SPRING

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: It Was The Best of TImeS and …

Link | | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

THE BEST OF TIMES…

Yes, for the past few weeks I have been absent from the blog but very present in my world. I have been in the company of four of the most amazing little men! #grandboys They continue to amaze me on all counts.

AND, THE WORST OF TIMES…

Well, not the worst of times really BUT during those same three weeks, we have been invaded and parts of the garden show signs of a massacre! The critter cam tells us the culprits are raccoons, possums, ground squirrels, rabbits, and at least two of the most destructive horrible creatures on the planet – groundhogs.

What have we done about it?

To date we have captured 12 raccoons, put up 3′ bunny fence, used tons of cayenne pepper powder and animal repellent pellets.

Has it helped? Not much.

The raised bed filled with my handpicked from pouring over catalogs, pre-sprouted for earlier bloom, gorgeous dahlias – many 2.5-3′ tall living in the beautiful raised bed Mr. G built … was invaded. Pictures do not do the damage justice. The day after we installed the 3′ bunny fence and lavishly poured on the cayenne powder, we caught the groundhog inside the fence and the damage was even worse. I think he was mad.

I understand they hate garlic so this week when I trimmed off my garlic scapes I placed them all around the dahlias that are trying to come back. #timewilltell

DESTRUCTION

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Nothing like this has happened before. Oh, we have had the annual visits from raccoons and ground squirrels. While destructive, they were mostly deterred by cayenne pepper. I am beginning to think most of the damage is groundhog damage. We have not been able to trap them but see them out and about. They are very comfortable here! Right up by the patio while I am sitting there!!!! 😳

THE VARMINT’S PREFERRED SMORGASBORD

Here is a list of plants that have been most damaged…

  • Yarrow – I have several varieties – all nibbled to the ground except a couple of patches I rescued early – before they found them!
  • Parsley – all leaves enjoyed by varmints
  • Coreopsis (4 varieties) – to the ground
  • Orlaya – all blooms gone / plants mangled
  • Cosmos – devoured
  • Daisies – new Variety Banana Cream devoured / old variety still standing
  • Lantana – to the ground
  • Supertunias – to the ground
  • Zucchini – struggling
  • Lupines – mangled & broken
  • Zinnias – mangled & broken
  • Dahlias – None of my 20 dahlias have been left untouched but so far some of the damage is minimal. Others… well it’s doubtful they will recover.

My garden looks like a war zone in many areas. And I’m sure you understand, seeing your plants behind fencing is no way to garden!! But while we use every trick we hear about, we are spending our time in prettier parts of the summer garden. Even the Japanese Beetle damage seems like no big deal compared to the massive varmint damage. #perspective

I am so grateful for every plant they have not touched (so far) and am taking note!

STILL STANDING

  • Lilies
  • Lavender
  • Glads
  • Hollyhocks
  • Phlox
  • Salvias
  • Scabiosa
  • Larkspur
  • Clematis
  • Sweet William
  • Lisianthus
  • Foxgloves
  • Roses (THANK GOODNESS!)
  • Snapdragons – I’m telling you if they touch my snaps, you will hear me scream. I have soooooooo many gorgeous ones this year!!!

BLOOM THYME…

Maid Marion (DA)
Regale Trumpets
Bliss Parfuma
Flamenco Rosita & Snaps!
State of Grace
Petite Peach
Adorable garden helper
Honeymoon
Mother of Pearl
Phlox
Gladiolias
Zaide

BOKAY DAY

Bokay Day this year was a dream. Those four little men and I had the very best time. Everyone was so into all aspects of the process. Taking wagons of buckets around to gather flowers (much fewer options this year but they didn’t mind) and filling the jars. Ohhh and they were such a charming delivery crew as they pulled the wagon filled with bokays and handed them to our neighbors. All of you who grandparent from a distance know just what a dream come true this was for me!! #preciousmemories

We were gloriously busy in “Thyme Out”

Read about past Bokay Days here AND here.

Back before the internet and blogs, we had bokay days too. Here’s my son all ready for delivery…

Precious Memories indeed!

MAGAZINE ARTICLES

If you see a copy of the current Midwest Living or Birds and Bloom, you just might find me there.

ROSE CHAT PODCAST

I have been chatting away with so many rose friends. The last one was with Kimberley Dean, AKA The Rose Geek. We had the best time talking about her trip to England and how it changed her garden and her as a gardener! Listen here…

GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST – Rose Chat Podcast

GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST Stephen Scanniello Stephen is a world-renowned gardener, historian, author, lecturer, designer, and consultant for gardens public and private. He currently serves as the curator of the internationally acclaimed Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden at the New York Botanical Garden and as the consultant for the Elizabeth Park Conservancy in West Hartford, CT. Today Stephen will share updates from the beautiful gardens and garden projects in the Northeast.   It is said that every rose has a story and Stephen just may know most of them. I'm sure today we will be educated, enlightened, and entertained as we chat with a master storyteller about his favorite subject – roses. ROSE GARDEN IMAGES… DOWNLOAD HERE INFORMATION ON THE HERITAGE ROSE FOUNDATION… ROSE CHAT TEAM: Executive Producer & On-Air Personality: Chris VanCleave – http://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 – http://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://eepurl.com/hAC6gP    
  1. GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST
  2. UPDATES, PLANS & PROJECTS
  3. INTERNATIONAL ROSE TEST GARDEN
  4. MY GARDEN JOURNEY
  5. ROSE GARDEN UPDATE & MORE!

