Bloom Thyme Friday: WaterWorks

Link | June 30, 2017July 1, 2017 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

For as long as I can remember, I have had a “sprig of something” rooting in water on a windowsill. My mom did that. My grandmother did that. My Aunt Myrtle did that.

This process never fails to wow me. Never fails to bring me great joy. I love being able to see the tiny roots form. Showing life. Showing rebirth. Showing re-creation. A good reminder of how simple the needs of a plant and a person can be. Strong roots that start growing slowly and get stronger as they continue to feed on things that are good for them. Basic things … like water.

Life can get complicated, but in reality our needs are so basic. God. Water. Family. Friends. Red Lipstick. Tacos. 😉💄🌮😉

On my potting shed windowsill today I have Coleus, Mint, Wandering Jew, Unidentified Trailing Plant, 3 African Violets (that are just about ready to be potted up) and Lavender (lavender roots best if you get down to the woody part of the stem)!

Not every plant will root in water. Many things I have tried just rotted.

Today I returned home from California to see roots on something I have never been able to root in water before!

DRUM ROLL!

For the very first time, I have roots on a Rugosa Rose cutting! I am just over the moon about this one.

Last week when I walked into my daughter’s California kitchen, guess what I saw.

Her windowsill with plants getting their baby roots. Joy! #happymomma

I even have a “sprig of something” on my kitchen windowsill where it gets little to no light! (Wandering Jew)

Do you like to put “sprigs of something” in water?

PROCESS (It’s Basic.)

Take cutting
Remove last 3 or 4 sets of leaves
Put stem in a tiny bit of root tone
Put in water
For most plants, sun will definitely help!
Watch for roots!

For African Violets, I just take a leaf and suspend it in water. Small jam jars covered in plastic wrap secured with a strong rubber band will do the trick! Cut a slit in the plastic wrap.

Keep putting down deep, strong roots and Happy Bloom Thyme Friday!

Who are You?

March 10, 2013March 9, 2013 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

If the good folks at CSI are asking this question, you might have to worry, but MOST of the time when people want to know who you are, it is a good thing! Dale Carnegie, author of the most famous guide to charm ever written, once said: “The sweetest sound to a person’s ear is their own name.”

This is also true for gardens. I find that the better we know our plants, the better care we take of them and that starts with their name! Honestly, I have to say that for me, it drives me completely crazy when I don’t know their names.

Most of my plant markers are used to identify my roses and visitors to my garden tell me over and over how glad they are for the rose markers.

Mr. G says rose markers are a must. In fact, as soon as I mention I am ordering roses, he says have you ordered “those markers” yet? What that means is, have you sent the order to Wendy @ Harlane. Wendy has wonderful rose markers and we have been using Harlane rose markers for more than 20 years. Some of my markers are original, so you could say they last a long time. To order markers from Wendy … CLICK HERE.

Plant markers come in all sizes and shapes and here are some of the ones we are using…

Here’s our current collection of plant markers.

I bought these, but Mr. G made me a ton of some similar ones that I also used as gift tags for Christmas presents!

Harlane rose markers... — Harlane rose markers…

Fun at a Plant Exchange

May 23, 2012May 23, 2012 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Tonight was the plant exchange at our local library. I decided to take miniature iris. I love my mini iris and wanted them to find good homes, so I decided to dress them up as cute as possible. I figured putting their best foot forward would help.

First up, I made names tags out of laminated pictures of them tied to twigs Mr. G cut from somewhere in the veriest back of our yard and secured them with twine!

Next was the digging and repotting. Once they were potted they got a good hardy splash of moopoo tea and were ready to be wrapped and tied with a twine (of course) bow. If you follow my blog, you know I have a “thing” for twine. (Click here to read about it.)

At the Exchange…

From herbs to tomatoes, hens & chicks to raspberry bushes, there was something for everyone. Our fearless leader, Colletta, introduced each plant while we made our decisions. Right off the bat I had my eye on a chocolate mint … but alas it was gone before I got to the table. I did come home with more hens and chicks and a super healthy start of purple liatris. As for my baby iris, they went home with some very lovely people!

Some of the nicest people in the world are gardeners and tonight at the plant exchange the room was filled with the nicest people!

