BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: Rosemania Part 2

Link | June 14, 2024February 26, 2026 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

The storms (with hail) and rain continued through the early part of the first flush so we have not had an epic season. But, we have had a good season and the garden has given me enough roses to fill a very special request for a graduation event and enough to participate in the Rosefest rose show last week.

The most wonderful days are when I get to fill my wagon with blooms to make bokays for friends!.

Table arrangements for a special event…

Here they are in their traveling boxes Mr. G made. These boxes are fantastic and keep everyone safe in transit!

GETTING READY FOR ROUND TWO OF ROSES

With the first flush leaving, I’m busy dead heading, leaf picking, and adding another round of fertilizer (RoseTone and Heirloom’s Founders Fish Fertilizer).

When I say “I am leaf picking”, here’s what i’m doing…

Removing any diseased leaves AND removing leaves that are at the bottom of the plant. Those leaves are in the lines of fire from dampness and fungal spores and are bound to get into trouble.

I first heard of removing the bottom leaves from an article I read from the great rosarian Monty Justice the father of Monty’s Joy Juice Fertilizer. Monty was a passionate and inspiring rose gardener dedicated to growing the most beautiful roses and helping others to do so. If you’d like to read more about his life, here’s a link to a great article about him. (LINK)

Rose standouts from the past couple of weeks…

STATE OF GRACE

I planted State of Grace last year and she did okay but this year she decided to go for it. OH MY WORD!! Yes, she went for it!! The blooms start out vibrant but fade to more muted tones – very much like Distant Drums I think, so you get a wide color spectrum. The blooms hold on well and she needed all her strength with the rain and wind! Light fragrance and outstanding in a vase. Highly recommend! ⭐️

Here she is paired with Petite Peach. Much more muted than she started.

SAVANNAH

Savannah was on her way to being spectacular but in the end the storms kept her from getting to shine like she normally does. She was great on the shrub but not quite up to being the star in a vase as she normally is. She’ll be back. Such a strong performer and so fragrant.

QUIETNESS

This is a rose I think every rose lover needs. She is just about perfect. This power blooming medium sized shrub has the prettiest blooms and wonderful fragrance. She lasts so well in a vase too! Heirloom has her for sale… (LINK) You won’t regret it! I have four and have given away many as gifts!

HONEYMOON ARBOROSE

I fell in love with this rose, when I was judging at the Biltmore Rose Trials. This rose has been in the garden for several years but has been moved about a few times. 🤷🏼‍♀️ (I am “that” gardener.) Honeymoon went into 2024 with 3 years in the same spot under her belt and it showed.

She had more blooms than ever before and would have been outstanding for a very long time had it not been for the afore mentioned, rain, storms and hail! As with all the creamy and white roses the rain did dampen her glow a bit but this is such a great rose.

She is a well behaved climber getting to about 6’ in my garden. I love her sweet, old rose fragrance and I so enjoy her noddy prettiness.

Here she was just starting out. Unfortunately I didn’t get a shot of her completely bloomed out. But she sure got attention from visitors.

REMINISCENT PINK

This beauty is part of the Reminiscent Series from Proven Winners. This series strives to combine classic beauty and fragrance of old-fashioned roses with modern day performance. SHE DOES THAT BEAUTIFULLY. I love the shrub form and the old fashioned bloom. As you can see from the picture she is not stingy with her blooms and she is just as generous with her fragrance. I could not love this rose more. Healthy and gorgeous! If you’d like to have one of your own… find it here. (LINK)

PETITE PEACH 🍑

Several asked me about Petite Peach since one of my plants was added to the gorgeous Hamilton Co Master Gardener Rose Garden in a planting demonstration at Rosefest.

Here is a post I wrote telling the Petite Peach story. (LINK)

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: And, The Award Goes To…

VASE LIFE

I am going to be more mindful of the roses I bring inside to see how long they actually stay pretty. I can tell you that so far these have been impressive…

State of Grace
Eustacia Vye
Quietness
Savannah
Earth Angel
Music Box
Petite Peach
Gabriel Oak

I talked about cut flowers and preservatives in a previous post. (LINK)

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: Open Garden and a Rose Explosion

LATEST ROSE CHATS

The conversations have been lively on the podcast. So much to learn from each other!

Menagerie Farm & Flower
Felicia Alvarez

Chatting with Felicia Alvarez, founder of Menagerie Farm and Flower was a great delight. Menagerie Farm is a rose farm and nursery nestled in the heart of the Sacramento Valley. Don’t miss this inspiring episode as we hear from Felicia who believes daily life doesn’t have to be ordinary and strives each day to grow products that will make everyday life more beautiful for your home & table. Don’t miss this one. Felicia puts her heart and soul into her work. Loads of information and inspiration!

