRAGRANCE
We know that fragrance is very subjective and this is truly a subject where there is much more than meets the eye… errr nose.
Recently I had the chance to have the delightful Rebecca Koraytum of David Austin Roses as a guest on the Rose Chat Podcast. She gave a lot of insight on “THE FRAGRANCE OF ROSES.” You can listen here…
GARDEN ROSES WITHOUT FRAGRANCE
This list of roses is beautiful in the garden and wonderful in a bokay – however in most cases, these don’t have fragrance or have very little fragrance. I don’t let that stand in my way and still consider them very valuable. Fragrance can be added with lavender, lilies, mint, lemon balm, and a bevy of other herbs and flowers. Just like gardeners who grow them, roses grow best with good companions.
THE FAUN: A blooming machine with gorgeous blooms all summer long. Sometimes I get a hint of fragrance with this one. The cupped blooms on this one look very old-fashioned but this one was released in Denmark in 1983.
The Faun
PETITE PINK: Covered all summer with the sweetest sweetheart blooms. Lasts and lasts in a vase and dries very well for dried arrangements!
Petite Pink
POMPONELLA: Large shrub with arching canes of beautiful clusters of blooms. Just so pretty and a mild fragrance.
Pomponella
Pomponella
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
Friends, these lists are just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many great garden roses today and more on the way! Yes, we’ve come a long way from when that first Kock Out rose was released. Letting the world know that roses truly could be grown without chemicals and realizing that is exactly what many gardeners are looking for! Today many dedicated hybridizers are committed to bringing beautiful and sustainable roses to our gardens. I have the pleasure of testing the new roses from time to time and I can tell you, the future is bright.
There are rose trials going on constantly and awards being given to outstanding garden performers each year. Much of this is done regionally and that takes “finding the right rose for the right place” to the next level!
My good friend Dr. David Zlesak works closely with the ARTS trials (American Rose Trials for Sustainability). Each year they release more regional winners. Take a look at their website here. Dr. David joined me to chat about the ARTS program on Rose Chat a few months back. You can listen here.
EASY ELEGANCE COLLECTION
Most of the roses in the Easy Elegance (Link) collection I would recommend. Another line to be looking for is the True Bloom (Link) collection. Easy Elegance roses are available at most Lowes and as the True Bloom plant inventory is built, they will be sold at Lowes and Home Depot. Currently, they are mostly found on the west and east coasts.
WHERE TO BUY
I have also been getting a lot of questions about where I buy my roses. While I buy local when I can, these roses can be tricky to find in my neck of the woods, so I look to online sources. Here’s a list of suppliers with a link to their websites. Take a look around, these websites have loads of information…
Truth be told — no plant is NO CARE. Even the Garden of Eden has its “issues.” Each garden has its own variation of soils, climates, and disease/pest pressure. There are many bugs and diseases that can “love” your plants too. Fortunately, by regularly spending time with our plants to not only enjoy them but also to see what’s going on, we can keep them from being loved to death by pests. 😉
Until next time, here are The Generous Gardener, Quietness and Music Box working together…
The garden centers and even Trader Joe’s have the most beautiful Hellebores right now! While I have several, I was very tempted to buy a deep red one I saw this week.
Hellebores — also called Christmas rose or Lenten rose aren’t in the rose family. Actually they are closely related to buttercups and anemones! These shade loving, low-maintenance and deer-resistant elegant beauties add so much to the spring garden.
This week my hellebores were a mess. Last year’s scraggly foliage was everywhere, hiding all the beautiful buds.
While grooming the hellebores I kept thinking of conversations with my mom…. back in the day when I thought long bangs were very fashionable. Many times I heard, “Your bangs are too long, I can’t see your face.” 😂 I rarely liked the trim my bangs would then get!! I hope the hellebores like their new “do”. 💇🏼♀️ It was severe but I think they look very fashionable and the blooms will soon steal the show! They are on course to bloom right on time for Easter. For more on Hellebores, hop over to the Missouri Botanical Garden site here. NOTE: All parts of Hellebores are poisonous so be careful in handling! I wear gloves.
What a mess!
Standing proud.
Now I can see your eyes. Much better.
