Downton Abbey Rose Contest!

Link | February 7, 2016February 7, 2016 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Downton Abbey, everybody’s favorite British Serial Drama is in it’s 6^th and final season. This show has captured the attention of people around the world in a way that few, if any, shows have ever done!

I am having a very hard time accepting that this is the final season. Mercy, we’ve been through a lot together in these 6 seasons … marriages, war, feuds, funerals, hats, family dinners (some of them quite uncomfortable), kitchen talk and beautiful flowers. I can’t wait from one family dinner to the next to see what flowers will grace the table!

WEEKS ROSES BRINGS US A DOWNTON INSPIRED COLLECTION

When I first heard that Weeks Roses was to release a Downton Abbey series of roses, I thought that this couldn’t be more perfect. This show brought us aristocratic beauty, romance, elegance and sass–just perfect for roses!

Have you seen the roses in this collection? They are spectacular… a wonderful and very fitting collection.

ROSE CHAT WANTS TO HELP YOU WIN THE ENTIRE COLLECTION!

Rose Chat has teamed with Weeks roses to offer the entire Downton Abbey collection.

One lucky winner will receive four bare root roses shipped to you during your planting season: Pretty Lady Rose, Edith’s Darling, Anna’s Promise and Violet’s Pride.

Earn bonus entries when you LIKE our Facebook page or SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter.

Listen to our Podcast with Karen Kemp-Docksteader, sales and marketing manager, from Weeks Roses. Karen talks about the show and this wonderful collection of roses. RoseChatPodcast.com

CONTEST DETAILS HERE.

THE COLLECTION…

ANNA’S PROMISE
The first release was to honor Anna Bates, everyone’s favorite lady’s maid. This unique and complex colour combination is a fitting representation of the character Anna Bates. Read more about Anna’s rose here.

PRETTY LADY ROSE
This large English styled fragrant bloom was inspired by Lady Rose, niece and goddaughter of the Dowager Countess Violet. Read more about the rose here .

EDITH’S DARLING
This true old-fashioned soft apricot-gold gem of a flower is a fitting tribute Lady Edith and her beloved daughter, Marigold. Read more about this rose here.

VIOLET’S PRIDE
Last but certainly not least, is Violet’s Pride!

These aristocratic, resilient, sophisticated blooms were inspired by the iconic shades of Lady Violet’s lavender dresses. Read more about this rose here.

GOOD LUCK ON THE CONTEST!

Contest ends midnight on Saturday, Feb 13.

Downton-Abbey

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE?

All this talk about Downton Abbey has me wondering who your favorite character is.

I can tell you mine…

It’s JOHN BATES.

Quiet, cautious, strong, loyal, and that smile he gives to Anna–yes, my fav is Mr. Bates.

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.

🐝🐝🐝

Rose Buzz: Beverly HT

Link | January 8, 2016January 2, 2016 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

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I am so excited to share my Beverly Hybrid Tea rose with you. It is a true beauty.

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This is a Kordes rose and Kordes roses are known for winter hardiness, disease resistance and beauty! Many are full petaled, with the old fashion form and fragrance. I have several Kordes roses in my garden and they have lived up to their reputation! More about those later.

Beverly’s blooms are so very pretty right from the beginning bud stage to fully open. The foliage is also amazing — almost looks unreal

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I have had this rose for 3 years and it rarely has any sign of disease. (Actually I have 5 of them.)

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This is one that will hold up very well in a vase for you too. The front rose in this vase from last summer is Beverly!

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A TRUE WINNER

At the 2013 Biltmore International Rose Trials, Beverly was a big winner, winning the award for Best Hybrid Tea and the coveted Most Fragrant Rose award.

SOURCES

If you are considering buying this rose, check out these sources…

Chamblee Roses

Edmunds Roses

If you grow this rose, let me know your growing zone and how it performs for you!

🐝🐝🐝

Rose Buzz: Gruss an Aachen

Link | January 1, 2016January 2, 2016 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Rose Buzz_Gruss2

This light pink rose was hybridized in Germany by Wilhelm Hinner who worked for Philipp Geduldig’s nursery in 1908. Not only is this rose beautiful, it is also fragrant and has the multi-petaled lovely old world charm that I adore.

It is considered by most to be the first floribunda. I have also read it is one of the more shade tolerant roses.

Since this rose grows to only about 3 high and wide, she will fit nicely in to most any sized garden. She did have some black spot issues in July when it was raining every day, but I cut her back, spritzed with Mil Stop and she finished strong and healthy.

I have 3 of these in the garden that were planted 3 years ago. While they bloomed well even the first year, last year was the best by far.

I originally had 4, but one had a harder time over the winter in my Zone 5 garden, so I dug it up. Since I love this rose so much, I couldn’t just throw it away; instead I lovingly planted it in a pot. And, I unlovingly forgot about it. The poor potted Gruss received very little care or water ALL SUMMER. It is now residing in my potting shed where I promise to pamper it over the winter. I just gave it a hardy drink of Moo Poo Tea and we will see how she does.

By the way, Gruss means “Greetings” in German and Aachen is a city in Germany.