Bloom Thyme Friday: Frosty News

April 13, 2012April 4, 2014 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Here’s the frosty news report… Last night I got home in time to assess the damage. Yes, there is some. When you have a garden as large as mine, it is difficult to cover. As much as I have enjoyed the early spring, it sure is hard to see burnt leaves and buds bending down that I know won’t get to bloom. 🙁 I guess you would call me greedy when it comes to blooms.

All in all, the damage is very minimal. The 10-day forecast looks good and includes some much needed rain.

More Roses

Last night I also planted Red Drift Meigalpio Roses as a border for my new bed. (Mr. G actually hung a huge flashlight thingy for me! He is the BEST!) I think the little Red Drift blooms look so cute and will be great to use in arrangements.

Here’s how they will look when they grow up…

Red Drift® has the most petite flowers of all of the Drift® Roses. It is perfect for use in front of border plantings. Red Drift® makes a beautiful statement when it drapes naturally over a rock wall or edge. Mature height is less than 1½’ with a wider spread. Great flower power and disease resistance.

Frost-free Zone

Things in the frost-free Potting Shed are doing very well! Take a look at the Mortgage Lifter tomatoes (seeds from The Art of Seed)… Actually there are a few peppers in this picture too!

Nasturtiums are doing great too…

photo-30 — Nasturtiums to put around my potted tomato plants…

Coming Soon!

Soon the roses will be blooming and I’ll be planting tomatoes. Around here we take roses and tomatoes seriously!

From the look of the Harrison Yellow buds, that rose may bloom in the next few days … and that will be 6 weeks early! 🙂

Frost or no frost, I still love an early spring!

Have you been having frosty mornings in your neck of the woods?

Bloom Thyme Friday: My Favorite Garden Center

March 30, 2012September 20, 2014 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

I was recently asked by Garden Chat to write a guest post about my favorite Independent Garden Center. I am pleased to tell you about COUNTRY HARMONY in Brownsburg, IN.

The atmosphere is quaint but also upscale and urban! The location is peacefully tucked away in a corner of natural foliage in the heart of our little town. Very “oasis” like!

They are open year-round, so no matter the season, you can choose from a comprehensive line of home decor, gourmet gifts, garden accessories and plants.

During the growing season you simply must come! Their abilities as garden designers and their vast selection of highest quality plants put them way ahead of any other garden center I’ve visited (and that list is long!).

Another area that sets them apart, is the expert care they give to their plants. Whether it is early in the season or at the end of a very long, hot summer, everything looks amazing. Every plant is hand watered on a plant-by-plant basis. Owner Ryan, Designer Brad and the entire staff are very good at what they do! They are knowledgeable and friendly and are willing to literally walk along side you down the rows and rows of beautiful plants to find the perfect ones for your garden or home.

A few years ago my garden went through a major renovation and one of the first things I did was to contact Country Harmony to bounce around ideas and seek their expertise.

I can say all of this because I am somewhat of a Country Harmony expert … IF frequent visits count as expertise! I am there every week during the growing season … sometimes multiple times a week. If only just to be among the beautiful plants. 🙂 My husband likens my trips to Country Harmony as putting another child through college… Oh it’s not that much, but he’s probably thinking of my garden projects over the last 25+ years. 🙂

Reminds me of a quote by Mrs. Emily Whaley in her book Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden …

Gardening is not inexpensive. … One successful way to finance your gardening, is to choose carefully whom you marry. A good and generous man is needed. … If you are so lucky to find such a man, you must fully realize and fully appreciate the fact that you have found a “pearl of great price.”

I do and I sure appreciate him. There is no doubt the folks at Country Harmony do too!

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My Rose Garden: March 17, 2012

March 17, 2012 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Here is my rose garden today. The roses are already beginning to show REAL growth. This is about 4 weeks early. But, an early spring … that is more than okay with me!

You will see several blank spaces … those space will soon be filled with roses from Wayside, Edmunds, David Austin, Rosemania, Heirloom Roses and Roses of Yesterday.

Don’t look too closely at the pond, my husband says it is not “ready” yet BUT the way the frogs have been croaking lately, they are very happy with it.

So far the roses on my 2012 list are: