tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-100239422011-12-11T14:26:42.523-05:00<p>The adventures and misadventures of an heirloom gardener</p>OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.comBlogger7281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-79358218368757686992008-09-01T15:03:00.001-04:002008-09-07T03:09:06.222-04:00

I can’t believe that it is September already. The entire summer has gone by and I haven’t written a thing. At least not here. I haven’t done much gardening either but that’s another topic. I have, though, been practicing with my new camera.I tried to write gardening posts, but the screen remained stubbornly blank. The cursor blinked at me, mesmerizing me. Scrolling through my pictures did not

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-27018965889228259442008-06-16T13:03:00.000-04:002008-06-27T01:04:57.617-04:00

It may not be summer according to the calendar, but the daylilies are blooming and that always signals the start of summer for me.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-60546338861240349242008-06-15T13:38:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:41:43.900-04:00

JoinBargain Jackmanii clematis purchased last fall and wintersown Balcony petuniasGardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-83846169146748697262008-06-12T13:29:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:34:42.299-04:00

It’s a well-known fact that I love iris. Almost as much as I love heirloom roses. I have bearded iris, Japanese iris, Siberian iris, iris bucharica, iris dardanus and miniature iris. I don’t have a favorite. But I do have some oddities. Like the iris that bloomed in full shade. And this:This is a Japanese iris that was part of a collection. Although planted years ago, it was only last year that

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-16209595032785895182008-06-10T13:23:00.000-04:002008-06-20T01:27:21.227-04:00

Peonies are everywhere. Blooming in gardens. Pictured on blogs. Everywhere except my yard.I started out last fall with six peonies. Three singles that I had ordered and planted in the border along the Ugly Green Fence. Two survived the winter. Neither is showing any inclination to bloom this year. Because they’re new and still small, I’m giving them a pass this year.The other three I had moved

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-70408363974321580532008-06-08T11:00:00.003-04:002008-06-08T11:03:57.698-04:00

Join Wild Purple Foxglove that I wintersowed last year.Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-61179391699362179402008-06-06T13:51:00.000-04:002008-06-08T10:53:31.645-04:00

I’ve always wanted a cutting garden. Although I love having bouquets of flowers in my house, I don’t like picking flowers from my carefully planned borders. A separate plot, preferably in an inconspicuous spot from which I could plunder as many blossoms as I wanted without worrying about leaving holes in my planting scheme, is definitely the answer. But how to begin? How to decide what to plant,

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-53547252288611677602008-06-05T13:02:00.000-04:002008-06-07T01:26:12.261-04:00

You are invited to a Garden Party. Come mingle with my roses. Enjoy their varied colors and scents.The first on the scene is always Harison’s Yellow aka The Yellow Rose of Texas.My only yellow rose, it brightens up a shady corner. When I visited Arlington National Cemetery in May, I noticed one in the garden at the house. You can see pictures of my visit on Flickr.Next to step into the spotlight

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-71576992989160615712008-05-31T13:20:00.000-04:002008-06-03T01:23:45.004-04:00

“Beautiful at All Seasons: Southern Gardening and Beyond with Elizabeth Lawrence”I have to confess that I never finished this book. I found it to be unreadable. At first I thought it was because she writes of many plants that I cannot grow in my NJ garden. Or perhaps it was because I couldn’t relate to what was blooming in her garden during the winter months when my own gardens are completely

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-33331350060044472772008-05-28T13:06:00.000-04:002008-05-29T01:33:23.217-04:00

My garden is at its best in the spring. The season begins with a burst of yellow and white from the many clumps of daffodils that increase in size each year, then transitions to a multi-colored celebration of tulips. As the tulips finish their performance, iris takes the stage. Normally this happens on or about Mother’s Day. The cooler than normal weather delayed the iris’ appearance this

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-36026897973242872162008-05-27T15:02:00.000-04:002008-05-28T03:15:36.156-04:00

I don’t handle change well. I like my routines, every day the same as the one before it. But therein lays stagnation so sometimes I force myself to go outside of my comfort zone, to stretch my wings like a butterfly newly released from its chrysalis. While my garden slept this winter, I allowed what I thought was a healthy change to take shape in my life. I nurtured it for months. Like a new

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-70618540630241903472008-04-23T13:14:00.000-04:002008-05-01T01:24:42.729-04:00

I’m glad that I planted so many new tulips last fall. Not all of them turned out as well as I had hoped but I love all the color in my yard. Like most gardeners, I’m already planning what I’ll be planting and where next fall.The white lily flower tulips have opened in the Entry Garden. They are even more underwhelming than the pink. None of the tulips I planted in that bed for last year came back

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-51026476503506663312008-04-21T13:59:00.000-04:002008-04-30T02:01:15.369-04:00

