BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Link | March 10, 2023March 9, 2023 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

A couple of months ago I asked Mr. G if he would build a serving table for the deck. He looked at me and said something like, “what size do you want this potting bench to be.” I said oh no… just a serving table for food and drinks when we are eating outside. Fast forward to last week when he showed me what he was thinking of building and I immediately started thinking just how lovely his table would look with plants in containers all around and on it. And how convenient it would be for a quick potting project if needed. #busted #heknowsme Regardless, I know it will be beautiful, sturdy, “multi-purpose” and a great addition to the deck! 😄💐🪴 Now for the big decisions — which roses and companions to plant around this new table!

Even though I have a large garden, I do love growing in containers. I read somewhere that Tasha Tudor always had the most beautiful container at the time moved to beside “her” chair on the porch. That’s what we all want… the most beautiful plants up close to us. I always have a few roses and favorite plants in pots for just that reason — to have them close to where we enjoy sitting. One of our very favs is Lantana — brings the butterflies and hummingbirds so close.

Many people ask whether or not a certain rose can be grown in a container and I say almost any rose can — if the pot is large enough! Well, maybe not Paul’s Himalayan Musk but …. maybe.

DECISIONS ABOUT GROWING ROSES IN CONTAINERS

Some of the best tips on growing roses in containers I have ever heard were when I chatted with Rebecca Koreytem of David Austin Roses last spring on Rose Chat. You can listen here…

ABOUT REBECCA…

A sought-after speaker and educator, Rebecca Koraytem is the U. S. Sales Executive for David Austin Roses Ltd., providing technical and retail support to customers in the United States and Canada. Prior to joining David Austin Roses, Rebecca served as garden editor for Southern Living magazine for 15 years. Rebecca holds an MS and BS in Horticulture from Clemson University.

Another great Rose Chat with Rebecca … The Fragrance of Roses (Link)

ROSES IN MY GARDEN

If you are looking to make decisions about which roses to buy this year, here are some of the roses in my garden and a list of suppliers.

Bloom Thyme Friday: Roses for You!

TOMATO DECISIONS

I can’t talk about container gardening without talking about Mr. G’s driveway tomato garden. Each year I start seeds of his favorite tomato, STEAK SANDWICH. Then he has the big decisions of what other ones to add that can be found locally. He usually plants 3 or 4 of his Steak Sandwiches then 3 or 4 others. What is your favorite tomato to grow? I always vote for at least one Mr. Stripey.

These pictures tell it all. Mr. G is very successful with his tomatoes and a few other veggies too. I just can’t wait for all the fresh veg! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

After seeing that, doesn’t a BLT with fresh tomatoes sound so good! Or some fresh bruschetta!

NEW ROSES TO THINK ABOUT

Last year I grew this little beauty from the Proven Winners Rise Up series of mini climbers on an obelisk on my Potting Shed porch and LOVED it.

RISE UP LILAC DAYS…

Here is a link to other mini-climbing roses in the RISE UP series. LINK

ON THE MOVE

Speaking of containers in the garden whether we want to put them in prime spots to show off or to get them closer or farther away from the sun – moving them can be an issue. Last year we decided on these to help. There are not super heavy duty but worked for most of our containers. LINK

SPRING IS COMING SOON

Spring is coming soon! Gardeners have so many decisions to make in the next few weeks/months and these are the most fun decisions! 🌸🌹🌻🌷🪴

Enjoy!

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: ProGressive Beauty

Link | March 3, 2023March 3, 2023 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Hello friends!

This time of year we are all a twitter about the weather. Temps go up and temps fall down making us a wee bit crazy. No matter, Spring is coming and maybe even a bit early this year. We’ve been away for a few days and were greeted with so much beauty.

The geranium cuttings that have been growing slowly but surely this winter, bloomed!
The most unusual amaryllis I have ever grown, Nymph Double Bloom, was showing off!
So many pretty Snowdrops.
Tete de Tete daffodils are showing color.
Other daffodills are ready to go – just a few more warm days.

POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS

WINTER SOWING UPDATE…

Winter sowing containers have life! Those showing some green are:

Salvia Violet Queen
Yarrow
Sweet Alyssum
Bachelor Buttons
Strawflowers
Phacelia
Scabiosa

LISIANTHUS…

Although still tiny, I potted up the Lisianthus that had been sown via broadcast in small containers. Now they are in larger, self watering trays — making them much easier to take care of. The plants are tiny but the roots are quite impressive!

