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!

Rose Buzz: Bathsheba

Link | June 10, 2018June 10, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

One rose that is creating a ROSE BUZZ in my garden this year is a new introduction from David Austin Roses … BATHSHEBA.

Bathsheba is said to be a well-behaved climber (to 9′ or so) with beauty, fragrance and disease resistance. All the things I want to hear.

Right from the start my new small plant began to take off and start growing strong — even though I didn’t plant it in the most perfect of locations. (I feared it would not get enough sun.) I have been rewarded with adorable buds and breathtaking blooms. Only 4-5 blooms so far but enough to know that this one captures my attention and heart.

LISTEN FOR MORE INFORMATION…

To hear the charming Michael Marriott with the lovely voice and incredible rose knowledge talk about this rose and the other new introductions, listen to the Rose Chat Podcast here…

https://rosechat.podbean.com/e/david-austin-roses-new-intros-for-2018/

If you are growing this rose, let me know what you think and if you have questions, I’m happy to help! Leave me a note in the comment section below.

SPEAKING OF BUZZ….

Did you see the acrobatic bee in my herb garden that I posted on Instagram? He’s my inspiration. I want to have as much fun as he is having as I work in the garden. And I DO have some work to do–all the roses need dead heading! LOL

As I write this morning, my view from my potting shed is one that makes me happy all the time but especially today as we are getting a MOST and I mean MOST needed rain. No one fulfills the needs of the garden OR the gardener like the Creator…

LEMONS TO LEMONADE…

There’s been a lot going on in the garden the past two weeks–some good and some bad. 😳 I’ll have a report on Bloom Thyme Friday!

Keep creating a buzz in the garden! 🐝

Making progress…

Link | April 28, 2018 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Making progress…

We are definitely making progress! It has been a week of greening and flowering. The birds are loving it and have entertained me all day as I did my own brand of “flittering around the garden” … planting, pruning and even started fertilizing!

Here’s what’s going on.

One of Mr. G’s favorites — Creeping Phlox is blooming. Listen in, the birds are loving this morning too …

Roses that were cut back to the ground are coming right along! Whew! Thank goodness!

Still nothing miraculous happening over the arbor. Super. Sad. Face. 😕

Nasturtiums are soaking before getting planted.

Oh, here comes one of my spring favorites … Rhododendrons. 😍

Color me grateful, happy and blessed. And… tired — that good kind of tired that comes from time in the garden. Isn’t that the best tired!

Now, I’m going to go check on those Dogwoods. I hope they have been saying “no” to frost! Temps are still dipping way down at night!

UNTIL NEXT WEEK, HAPPY BLOOM THYME FRIDAY!

ROSE BUZZ: ROSEFEST

Link | April 30, 2016May 7, 2016 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

YOU ARE INVITED!

The Indianapolis Rose Society is having a ROSEFEST on Saturday, June 11 at the 4H Fairground in Noblesville, IN.

$10 EVENT TICKETS AVAILABLE
CONTACT: Monica Taylor at IndyMonica@gmail.com or 317.514.7284

A DAY FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH ROSES!

This is going to be a day filled to the brim with roses. You can stop by for a few minutes or buy a $10 ticket and stay all day. The $10 ticket gives you entrance to hear all 3 speakers. I can tell you that this lineup of speakers is a Rose Dream Team.

Peggy Martin of New Orleans, LA
12:30 – 1:30 pm | Program: Old Garden Roses
Peggy is the VP of the Heritage Rose Foundation and owner of the original Peggy Martin Rose, the rose that survived Hurricane Katrina.

Carol Tumbas of Bloomington, IN
1:45 – 2:45 pm | Program: Hardy, Sustainable Shrub Roses
Carol is the former President of the Indianapolis Rose Society, a well respected rosarian and grower of more than 500 roses.

Gaye Hammond of Houston, TX
3 – 4 pm | Program: Earth-Kind Roses
Gaye is a noted expert of the Texas A & M Earth-Kind Program and lectures nationwide about growing roses in no spray conditions.

THE SCHEDULE

The day will start with the Hamilton County Master Gardener Association Tea in the Rose Garden and rose garden tour.

Then you can go inside to the conference center to see an amazing display of roses grown in the Indianapolis area, ask questions of Consulting Rosarians and hear from our great speakers. There will also be roses and rose products for sale.

For the complete schedule of the day, read on here.

TICKETS

With your $10 ticket you get to hear all 3 speakers! A true bargain for these great speakers.