We are having one of the driest Aprils ever. The ground is like concrete making it impossible to weed. The Jack Frost Brunnera doesn’t seem to mind. It has come up and is now flowering despite intense competition from weeds. Definitely worth every penny that I paid for it.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-36878006190851315022008-04-21T13:57:00.000-04:002008-04-30T01:58:49.023-04:00

As you may recall, I have been employing new weapons and tactics in my war against the local squirrels. The squirrels, in turn, have become more sophisticated. Through the use of surveillance, accurate mapping and weather prediction, they were able to completely wipe out a bed of allium. Or were they?This little gem greeted me this morning. As I admired it, I found myself wondering. Did the

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-79968307867251742542008-04-21T13:26:00.000-04:002008-04-30T01:56:45.740-04:00

No, I didn’t play with the color in PhotoShop. They really are that intensely red. I loved these last year, their first year in my garden. I love them even more this year after they returned and multiplied. I planted more of them last fall, but not all of them came up. The ones that did are lagging behind the originals.Right next door are the species tulips which also appear to have

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-43167997145105493952008-04-20T13:59:00.000-04:002008-04-24T02:02:28.609-04:00

Join Hiking at Hacklebarney State ParkGardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-23948014934350036222008-04-20T13:33:00.000-04:002008-04-24T01:58:25.281-04:00

The tulips are beginning to bloom. Some disappointing, others breathtaking. Among the disappointing are the first of the lily-flowered tulips.I was hoping for tall and stately. These are nothing to write home about. I’m happy about the little rosebush in the corner. It’s a Therese Bugnet that I though died last year. I left it in place and suddenly it has come back to life. Gotta love

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-78341919008056125922008-04-19T21:58:00.001-04:002008-04-23T02:45:13.299-04:00

I had an opportunity today to explore what was once described as the most beautiful park in New Jersey, Hacklebarney State Park. It had been suggested that I wear my hiking boots. A glance at the website told me that it was no exaggeration.Our hike started out innocuously enough.Um, okay. So where is the steep ravine? The rushing river? The glacial morain?Found it!Click on the above photo to

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-74253804051036472072008-04-18T13:38:00.000-04:002008-04-23T01:56:38.330-04:00

The daffodils seem to be peaking now. More of the Tahiti daffodils have opened.I really like them now that they are fully open.Here’s a disappointment:Geranium daffodils. They are heirlooms from 1930. The cups are supposed to be orange.Never a disappointment, Actaea daffodils.Developed in the 1920’s, this is the flower that turned me on to heirloom flowers.The Thalia daffodils along the Ugly

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-3654203040810686302008-04-16T13:31:00.000-04:002008-04-23T01:32:34.403-04:00

Another of the daffodils I planted last fall has begun to bloom. Named “Tahiti”, it met my requirements of being both yellow and double. It’s close to the Fortissimo daffodils to bring out the orange accents in the blooms. I can’t wait for it to be fully open.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-51834100851525660792008-04-15T14:12:00.000-04:002008-04-20T20:59:24.855-04:00

Last year we had a very cold spring so I didn’t have a lot of flowers for my first April Bloom Day. It was so cold, in fact, that I posted a picture from 2006 to illustrate what a “normal” spring looks like. This year we have had normal spring weather. April 15, 2006 April 17, 2007 April 15, 2008Other than the fact that I am way behind in my spring clean-up and edging, 2008 looks very much like

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-27929626118400538202008-04-13T17:07:00.000-04:002008-04-20T17:12:17.065-04:00

Join Hiking in Round Valley, April 12Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-70581908337197193632008-04-12T17:05:00.000-04:002008-04-20T17:07:26.851-04:00

In the fall of 2005, I ordered a Martagon lily. It is reputed to need filtered sunlight so I though it would be perfect on the edge of my semi-shady garden. In due course, it came up in the spring of 2006 and was promptly eaten by the squirrels. Or maybe a rabbit. It really doesn’t matter. The end result was the same: no lily.I didn’t bother trying to replace it that fall and I wasn’t at all

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-87699710828110804402008-04-11T13:57:00.000-04:002008-04-20T17:04:08.407-04:00

Hooray! Pineapple Prince is one of those daffodils that changes color as the flowers mature.Aren’t they gorgeous?The first of the new double daffodils opened today.That’s Golden Beauty. Very aptly named.Here’s something unexpected. I was terribly disappointed last year when the Fortissimo daffodils turned out to be plain old yellow instead of yellow petals surrounding dramatic orange

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-39346142331992682582008-04-10T13:55:00.000-04:002008-04-20T16:57:43.058-04:00

I don’t have many hyacinths. Like tulips, they don’t last long. The first time I planted them en masse, was at my last house, an old Victorian. I planted them all around the wrap-around porch. They looked good and at least at first, were wonderfully fragrant. But their perfume grew cloying. I started using my backdoor to avoid the odor.The Purple Garden was originally planted by my daughter.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-30943842991023242882008-04-10T13:52:00.000-04:002008-04-20T16:54:50.287-04:00