Heirloom Roses

Thanks to Heirloom Roses for this helpful image and for sending such a lovely catalog for me to drool over!

ROSE CHAT PODCAST

THE RESEARCH JOUREY OF SUSTAINABLE ROSES

Last week I chatted with Dr. David Byrne from Texas A & M. He and his team are working to find the keys to help us eliminate black spot and RRD. I learned a lot and loved knowing the project is in such good hands. I think you will too. You can listen here…

NEW PLANTS FOR 2023 – Rose Chat Podcast

NEW PLANTS FOR 2023 – PROVEN WINNERS COLOR CHOICE Natalie Carmolli Public Relations Specialist for Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs Natalie Carmolli, public relations specialist for Proven Winners ColorChoice shrubs is back for one of our favorite chats of the season… new roses as well as other new plants for our gardens! Proven Winners Website: https://www.provenwinners.com/ Proven Winners YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProvenWinnersYouTube ROSE CHAT TEAM: Executive Producer & On-Air Personality: Chris VanCleave – www.RedneckRosarian.com Creator of the Rose Chat Podcast. Mr. VanCleave is a nationally known rosarian, television personality, speaker and advocate for the rose. Content Creator & On-Air Personality: Teresa Byington – www.TheGardenDiary.com Co-Host Teresa Byington promotes roses as an integral part of the landscape, as a Consulting Rosarian, Master Gardener, writer, and speaker. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to Rose Chat Podcast Updates: http://bit.ly/subscribeROSE

BC MASTER GARDENERS

Thank you for your gracious welcome. It was wonderful to be with you! All the best with your spring projects!

SHE HAS DONE IT AGAIN!

Christie Purifoy has done it again; created another beautiful garden book for us. No one speaks the language of a garden and home quite like Christie. In A HOME IN BLOOM Christie takes us on a jouney through the seasons leading us through creative ways to fill our homes with beauty from the garden. Helping us to blur the lines between inside and out. If you’ve read her previous books, you know that you can simply sink into the words she writes. And be inspired by the images she uses. Quote from A HOME IN BLOOM… Brought together, house and garden tell a better story than either one alone. Take a look at the book on Amazon here. Follow her on Instagram here.

NOT SPRING YET

As I look at the long range forecast, it appears much cooler temps are coming. I’m sure more garden surprises both good and bad are coming too. We will not despair, spring will come and the bloom thyme will be glorious.

Thanks for stopping by, until next time … happy gardening or happy garden planning.

Bloom Thyme Friday: More Winter Sowing

Link | February 17, 2023February 16, 2023 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Yes, the winter experiment continues …

Here are the additional seeds I have added to the winter family tucked away in their mini greenhouses. The original list was on my last post… here.

Tall White Alyssum / grows to about 12″ / Baker Creek
Blue Star Columbine /grows to 24″ / Burpee
Kilimanjaro White Marigold / grows to 18″ / Botanical Interest
Nicotiana Lime Green (Last year’s seed)

Next sowing will be in April when I will start warm season seeds like tomatoes, zinnias, cosmos and such.

LOOKING BACK…

This is my third year doing the winter sowing method. There have been many successes and some failures but it is still such a fun project! Below is an assessment of the previous years…

✔️ Some germination
Ⅹ No Germination
⭐️ Outstanding Germination

2021…

Larkspur (French Alouette) ✔️
Delphinium (Magic Fountain) ✔️ (took an extra long time)
Lavender (Munstead) ✔️ (took an extra long time)
Ammi ⭐️
Sweet William (Double Blend) ⭐️

2022

Munstead Lavender ✔️
Bachelor Buttons (Cyanus Double) ⭐️
Strawflower (Tall Double Mix) ⭐️
Candytuft (Old Seed) Ⅹ
Delphinium (Magic Mountain) ✔️
Verbena Bonariensis ⭐️
Orlaya (White Lace) ✔️
Phacelia (Lacy) ✔️
Larkspur (White) Ⅹ
Poppies (Buttercream) Ⅹ
Foxgloves (Carousel Mix) ⭐️
Celosia Pink Champagne ⭐️
Scabiosa (Fama White) Ⅹ

SNAPDRAGONS

I have always loved snapdragons, my kids loved snapdragons and they’re not only beautiful in the garden but also a completely fabulous cut flower.

For several years I’ve found flats of little snapdragon seedlings for sale at Menards. Each year I was on pins and needles to see if that would have them again. Bonus: They were the tall “Rocket” variety I love in solid colors – both pink and white! PERFECT! It was risky to wait but I didn’t have to start from seed.