SAYING GOODBYE . . .
Big stuff in the garden this week…. saying goodbye to 25 year old sickly crabapple. 🥺 This day has been coming for some time as it became more sickly with apple scab the last few years. The last few springs we had a couple of weeks of pretty blooms and when the blooms came down, the leaves starting peppering down with them and continued to fall. For 90% of the season it looked sickly. We have friends who treated their crab apple tree for scab several times but saw no improvement so we decided to just remove the tree. We have other crab apple trees that are doing well.
It was impressive the way Mr. G wrangled that tree! He was on his own for the cutting but I jumped in for the cleanup. Needless to say, we both slept well that night!
I know the roses planted in that area are celebrating as they will now get more light and water — and some pretty new neighbors. I had a moment of sadness but quickly said my goodbye and was lost in the possibilities!! More space! More sun! More plants! Today I’m out with pencil, paper and measuring tape. #newplan
Happy News . . .
Snowdrops are blooming making me very happy. Until recently I was happy to watch for the snowdrops to bloom in the woods near us and enjoy them there. However, you can’t visit England, watch Monty Don on Gardener’s World for two years, and not fall completely in love with snow drops. So sweet and simple and beautiful. A perfect spring flower. The Victorian flower dictionaries list the Snow Drop meaning as “hope”. I can see why. It blooms so early — sometimes pushing the snow out of the way to make it’s entrance at the end of winter giving us just what we need the most — Hope!
I bought my snow drops at Brent and Becky’s. The variety is Galanthus elwesii Mount Everest. They are sooooo cute.
My first little babies
Snowdrops in the woods this week.
No one celebrates the arrival of snow drops like those in the UK. It is easy to be drawn into the excitement with all the “snow drop sighting reports” from UK friends and family.
That smile … he’s enjoying the snowdrops too.
Crocus are popping up all over the place and the bees are thrilled.
NEW BOOK I’M LOVING . . .
A Year at Brandywine Cottage by David L. Culp
I was first introduced to Brandywine Cottage in David Culp’s book The Layered Garden so I couldn’t wait to have A Year in Brandywine Cottage.
Whether you have read the first book or not, this book is one to sink into. Every page takes you on a walk through David’s amazing garden and gives you something beautiful to take away … a tip, an idea, a plant or a recipe. Seriously a dandelion salad never looked so good as the one featured on Page 54. Each step of the way you are encouraged to “look closer.” Every page celebrates the garden and the gardener and as you go on a journey through all seasons, you not only feel privileged to have this inside look at David’s garden life but you are also inspired to “look closer” at the world around you and live your best gardening life too.
LOOKING BACK TO GO FORWARD…
Our phone holds so much information and one of the best parts of that is the photographs we take. Part of my plans for the current spring are based on looking back at pictures of seasons past. When did it bloom? How did it look? What do I want to change?
I also go through the blog and read articles I’ve written as well as the journal I’ve kept of bloom times, varieties, etc.
With the dawn of a new decade – 2020 – I decided to keep a running list of daily happenings that included life and garden highlights and “lowlights” too. Little did I know just what I would be writing about.
I am now reading what I wrote in March and as I read, I can’t help but be stunned by the use of words that before 2020 were practically foreign to me. Words like….
Pandemic
Covid19
Self Quarantine
Cabin Fever
Travel Ban
Mask Mandates
6′ apart
Uncertain Times / Unprecedented Times
15 Days to Flatten the Curve
Toilet Paper Shortage
I don’t want to forget where we have been, but am so glad that now we are hearing much more positive and hopeful words…
Vaccines
Herd immunity
And, a favorite new trend – more people gardening than ever before!
Yes, so many had more time to work in their gardens than ever before and many, many people found their way to making a garden for the first time!
Now we are ALL gonna be heading to the garden centers — together! It’s a first come/first serve world — but no pushing or shoving please. 😁 I’ve already heard from more than one source that we should expect shortages and no special orders!
Friends, our wait is over … spring is officially upon us. Garden Centers and big box stores are gearing up for what looks to be a big gardening year!! Stay safe and have fun getting out there to find your prizes! And, love your neighbor as yourself even if they get the best tomato plants before you get there! 😂