There is a limited number of tickets (because of seating capacity), so buy your tickets ASAP by contacting Monica at IndyMonica@gmail.com or 317.514.7284. Seriously call or email her today! I don’t want you to miss this special event if you are in the area!

For more information about this event and other rose society events coming up — like the Wine and Roses garden tour, read on here.

Let me know if you have any questions?

🐝 🐝 🐝

Rose Buzz: Poseidon Floribunda

Link | January 15, 2016January 10, 2016 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

_Rose Buzz_Poseidon

If you are looking for a lovely lavender rose to add to your garden this is the one! I love the soft color. It pairs so beautifully with all the pinkness that goes on in my garden! 😃

The blooms on this beautiful Kordes rose are large, full, ruffly and fragrant. Win. Win. Win. Win.

This rose grows tall and narrow in my garden so I have 5 growing close together for a more dramatic look.

I have read that it is hardy in Zones 5b – 9 and I have also read recommendations that it does best in Zones 6 – 9. While officially my garden is in Zone 5b, the last 3 years that I have grown this rose, the winters have all been very different from each other! #crazyweather

This rose is one of the most disease resistant roses in my garden, which is just the icing on the cake as far as I’m concerned!

I checked and Chamblee Roses has it! Read more or purchase here.

I think this blog post should carry a warning–#excessivepictures! But, I just love taking pictures of this rose! 🙂

Do you grow Poseidon or have other recommendations for lavender roses?

Let us know.

🐝🐝🐝

Whisper these gift ideas in Santa’s ear…

Link | December 5, 2015December 5, 2015 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

We as gardeners love what we do! But, the right tool can make all the difference and Christmas is the perfect time to share ideas with Santa to get just what we want and need for the coming growing season!

Below are some garden gifts that I highly recommend you buy for your garden friends OR whisper in Santa’s ear so they show up around your Christmas tree or in your stocking!

Rose Buzz_Gifts Candy Cane.jpg

THE GARDENER’S HOLLOW LEG…

Bob Blomberg’s Gardener’s Hollow Leg^® makes yard and garden clean up tasks easier! This handy “hands-free” debris holder is a must have for all pruning, weeding and harvesting tasks.

To learn more or to buy on line, read on … http://thegardenershollowleg.com/welcome.html

THE RING WEEDER

Vinnie Suozzi’s Ring Weeder has a forked tip that pierces the ground with ease allowing you to loosen the soil around the weed to “pluck” it out without breaking off the root of the weed. Made of light weight high strength injection molded ABS plastic, The Ring Weeder allows you to get your weeding done swiftly.

For the details of how this product found it’s place in the garden, read on…HERE.

Listen to Vinnie tells his inspiring story HERE.

MOO POO TEA

Annie Haven’s Moo Poo Tea has been a staple in my garden for many years. Whether I am using it to soak my bare root roses or bulbs before planting or adding moo poo tea to the over all care of all my plants in containers and in the ground, moo poo makes a major difference!

Try it for yourself … HERE. Shipping is always free!

BARNEL PRUNERS AND BIONIC GLOVES FROM WENDY TILLEY, THE ROSE GARDENER

Who doesn’t want to be more bionic in the garden. I am convinced that without my Barnels and my bionic gloves … I would have a major loss of power!

Read all about these amazing tools and many more on Wendy’s website HERE.

Listen to Wendy give you the background stories, HERE.

Wendy Collage.jpg

And, what about a membership to an organization that is near and dear to my heart!?!

If you know someone who is interested in knowing more about roses, now is a great time to give them a trial membership to the American Rose Society.

You’ll receive discounts at public gardens, copies of their award winning magazine, American Rose, plus a ton of other benefits … all for only $10.

Details at Rose.org.

Christmas is really the MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR.

ENJOY EVERY MINUTE!

Rose Buzz: Companions & Beneficials

Link | October 31, 2015February 5, 2016 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

As gardeners, we learn just how important the right companions are to our plants. Many act as a host to beneficial insects to help combat those who come to destroy! They can also cover up shortcomings when a plant’s beauty begins to fade.

It is the same way for us! We need the companionship of others. They help us grow and learn, but so much more–with the right companions, success is more fun and failure is not so bad.

In a group we can accomplish much more together than we can on our own.

Learn. Grow. Share. Serve. Create Awareness. Celebrate.

As you know, I am a big believer in Social Media! I truly believe social media is shrinking our world and giving us easy access to those who used to be so far away … some even in our own neighborhoods. Our pace of life is often fast and on the go! Multi-tasking has come and gone out of favor more than once.

We are busy.

We are connecting online.