This year I have gone snapdragon crazy. Have you seen how many gorgeous ones are available from seed??? If they do well in the jugs, my cutting garden will be very happy. If they don’t — well I’ll be scampering back to Menards! Seriously, who am I kidding, I’ll head to Menards anyway for the basic white and pink ones! If you want some, you better get their early and often! They show up without warning.

Snapdragons I’ve been seduced by this year through seed catalogs and online sources:

ROSE CHAT

The lastest podcast to be released was my chat with Gaye Hammond on up-to-the-minute information on Rose Rosette Disease. Next will be Dr. David Byrne on The Research Journey of Sustainable Roses.

Coming in March there will be several released over the next few weeks as part of the SPRING FLING…

Here is a podcast player where they can be found…

NEW PLANTS FOR 2023 – Rose Chat Podcast

INDIANAPOLIS ROSE SOCIETY

Local friends, on Tuesday, March 14 at 6:30 pm the Indianapolis Rose Society will have it’s first in-person meeting of 2023. Your’s truly will be giving a program on English Cottage Gardens. Click here for details.

BLOOM THYME

There is only one bloom in my garden and it has come much earlier than previous years. Actually 3 weeks earlier than last year. The beautiful crocus. Welcome back!

BLOOMING INSIDE…

MOVING FROM BROWN TO GREEN

With the warmer temps and tons of rain, I am seeing more green than usual! Someone told me this week that we are on course for spring to arrive 3 weeks early. That is exactly how early my crocus are.

Even the evergreens are beginning to lose a bit of their bronze winter hue. Green is certainly welcome here. Yes, green is not only welcome as it speaks to the coming season — it is so peaceful and soothing. Reminds me of a favorite scripture…

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.³He restoreth my soul:

Psalm 23

Yes, green is very soothing and such a welcome sight but we won’t forget about winter. We know just how fickle it can be.

Friends, I would love to hear about seeds you are growing this year regardless of the method. And, what about snapdragons – thumbs up or down?

Until next time…

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: WINTER SOWING

Link | January 20, 2023February 1, 2023 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

This is my third year using the Winter Sowing method and I am a huge fan. It is so simple, cheap and requires sooo little time. One of the big advantages is that there is no “hardening” off process. Those tiny miracles know when to germinate and they get tough during their time in the those “jug microclimates”.

Even though not all of the seeds I’ve sown have done well (most have), it’s incredibly fun to see what happens! I’ve found it to be a great return on a small investment.

BIGGEST SURPRISE OF 2022…

For the first time last year I planted tomato seeds using the winter sowing method.

I put them outside in a jug on April 2, left them alone and had amazing plants in mid May ready to take their place in Mr. G’s driveway garden. The 3 varieties I planted were Gardener’s Delight, Steak Sandwich and Beefsteak.

I also planted the same seeds in the potting shed and put them under lights. The shed may be small but I have a great set up for seed starting. When it was time to plant the tomatoes outside I would have to say that the indoor plants had the advantage on uniformity and look but the tomatoes in the jugs where very hardy and ready to go and initially were out performing the ones shed grown. In the picture below, the tall ones were winter sown. In the end they all caught up with each other and performed very well giving Mr. G a bumper crop of tomatoes! All’s well that ends well!

MY 2023 WINTER SOWING LIST (so far)

Milkweed
Foxglove
Larkspur
Phacelia
Sweet Pea
Bachelor Buttons
Snapdragons
Strawflower
Orlaya
Yarrow
Scabiosa
Lavender (Munstead)
Poppies

These babies are already out in the elements… more to join them soon.

If you look closely you’ll see some wire fencing I have around them to protect from night marauders.

NEXT UP

In late March or early April, I plan to start several warm season flowers and veggies – especially tomatoes. I may even try Zinnias with this method even though direct seeding works very well.

For those who asked, these are the Zinnias I’m growing this year:

Queen Lime Red ⭐️ (Fav from last year!)
Queen Lime with Blush
Queen Lime Orange ⭐️ (Fav from last year!)
Giant Purple
Isabellina
Double Violet Queen

SEED SOURCES

I buy seeds from everywhere … the Dollar Store, Rural King, Amazon, Esty, Big Box Stores, garden centers and all the usual online sources. Amazon is great to save a bit on delivery especially if you only want a couple of packets,

Fabulous online options…

LOCAL NOTE: FREE SEEDS will be one of the booths at the Hendricks Co. Master Gardeners annual spring event — Gardening for All Ages / April 29. Come join us for a day of garden fun! Event details here.