LISTEN HERE.

GROWING ROSES IN CONTAINERS
Jason Croutch, Fraser Valley Rose Farm

On this episode Jason shares his favorite roses to grow in containers as well as tips to help us be successful. Regardless of your soil type or the size of your garden, growing in containers gives us all more options. Keep up with Jason on the Fraser Valley Rose Farm YouTube Channel. (LINK)

LISTEN HERE

In case you missed this one… I think all rose lovers will find this information fascinating!

THE HISTORY OF ROSES
America’s True Native Plant
Gaye Hammond, Master Rosarian

On this episode, Gaye Hammond takes us on a journey of the history of roses in the United States from antiquity to the 1900s. Gaye has done years of research and has much to tell us.

LISTEN HERE

BLOOM THYME AROUND THE GARDEN

With many of the roses taking a break it give the other flowers a time to shine and the cut flowers are ready to explode.

Friends, thanks for stopping by. Until next time, I hope you are having fun in your garden!

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: HIGHS AND LOWS

Link | December 22, 2023December 22, 2023 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

2023 gardening season was a year of many, many highs but also a couple of major lows. So on this last week of the year let’s deal with the 3 biggest lows, learn from them, and leave them behind and start out 2024 with a clean slate.

1. THE VARMINTS

I wrote so much about the varmints this year and you are probably tired of all that. However, I’m sure you’d like an update from the critter cam while we were in England recently. We had multiple visits from Skunks, Raccoons, 5 different wild cats, Rabbits and one huge hairy critter that looked like a ground hog but we are hoping it is another raccoon at an odd angle. So far no deer – at least near the critter cam! If you missed my varmint whining … here’s a link to one of my varmint articles LINK.

2. THE WEATHER

Seems we all had at the very least “crazy” weather. We started out wet wet wet and plants were drowning and moved to dry dry dry.

3. THE LOSS OF A FAVORITE ROSE

My glorious Ghislaine de Feligonde that has for the last few years hugged up beauitfully to the potting shed succumbed to RRD. Talk about your sick feeling. When I found it, I was for the moment devastated. I have since planted two other Ghislaines so we are not to be without her long! To find RRD in your garden is so cruel. With all the roses I grow, I’ve dealt with RRD very little but it is always so disappointing! First you cry – then you replant. Luckily she is a fast grower!

The upside to this horror was that Mr. G was able to paint the potting shed!

We are very fortunate that we have such a great research team working on RRD and other diseases that plague roses. Last year we had two very good Rose Chats on this subject…

THE MANY FACES OF RRD with Gaye Hammond, Master Rosarian
LISTEN HERE

Gaye gives us detailed information about detection, what to do and what not to do!

THE RESEARCH JOURNEY OF SUSTAINABLE ROSES with Dr. David Byrne
LISTEN HERE.

Dr. Byrne is leading a research team on RRD and the other diseases that plague roses and other plants too! He’s got the big picture!

2023 GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS

Two of the top garden highlights for 2023 were having the garden featured in two magazines… Midwest Living and Birds and Blooms – and on the heels of the Garden Gate magazine article last year (Link) !! 😱 My word! Life sometimes gives you more than you even know to ask for. I am so so so grateful.

The other garden highlight for 2023 was receiving the official patent for my little rose, PETITE PEACH. Read more about her here (LINK). And receiving the American Rose Society’s Award of Excellence for a mini rose in the “no spray” division! Be still my heart! A highlight INDEED!

REVIEW OF MOTHER OF PEARL FROM TRUDY STRUCK, PRESIDENT OF INDIANAPOLIS ROSE SOCIETY:

On our trip to the National American Rose Convention this year in Shreveport, LA, ‘Petite Peach’ was introduced as the 2024 Award of Excellence Winner. Because this miniature rose was discovered by one of our own Indianapolis Rose Society members, Teresa Byington, we decided to order it while we were at the Convention for the Hamilton County Master Gardener’s Rose Garden. When the rose came it was tiny but very healthy. It didn’t take long for it to flourish and begin to bloom the sweetest little apricot roses. The blooms are almost a bi-color of orange and pink. Roses bloomed nonstop all summer long and well into the fall. In fact, to keep it winter safe, I buried the pot I transplanted it in and most of the plant around the beginning of November and it still had blooms on it. In the springtime, the rose will go to the HCMGA Rose Garden in the miniature bed with recognition to Teresa. I highly recommend this sweet rose for anyone’s garden.

