Good News, Bad News

The bad news first. The squirrels (or perhaps a rabbit) ate all the Seashell cosmos seedlings in the semi-shady garden. This is new. I've never had a problem with seedlings being eaten. In the same garden, I had also planted my first climbing rose, Zephirine Drouhin (introduced 1868)which is shade tolerant. I purchased it from a reputable company, I can't remember which one at the moment. It (the rose) is doing exactly nothing. I think it is dead. Contrast this with the two rosebushes I purchased at the drug store of all places. I was filling a prescription last month and saw rosebushes on sale for $4.97 each. I had to look. Unbelievably, I found a Fairy (introduced 1932) and a General Jacqueminot (introduced 1853). I planted them on the site of the failed herb garden and they are both growing nicely.

Also in the good news category, the birds and the squirrels didn't get all of the seeds I planted. The Candy Cane zinnias have sprouted in the New World Garden and the calendulas are coming up in the yellow/orange garden.

I have mystery seedlings that I didn't plant. They only have their first two leaves but judging from their position I'm going to guess that they are cleome that reseeded from last year. If so, they are right next to where I planted the heirloom Rose Queen cleome so they will have to be transplanted somewhere else.