HOW TO…

If you are new to this process, below are the steps I take. There are numerous videos on YouTube where you can see this in action. Always note the growing zone of those doing the video to adjust for your zone growing needs. (I’m Zone 5b.)

WHAT YOU NEED:

Clear water or milk jugs cut around the middle preserving 2-3” by handle for hinge (discard lids you won’t need them)
- I’ve seen people use rotisserie chicken container, take-out containers and all kinds of drink containers. As long as there is room for them to grow, they drain well and light can penetrate – most any container would work. I love the jugs because they are not only sturdy, they have that built in hinge. The jugs are large so I often plant more than one variety per jug.
Potting Soil (Not seed starting mix.)
Duck Tape
Labels / Garden Marker
Seeds

SIMPLE STEPS:

Cut container and add 4-5 drain holes in bottom
Fill container to about 1″ below rim with pre-moistened potting soil.
Lightly tamp soil.
Plant seeds according to the direction on the packet. DO READ THE SEED PACKET! Some seeds need light to germinate (Snapdragons, poppies etc) so you do not want to cover those. Some need darkness (Larkspur, & Calendula etc. ) and you will want to cover them well.
Once seeds are planted, mist the container well.
Add label inside the container! Use garden marker not a sharpie as they don’t last very well and if you are like me – you will not remember. Frankly many seedlings look the same! I tried using wooden popsicle sticks but they fade quickly or grow mold so I use plastic labels.
Secure the container with duck tape. I like to put the name on the duck tape and the date.
They are ready to go outside. I have them next to the potting shed where they are protected from wind and I can keep an eye on them. They also get plenty of sun but not full sun.

The fun really begins when you see this…

Friends, if you are doing the winter sowing method, what has been your experience and what are you sowing this year? Have you done Zinnias or Cosmos?

For my cold weather friends, remember summer?

Until next time … happy gardening or happy garden planning!

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: May Madness

Link | May 20, 2022May 20, 2022 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Well, for the last two weeks I have been “gardening from a fire hose.” For sure. With winter refusing to leave and spring rains turning to spring floods, all the spring chores around here were crammed into the last two weeks. Of course, there is not a real “deadline”, however, I want things to be ready when FIREWORKS and FRAGRANCE season starts and the old roses lead the way in late May.

So with every minute I had, I was planting, pruning, fertilizing and mulching. As of Wednesday of this week, most of those tasks have been crossed off the list. Whew! Just in time to see this beauty take center stage as the first rose to bloom.

Therese Bugnet (Hybrid Rugosa (Georges Bugnet, Canada, 1941)

If you would like to know more about her or would like to have one in your garden, check out the High Country Roses website HERE.

So in this flurry of garden activity, I found a place for 24 dahlias.😳 Still a mystery to me how I found enough room. Also found plenty of room to plant cosmos and zinnia seeds. My plan is that they will take up the slack when the roses have to lay low while the Japanese Beetles are on the hunt for them mid-summer. Praying that the JBs do not find Dahlias and Zinnias tasty. Can’t these dreaded creatures just go away! Remember last summer …

ROSE CHAT

If you need some company while you’re weeding, check out the latest podcasts. I’ve been chatting with some great guests. Access list below..

NEW PLANTS FOR 2023 – Rose Chat Podcast

Yes, May Madness is upon us! The garden is filled with excitement. So many roses are budded up and will pop soon! FIREWORKS AND FRAGRANCE to be continued.

In this time of gardening from a fire hose…. the scripture Psalm 46:10, Be still and know that I am God…. is something I need more than ever. He is the creator of all this beauty we see and I am grateful.

Have a wonderful week in your garden and I hope you have time to just be…

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: IT CAME JUST THE SAME

Link | March 25, 2022March 25, 2022 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Yes, It Came Just the Same!

In the HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS when all could have been lost, we read, “Without any presents at all! He HADN’T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same!”

Even with freezing temps and crazy amounts of snow in places where it was highly unlikely and highly unwelcome, on March 20 Spring came just the same. Bringing with it wind, rain, and in some places snow! But regardless of the weather, spring brought hope for rebirth that we see more and more each day.

I don’t know the name, but I think this may be my fav crocus ever.

SPRING SIGNS

On my daily commute to the office (AKA Potting Shed), I am seeing things that bring incredible joy.

MEMORY LANE

This winter I kept thinking about a rose I grew many years ago and lost to a particularly bad winter – Fragrant Cloud. It was as though I could actually smell the sweet fragrance in my memory.