Is it enough?

Of course NOT!

We still need face-to-face.

Much joy is brought to my life by being up close and personal with family, friends and those who share my love of gardening and roses.

JOIN THE FUN.

I am a member of several rose organizations. Two of them are below…

The Indianapolis Rose Society

In this organization I have met some amazing people of all ages. We are all at different stages of the gardening experience and have different passions. Some are into just growing while others with the competitive spirit, enter the most amazing blooms and arrangements in competitions! We have those who use chemicals and others who are all organic.

But it is so much more.

We spend time enjoying all things “rose” together. We learn, we laugh, we celebrate successes and we deal with failures & issues together. It’s not just roses that keep us together, over the years–we have become family.

The American Rose Society

The American Rose Society exists to promote the culture and appreciation of the rose, through education and research to members, to local rose societies and their members and to the public. Read on for more information…

As a member of the ARS, I receive their award-winning magazine and informative newsletters. I have learned about the bigger picture of roses on an international scale! I’ve had the opportunity to attend national conferences where you meet and learn from rose lovers from around world. At these conferences, I have met many rose loving friends who I first “met” online, as well as experts in the field who have become cherished friends.

Exciting Times

Our newly installed ARS President, Pat Shanley, joined us on Rose Chat a few months back to share her dreams and goals for ARS. Take a few minutes and listen to this passionate and energetic leader share her story…HERE.

Yes, growing roses and spending time with my rose companions is very “beneficial” to my health! 🙂

Feel free to share this post and/or the Rose Buzz graphic to help spread the news!

Is 2016 your year to join?

Rose Buzz: Helping Roses be Their Best Self

September 4, 2015December 12, 2015 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Contrary to popular belief, roses are simple creatures with basic needs like…

SUN: You’ve heard it said over and over …. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. Pick a spot with 6 – 8 hours of sun!

WATER: All living things need water. The best tip for watering I can give you is—water deeply. Shallow watering leads to shallow roots—which leads to plants that are more susceptible to dry conditions. Send those roots down deep!

NUTRITIOUS SOIL: This is the most important part! Good soil is the best gift you can give your plants. Roses don’t like like “wet feet,” (Neither do most other plants!), so drainage is key. For those of you in my region (midwest Zone 5) you are probably dealing with clay soil. Amend clay soils with compost and aged manure.

DEADHEADING: To keep your roses blooming throughout the season, remove spent blooms.

FERTILIZER: We ask a lot of roses … Be your best self and bloom all season long, so they appreciate a boost! For shrub roses the best time to fertilize is the spring. For hybrid teas and floribundas, they will appreciate some fertilizer in early spring and mid summer.

MULCH: 2-3″ of mulch helps retain moisture and provides a weed barrier. It is one of my fav parts in the process as it adds the finishing touch in the garden!

GOOD COMPANIONS: We all benefit from good companions. They truly help us be our best self and in the case of roses, many of those companions play host to the good bugs they need to fight the bad bugs lurking about!

YOU! Like in all good relationships, there is no substitute for time together. They like to show off for you and the more you visit the more you will recognize what is working and what is not! Maybe it is time to take a selfie of you and your roses and post it on social media. That will surely prove how much you love them. 🙂

GARDEN REPORT…

We have not had significant rain for 3 weeks and temps are soaring into the 90s. This is hard on all plants (and people).

As we’ve talked about before, I have a “system” (read about that here) that helps with a portion of my garden and those areas hardly know what the real weather conditions are, but for the rest of the garden, very little watering is happening due to the fact that the gardener (me) has been in a very busy season and has had very little time.

Proving once again that roses are not the divas many believe they are, here are pictures of my roses this week. Yes, many of these blooms are coming from areas that have not had the benefit of extra care!

Lady Ashe ... short climber — Lady Ashe … short climber

Doris Day ... lovely rose from Weeks Roses — Doris Day … lovely rose from Weeks Roses

Ice Cap ... new rose from Star Roses and Plants. Once of very favorite roses in the garden this year. Couldn't be easier! — Icecap … new rose from Star Roses and Plants. Once of very favorite roses in the garden this year. Couldn’t be easier!

Thanks for stopping by!

I hope this week is filled with all that you need to be your best self and that you have time to “stop and smell the roses.”

🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

Rose Buzz: This Week’s Bloomers

June 18, 2015June 18, 2015 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

If you live near me you know that rain is in the forecast every day. Hard rain. Stormy rain. Heavy rain. I have read that in Australia they call the rainy season –“the wet.” Sounds about right. ☔️☔️