Do you grow this rose?

If you don’t and would like to, it is available at Chamblee Nursery here. but I wouldn’t wait! Quantity is limited!

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 Eye Candy

October 4, 2015 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Today I had some extra time to enjoy the garden and spent most of my time cutting blooms.

Around here you know that October could throw you a curve ball at any time and before you know it frost is upon you. That means every bloom in October becomes very precious. And, the cooler temperatures just intensify the colors!

TODAY’S HARVEST…

My watering can was filled to the brim. Actually I filled two watering cans! Out of the “harvest” I was able to make 6 arrangements. Oh happy day! 🌹🌹

This is the largest one! It promptly went on my kitchen table.

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL…

Here are some of the harvested blooms up close and personal…

Neil Diamond HT from Weeks Roses.

Dick Clark Grandiflora from Weeks.

Lions Fairy Tale from Kordes … This one is so much prettier in person! Such an easy care beauty. I bought this one from Chamblee Nursery.

Music Box (Easy Elegance by Ping Lim) with Double Knockout and Flamenco Rosita (Chamblee Nursery) in the background. All three of these roses fall into the easy care category!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

ROSE BUZZ: Fall Rose Care

October 2, 2015 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

It’s time for me to admit that fall is here and winter is coming and it’s time to prepare the garden for it’s long winter’s nap. In my Zone 5b garden that could mean most anything as I’ve seen winters with more days than I care to count below 0 and then there are the mild midwest winters like last year.

Regardless, good fall care makes spring all the sweeter.

STOP FERTILIZING & DEADHEADING

About 6 weeks before expected frost, it is time to stop fertilizing and deadheading the roses. Since in my neck of the woods, the first frost date can be anywhere from October 5 – October 28.

Stopping the deadheading process tells the roses it’s okay to begin to go to sleep and start producing seeds in the form of rose hips. (Read more about rose hips here.) Don’t trim those off either–the birds find them particularly yummy.

GENERAL CLEANUP

Remove all diseased leaves from around your roses. Black spot and other fungal diseases are not discouraged by cold temperatures and will just over winter and be there next spring– so they must go! Don’t add any of your diseased leaves to your compost pile … they will overwinter there too!

PRUNING

I don’t do much pruning in the fall (Read about spring care here.), unless there are rose canes that have gotten extra tall or spindly. Those I trim back to prevent them from flapping in those cold winter winds as there is a danger of loosening around the roots and making the roses more susceptible to damage from the cold. Pruning says, “Let’s get busy growing.” That is the wrong message to send in the fall!

MULCH

I think it is very important to add an extra layer of mulch to protect the roses through the winter. And, for roses that are more tender, I will mound the mulch much higher on them–to about 1/2 the height of the shrub.

NOW WHAT?

Now it’s time to sit back, relax and pour through those beautiful catalogs and websites and get to dreaming, plotting and planning. Spring will be here in about 169 days. 🙂

HERE ARE THE BASICS…

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.”

🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

Saying goodbye to August…

August 29, 2015August 29, 2015 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

August is coming to a close. When you say goodbye to August, you say hello to September and that means fall is upon us.

The garden is looking like a patchwork. Some flowers are blooming just like it is still spring and some have completely faded. The rugosas are sending up a few flowers but mostly are making their beautiful hips. The hydrangeas are fading into their fall hues. The crab apple tree that stands in the middle of many of my flowers is dropping it’s leaves and apples giving a distinct fall look.

While I do miss the freshness of spring, fall in my world is filled with wonderful things!

Today my “fun thing” was working in the garden and taking pictures of bloomers! I took a ton of pictures and here are the ones that made the “cut”…

Belinda's Dream of the Earth Kind Series ... available at https://www.chambleeroses.com/ — Belinda’s Dream of the Earth Kind Series … available at https://www.chambleeroses.com/

Mary Rose - David Austin — Mary Rose – David Austin

Champagne Wishes - Ping Lim's Easy Elegance Series — Champagne Wishes – Ping Lim’s Easy Elegance Series

Julia Child - Floribunda from Weeks — Julia Child – Floribunda from Weeks

Roseraie de la Hay Rugosa - sending up springlike blooms. FRAGRANT — Roseraie de la Hay Rugosa – sending up springlike blooms. FRAGRANT

Quietness - a stunning, fragrant Buck rose. Available at https://www.chambleeroses.com/. — Quietness – a stunning, fragrant Buck rose. Available at https://www.chambleeroses.com/.

The Ingenious Mr. Fairchild - David Austin Roses — The Ingenious Mr. Fairchild – David Austin Roses

Apricot Drift Roses from Star Roses and Plants - still look like spring! — Apricot Drift Roses from Star Roses and Plants – still look like spring!

MORE FUN THINGS…

In two weeks I will travel to Syracuse, NY for the American Rose Society’s National Convention. The Rose Chat crew will be interviewing rose lovers and hearing their stories as well as acting as Rose Show Awards Masters of Ceremonies. We can’t wait! If you are going to Syracuse, we look forward to seeing you. Come find us at our booth!