UNTIL NEXT TIME…

Friends, even with the varmint invasion, the heat, and the bugs that come and make things so ugly, I still just can’t wait to get out there! How about you? 💐

Bloom Thyme Friday: Roses in Protective Custody

Link | | Teresa / TheGardenDiary.com

We have just returned from 3 weeks away. We are all tanked up on hugs and kisses from the grands that will last us a little while!

While we were away the weather was erratic to say the least — both high and low. The temperatures were high enough for the garden to start springing back. Especially the roses. But what I saw when I returned was shocking! This year I am seeing the biggest changes to the garden as a result of the increasing deer pressure. I could not believe the level of damage that had occurred from deer munching. Many of the shrub roses (that most often need very little pruning) looked as though they had been burnt. Throughout the plants were black canes. My Honeymoon climbing roses were damaged to the ground. Ghislaine Feligonde was damaged low. I don’t see as much damage on the old garden roses and Rugosas. Deer typically don’t like Rugosas. Time will tell if they nibbled enough to steal the blooms.

To add to that problem, I am seeing winter damaged (both erratic temps and wind) on 2 of my huge Peggy Martins. There will be a heavy amount of pruning on those.

For some reason I forgot to take pictures of the worse ones. Here is Petite Pink who in year’s past has only needed a bit of pruning (same with her 8 sisters) and the picture on the right shows that when tips are nibbled, the cane dies back to the ground. (Sorry so blurry.)

IT’S NOT ALL BAD

This week I started officially pruning and many of the roses required cutting to the ground. But I have to say that the new growth looks very healthy! Mr. G has decided to take advantage of the “new room” on the large arbors to do some maintenance and that is a very good thing.

Mr. G and I are also thinking through what we can do to help deter the deer even more than ever before! We now know it will require some sort of temporary fencing. If you have tips that have worked for you please leave a comment! Having this level of deer pressure is a relatively new problem for us.

NOW TO THE PROTECTIVE CUSTODY PART

My beautiful Honeymoon climber is on a main deer thoroughfare so it sustained extreme nibble damage. It had to be cut to the ground. While it is not pretty, I put it in protective custody with a extra piece of fencing we had and some bamboo poles – just in case the deer come to call. Not pretty but “desperate times/desperate measures. Others on the “thoroughfare”are going to get the same type of protection. 😔 How long will we leave this there??? Well, the critter cams will help us know when the deer have moved on – if they do. 😱 They usually do! 🙏🏻

NEW BEST GARDEN HELPER

I spray my pruners with Lysol after each bush (to keep from spreading diseases that might be present whether I can see them or not) and this new found friend has made that so easy. Small enough to fit into a pocket; yet large enough to make it through several rose bushes. (Amazon Link)

POTTING SHED PUTTERINGS

This week I added several more “winter jugs” filled with warm season flowers / veggies.

  • Tomatoes
  • Zinnias
  • Cosmos

Other than tomatoes, I have never planted this late in the season. I am so excited to see how they do!

UPDATE OF “JUGS” PLANTED MID JANUARY

Of all the containers, only a couple haven’t germinated!

LISIANTHUS UPDATE

My two trays of Lisianthus are coming along nicely. I will plant them out in another week.

DAHLIAS

Of the 8 tubers I tried to winter over, 3 of them survived! BEST RESULTS EVER! Here is one I potted up mid February just to get it started before traveling. I knew it was a bit early but I was so excited that the tubers had made it that far with a bit of plumpness, I decided not to wait!

So here she is a dahlia that I think is almost perfect in every way… Milena Fleur…

–Medium size (3 – 4′)
–Beautiful color (peachy, pink with a yellow center)
–Prolific bloomer

Any guesses on when she will bloom?? She is certainly ahead of the game! The dahlias I ordered from Longfields were delivered today. Those tubers will get potted up soon.

ROSE CHAT PODCAST

Since we are talking so much about pruning, if you haven’t listened to the podcast I did with Gaye Hammond, don’t miss it.

PRUNING: Making Order out of Chaos (LINK)

Most recent podcast…

NOISETTES: THE SOUTHERN BELLE OF ROSES (LINK)
Connie Hilker

I had so much fun talking with Connie about her favorite rose class — the historical and beautiful Noisettes.

BLOOM THYME

The garden is coming back to life… more each glorious day! #grateful

HOW HAS YOUR GARDEN FARED?

I know winter was hard on gardens in many zones. My good friend, Ron Daniels in Nashville, TN who has a magnificent garden that has appeared on TV many times had an uncharacteristic freeze in December than damaged some of his roses. The biggest damage was his climbers. Many having to be cut to the ground. Speaking of Ron, did you know he has a book coming out – ROSE THERAPY. He will join me on Rose Chat in June to tell us all about it. I am so excited for him. Here’s the cover…

CONFESSION

I bought a few more roses … we’ll talk about them next time.