HIGH COUNTRY ROSES

If you would like to have Petite Peach in your garden, she will be available again at High Country Roses on January 10. She sold out last year! Info on Petite Peach at High Country Roses here (LINK)

THE ULTIMATE HIGHLIGHT

All of life’s troubles, disappointments and even highlights pale in comparison to celebrating the Light of the World being born. I can’t begin to imagine what this event was like for the shepherds that night to receive the good news of great joy for all people!

Luke 2: 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Even in a world with much unrest and horror there is still so much good. And, whatever our circumstances, we can add the good!

May peace, comfort and joy be yours as we put our future and faith in our Heavenly Father.

Merry Christmas friends.

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: And, The Award Goes To…

Link | May 12, 2023May 11, 2023 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

For the past four years I have been keeping a secret. Something new from my garden … a beautiful sport!

A sport in the botany world means a ‘genetic mutation;’ one that has no explanation and no specific rhyme or reason for its occurrence. This process gave me a beautiful gift … a peach sport of the lovely Petite Pink. One of my very favorite roses hybridized by my good friend Dr. David Zlesak. As many of you know I have several Petite Pinks in my garden (9 at this time) and I have given it away as gifts! I love it so.

So, I have been on a journey to have my beautiful sport tested in trials to watch what it can do. I am happy to report it has done very well in a national, multi-site rose trial managed by the American Rose Society.

Last week I attended the American Rose Society’s National Convention at the home of America’s Rose Garden in Shreveport, LA. There were many highlights from the convention, but the most special part was when my name was called to come up and receive a certificate that states that Petite Peach™️ (‘BYIbloomthyme’) was awarded the Award of Excellence from the AOE testing program – in the no-spray category.

ABOUT THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

In 1973 the American Rose Society Board of Directors established the Award of Excellence to recognize new miniature and miniflora rose varieties of superior quality and marked distinction. Since the inception of the Award, there have been 141 AOE winners. Miniature and miniflora roses which have been in commerce for less than one year, as well as unnamed seedlings or sports, are eligible for evaluation for two to three years in seven AOE public test gardens and two private gardens, spaced geographically across the United States. Since 2013 roses may be entered in a “no spray“ division, a “preventive spray” division or both. Each public garden has an AOE supervisor and five evaluators who score the entries on 11 criteria four times during each growing season. At the end of the trial period, Awards of Excellence are given to deserving entries, with a maximum of five per year. The public test gardens are: American Rose Center, Shreveport, Louisiana; Edisto Memorial Gardens, Orangeburg, South Carolina; Farmers Branch Public Rose Garden, Farmers Branch, Texas; International Rose Test Garden, Portland, Oregon; Mesa Community College Garden, Mesa, Arizona; Toledo Botanical Gardens, Toledo, Ohio; and Virginia Clemens Rose Garden, St. Cloud, Minnesota.

The official public announcement of the Award of Excellence winner(s) is made each year in American Rose and at the awards banquet of the ARS National Rose Show and Conference. After two years of evaluation (three for climbers) four Award of Excellence winners are selected.

MEET PETITE PEACH™️

Isn’t she lovely! These sweet apricot/peach colored blooms keep going all summer long on a small bush that fits into any garden as well as containers. It is great as a cut flower too!

Height: 2-3′

Width: 2-3′

Bloom Type: Double / Sweetheart Size (1″)

Bloom Repeat: All season

Disease Resistance: Extremely Resistant

Hardiness Zones: 4 and up

HIGH COUNTRY ROSES

For many years I have been ordering roses from High Country Roses and find them to be outstanding performers. They come to you small but mighty and catch up quickly. Some of my favorites from High Country: Earth Angel, Ghislane de Feligonde, Veilchenblau, Dalow’s Enigma, Ispahan, Kazanlik, and Banshee High Country.

I am so happy to partner with Matt at High Country Roses for the release of Petite Peach™️.

Additional details on the rose and how to purchase are HERE…

DR. DAVID ZELSAK

I am thrilled that this beautiful sport came to me through David’s work. His friendship, mentorship and help through this process have been invaluable. Petite Peach™️ and I are so very grateful.

David’s rose work has given us so many beautiful roses for our gardens…

Petite Pink
Above and Beyond
The Pretty Polly Series
OSO Easy Peasy
Smoothie
Candy Oh
Gaye Hammond

ARS CONVENTION

The ARS put on a fabulous convention in the newly renovated AMERICA”S ROSE GARDEN. The garden is amazing, the speakers were outstanding, the tours were over the top! Here’s a mini slideshow…