Guess what I found at Lowes for $10… a bareroot Fragrant Cloud! I’m going to put it in a container, give it lots of love and wait for the blooms. Do you think the fragrance will be as good as my memory? I’m excited to find out. Do you grow this one?

I am trying to keep this rose dormant a bit longer but it is ready to party now!

ONE MORE

I promise this will be the last Dahlia I buy in 2022. 🙄 🤞🏻 I went for a beautiful spring “walk” through one of my very favorite local Garden Centers, COUNTRY HARMONY. Guess what? They had dahlias. And, they had this one! Soooooo different than any of the others!

ROSE CHAT SPRING FLING

Each Sunday in April we will release a new podcast I think you will enjoy! It is an outstanding lineup! Check them out HERE. https://rosechat.podbean.com

Speaking of podcast guests… A recent guest, Dr. A (Allan Armitage) is having a Facebook LIVE WalkAbout in his garden tomorrow (March 26). He’ll be showing us what’s going on in his spring garden “warts and all.” I know we will learn and we WILL laugh.

POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS

Things are green and growing in the Potting Shed.

✅ The Dahlias tubers I planted have certainly exceeded my expectations and are going to need more space than I first thought. How will I keep them happy until mid-May??? Probably started these just a few weeks too early. 😉

✅ I potted up the Dahlias I started from seed! (Unwin Bedding Dahlias) Seriously, I NEVER tire of this process. Seeing seeds germinate and watching roots form – I feel allows us to be part of the miraculous. Are you growing anything from seed this year?

✅ The Lisianthus are slowly getting bigger every day.

✅ Strawflowers are beginning to sprout.

✅ The seeds I “winter sowed” in milk jugs are coming along.

✅ Next week I’ll start Mr. G tomatoes inside and sweet peas plus a few other cool season flowers outside.

Yes, much is going well in the Potting Shed with one exception…. fungus gnats. I’m treating them with a solution made with Mosquito Bits and using “sticky tape” flowers. But so far they seem to be enjoying it all. 🙄 How do you deal with them?

Yes, spring came just the same! Let’s roll up our sleeves and enjoy regardless of what the weatherman is predicting! And here the outlook is … well let’s just say I’m gonna need a good amount of red lipstick. 💄

Happy Spring Friends!

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: That One Thing!

Link | August 20, 2021February 20, 2022 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

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

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

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…

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

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.

Take care friends. 😘

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: Warp Speed

Link | April 16, 2021April 15, 2021 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Spring is full-on around here and things are moving at warp speed. We went from winter to having some very warm days … so there’s been rapid growth on many of the roses and most of the perennials. It’s not just the weather that has me moving so fast, it’s the grandbaby coming and an upcoming trip. As I write those words…. upcoming trip … I can’t believe it’s true. Like so many of you, the separation from our family and all the uncertainty has been one of life’s most painful curveballs. But the flight is booked and soon we will be covered up in grands! 💙💙💙

GARDEN CENTERS

We have visited a few garden centers and I cannot believe how well-stocked they are and how early! They have surely heard all the statistics and trends that gardening is on the rise. I keep hearing that in 2020 there were anywhere from 16,000 – 20,000 people saying they are first-time gardeners. So 2020 was NOT just the year of the pandemic, it was also the YEAR OF THE GARDENER. A silver lining for sure!

I read another article on garden trends from the Farmers’ Almanac:

Balcony Gardens Will Be Big
Houseplants, Indoor Gardens and Windowsill Gardens
Bringing the Inside Outside (I love this one!)
Tiny Gardens Galore
Permaculture Practices
The “Cottage Core” Aesthetic (Curious and want to know more… read on here.)
Online Gardening
Gardening by the Moon

Read more here on the Farmer’ Almanac website. They have so many great articles!

BROOD X

Have you heard about Brood X …. I recently read a headline that BILLIONS OF BROOD X CICADAS ARE SET TO EMERGE IN SPRING 2021. Guess what? Indiana is a hot spot for them. Oh Joy! 😳 When I hear this my mind immediately goes to Biblical Plagues but I guess they aren’t THAT bad. BUT, they are kinda creepy looking (especially in mass) and loud. I think we are to start seeing them in mid May… so much for quiet happy hours in the garden. Groups can be up to 100 decibels. 📢 Seriously, I can do without those. If they had come in 2020, they would have fit right in.

NEED TO KNOW MORE? There’s actually a website called Cicadamania. Everything you could ever want to know and more, including where they are expected to be and when! Link here.