SPIRITUAL PRUNING

Once I got past the shock of the condition of my roses, I began to think of how this could be a rejuvenation for them; making them stronger and more productive.

John 15 reminds us that God prunes us as well “I am the vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

Good to know that our rejuvenation is in the capable hands of the true Master Gardener.

Until next time, Happy Gardening!

BLOOM THYME FRIDAY: DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Link | | 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…

Rise Up Lilac Day on Potting Shed Porch
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 | | 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!

From the book, The Potting Shed.
Baby Lisianthus
Look at those roots
Hello beautiful.
Early risers!

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…

GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST – Rose Chat Podcast

GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST Stephen Scanniello Stephen is a world-renowned gardener, historian, author, lecturer, designer, and consultant for gardens public and private. He currently serves as the curator of the internationally acclaimed Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden at the New York Botanical Garden and as the consultant for the Elizabeth Park Conservancy in West Hartford, CT. Today Stephen will share updates from the beautiful gardens and garden projects in the Northeast.   It is said that every rose has a story and Stephen just may know most of them. I'm sure today we will be educated, enlightened, and entertained as we chat with a master storyteller about his favorite subject – roses. ROSE GARDEN IMAGES… DOWNLOAD HERE INFORMATION ON THE HERITAGE ROSE FOUNDATION… ROSE CHAT TEAM: Executive Producer & On-Air Personality: Chris VanCleave – http://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 – http://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://eepurl.com/hAC6gP    
  1. GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST
  2. UPDATES, PLANS & PROJECTS
  3. INTERNATIONAL ROSE TEST GARDEN
  4. MY GARDEN JOURNEY
  5. ROSE GARDEN UPDATE & MORE!

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 | | 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:

Mdm Butterfly Bronze w/white
Silver Costa
Mdm Butterfly Ivory
Potomac Ivory
Mdm Butterfly Pink

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…

GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST – Rose Chat Podcast

GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST Stephen Scanniello Stephen is a world-renowned gardener, historian, author, lecturer, designer, and consultant for gardens public and private. He currently serves as the curator of the internationally acclaimed Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden at the New York Botanical Garden and as the consultant for the Elizabeth Park Conservancy in West Hartford, CT. Today Stephen will share updates from the beautiful gardens and garden projects in the Northeast.   It is said that every rose has a story and Stephen just may know most of them. I'm sure today we will be educated, enlightened, and entertained as we chat with a master storyteller about his favorite subject – roses. ROSE GARDEN IMAGES… DOWNLOAD HERE INFORMATION ON THE HERITAGE ROSE FOUNDATION… ROSE CHAT TEAM: Executive Producer & On-Air Personality: Chris VanCleave – http://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 – http://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://eepurl.com/hAC6gP    
  1. GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST
  2. UPDATES, PLANS & PROJECTS
  3. INTERNATIONAL ROSE TEST GARDEN
  4. MY GARDEN JOURNEY
  5. ROSE GARDEN UPDATE & MORE!

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. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.3 He 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 | | 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
Queen Lime Red
Queen Lime Orange

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.
Sow seeds
Mist
Any garden marker will do!

The fun really begins when you see this…

Oh Happy Day!

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 | | 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..

GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST – Rose Chat Podcast

GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST Stephen Scanniello Stephen is a world-renowned gardener, historian, author, lecturer, designer, and consultant for gardens public and private. He currently serves as the curator of the internationally acclaimed Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden at the New York Botanical Garden and as the consultant for the Elizabeth Park Conservancy in West Hartford, CT. Today Stephen will share updates from the beautiful gardens and garden projects in the Northeast.   It is said that every rose has a story and Stephen just may know most of them. I'm sure today we will be educated, enlightened, and entertained as we chat with a master storyteller about his favorite subject – roses. ROSE GARDEN IMAGES… DOWNLOAD HERE INFORMATION ON THE HERITAGE ROSE FOUNDATION… ROSE CHAT TEAM: Executive Producer & On-Air Personality: Chris VanCleave – http://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 – http://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://eepurl.com/hAC6gP    
  1. GARDENS OF THE NORTHEAST
  2. UPDATES, PLANS & PROJECTS
  3. INTERNATIONAL ROSE TEST GARDEN
  4. MY GARDEN JOURNEY
  5. ROSE GARDEN UPDATE & MORE!

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 | | 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! 

Thomas A. Edison

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

WHAT A DREAM SPRING TEAM!

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. 

Dahlias in front / Lisianthus in back

✅ 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 | | 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
Tall Phlox and Snapdragons

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


Sedums getting ready!

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…

Waiting their turn.

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

One of my favs: Calendula
Bullet proof Petit Pink blooms all summer.
Rugosa hips are beautiful.
Garlic this year: Brown Rose
Savannah’s healthy growth after her 2nd Spring trim!
Fav color of geranium
Still hanging on but fewer!
Another bullet proof rose – pink carpet rose

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. 😘