NEW SHRUBS FOR THE GARDEN

ICEBERG ALLEY SAGELEAF WILLOW

When I saw a picture of this shrub, I thought it would be so so so good in my garden with the silver foliage!

Once I saw this VIDEO (link) from First Editions, I knew I had to have it. So I now have two.

SPICE BABY VIBURNUM

This Proven Winners plant tag caught my eye with the pretty blooms and the words petite and fragrant. We have many many viburnums of all types and we love them (so do the birds), however, they are NOT petite! This one is said to reach 3.5 – 5′ high and 3.5 – 6′ wide. Not tiny but will work very nicely. Looking forward to watching them grow! More info here.

UPDATE ON MILK JUG WINTER SOWING

Three of the five containers did VERY well. Ammi (I’ll have to keep my eye on her), Sweet William, and French Alouette Larkspur. So far nothing from Magic Fountain Delphinium and Munstead Lavender.

I will totally do more of this next year. For a simple, inexpensive pack of seeds, SO MANY PLANTS and it was so easy. (See the beginning of the project here.)

POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS

My baby Peggy Martins are recovering from an attack from spider mites. TIme will tell how they continue to do.😞

I potted up the baby Formosa lilies from seeds given to me from my good friend David. This was the first time to use my new transplant tools (Amazon). All I’ve had in the past were my handy dandy 20 something-year-old tiny trowels from Smith and Hawkins. They are great for most small work, but I was going for something even smaller and sharper. I found this set and compared to the heavy-duty S&H tool, they seemed very flimsy to me at first. But they were perfect for this delicate work.

Munstead Lavender is doing great! Munstead is the only lavender I have tried (and I’ve tried sooooooo many) that comes back reliably. (I’m in 5b.)

My topiaries and geraniums are coming in and out as they get used to living outdoors!

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK

BACK TO WORK

Time to get back to work. That mountain of mulch won’t move itself. Yes, time to get back to WARP SPEED SPRING GARDENING. Babies don’t wait. 🇬🇧 Halleluia! 💙 💙 💙 💙 ✈️

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your time in the garden — and if you are on the BroodX map, enjoy the peace and quiet while you can!

Bloom Thyme Friday: Hellebores, Bangs and Saying Goodbye

Link | March 19, 2021March 18, 2021 | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

Hellebores . . .

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.

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.

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! 😂

DECISIONS ABOUT GROWING ROSES IN CONTAINERS

ABOUT REBECCA…

Another great Rose Chat with Rebecca … The Fragrance of Roses (Link)

ROSES IN MY GARDEN

TOMATO DECISIONS

NEW ROSES TO THINK ABOUT

RISE UP LILAC DAYS…

Here is a link to other mini-climbing roses in the RISE UP series. LINK

ON THE MOVE

SPRING IS COMING SOON

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Hello friends!

POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS

Heirloom Roses

ROSE CHAT PODCAST

NEW PLANTS FOR 2023 – Rose Chat Podcast

BC MASTER GARDENERS

SHE HAS DONE IT AGAIN!

NOT SPRING YET

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LOOKING BACK…

2021…

2022

SNAPDRAGONS

Snapdragons I’ve been seduced by this year through seed catalogs and online sources:

ROSE CHAT

NEW PLANTS FOR 2023 – Rose Chat Podcast

INDIANAPOLIS ROSE SOCIETY

BLOOM THYME

BLOOMING INSIDE…

MOVING FROM BROWN TO GREEN

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MY 2023 WINTER SOWING LIST (so far)

NEXT UP

SEED SOURCES

HOW TO…

The fun really begins when you see this…

For my cold weather friends, remember summer?

Until next time … happy gardening or happy garden planning!

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ROSE CHAT

NEW PLANTS FOR 2023 – Rose Chat Podcast

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SPRING SIGNS

MEMORY LANE

ONE MORE

ROSE CHAT SPRING FLING

POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS

Happy Spring Friends!

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July DOUBT

ATTITUDE

FIRST FROST DATE

ROSE COMPANIONS

POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS

ROSE CHAT PODCAST

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK

SEASONS

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GARDEN CENTERS

BROOD X

NEW SHRUBS FOR THE GARDEN

ICEBERG ALLEY SAGELEAF WILLOW

SPICE BABY VIBURNUM

UPDATE ON MILK JUG WINTER SOWING

POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS

BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK

BACK TO WORK

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Hellebores . . .

SAYING GOODBYE . . .

Happy News . . .