Every year I forget how attractive the Ice Stick tulips are when they are fully open.They are like bright little stars in the spring garden.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-79722425474167203202008-04-07T13:45:00.000-04:002008-04-20T16:51:45.970-04:00

Last year as I surveyed my daffodils, I realized that most of them were white. I resolved to plant more yellow ones. Not necessarily the traditional King Alfred type. I have a few doubles which are nice and some bicolors. I just needed some in yellow. Last fall, I planted five varieties totaling 26 bulbs.The first of the new ones, Pineapple Prince bloomed today. They were supposed to have pale

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-47684274866567286662008-04-06T13:32:00.000-04:002008-04-11T01:39:53.207-04:00

JoinMagnolia Plaza at the Brooklyn Botanic GardenGardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-89477956320794629532008-04-05T23:18:00.001-04:002008-04-10T11:58:22.943-04:00

The Straw Hat Society accompanied a group of Rutgers Gardens volunteers on an outing to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden which is celebrating Hanami, the Japanese Cherry Blossom Viewing Season.It’s still very early so only a few cherries are in bloom. We were offered tantalizing glimpses of the glory to come in the Japanese Garden.What fascinated me the most was the size of the carp in the pond.They’

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-52648328041600131492008-04-04T14:07:00.000-04:002008-04-09T01:09:27.802-04:00

In all the excitement of the horribly expensive Jack Frost brunnera making it through the winter, I completely forgot that I have another expensive “Jack”, a Jackmanni clematis that I got a good price on last September. Even at $9.99 it was an expensive acquisition for me so I was very happy to see this today:For some reason, its roots are all bare, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping it. I’ll

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-62653681680998958102008-04-04T13:55:00.000-04:002008-04-09T00:58:25.896-04:00

No April Fools here! The Rose Campion really did sprout. I’ve been waiting for this one. I direct sowed it two years ago but only two plants survived. Undaunted, I direct sowed some more last year and patiently waited for the two plants to grow and bloom amidst all the new seedlings. None of the above happened. Not only did none of the seeds germinate, but the two plants from the prior year

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-2670645027631005012008-04-03T11:01:00.001-04:002008-04-08T11:07:21.536-04:00

The Ice Stick tulips welcomed Spring today. They are a very early variety of tulip, blooming earlier even than most of my daffodils.They are quite small, only 8” tall, but a welcome sight after winter.This is the earliest that they have bloomed since I planted them in the fall of 2005. They bloomed on April 6 in 2006 and on April 11 in 2007. Last year was a particularly cold spring so

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-90981832903015316192008-04-02T12:59:00.000-04:002008-04-05T01:00:56.904-04:00

Yes, I know that it’s a horrible photo, but I’m so hungry for flowers at this time of year that I get excited about a tiny bunch of violets growing in the crack between my driveway and the foundation of my house.Hurry up, Spring!

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-46377028246565946612008-04-01T13:31:00.001-04:002008-04-04T02:19:15.012-04:00

I’m developing a crick in my neck. It’s from constantly looking down. I peer into winter sowing containers.I check the progress of my bulbs.Oh, look. Another bunch of daffs are blooming.I look for perennials coming back to life after a long winter’s sleep.Good. Both heucheras are coming up.How exciting! The Candelabra primrose I bought at Well Sweep Herb Farm last year is coming up again. I hope

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-4095101782104694782008-04-01T13:21:00.000-04:002008-04-04T01:31:13.644-04:00

Recently, I was asked to write a short article on gardening. I could choose the topic but was urged to make it something I am passionate about. I said “no problem” and promptly went into Procrastination Mode. Less than a week before the deadline, I still had no idea what I was going to write about. Two days before the deadline, I had a topic, theme gardens, but still no clear idea of what I was

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-76801711935180488122008-03-31T13:36:00.001-04:002008-04-03T01:58:54.547-04:00

Before our tour of the Indoor Display Gardens at Duke Farms, we went for a hike at Round Valley. It was a beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky.A bitterly cold wind kept our outing shorter than we would have liked. I love photographing trees in the winter. The lack of foliage allows you to see things that aren’t normally obvious. Like a lone pine tree in amongst all the deciduous trees.This

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-32610669838175318562008-03-31T13:31:00.001-04:002008-04-03T01:35:43.146-04:00

Maybe it’s due to my age, but I’ve never quite understood this “social networking” stuff. Seems to me that it requires an awful lot of time on the computer. Time that I’d rather be spending in the garden or if it is too dark or too cold to garden, reading a good book or watching a good movie. There’s been a lot of chatter about Twitter on garden blogs lately. I didn’t pay much attention until the

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-17654392876706774792008-03-30T13:16:00.000-04:002008-04-02T01:23:24.923-04:00

JoinMy favorite photo from my visit to Duke Farms yesterday.Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-8019340123707609892008-03-30T13:10:00.000-04:002008-04-02T01:15:52.918-04:00

Another one of my favorite flowers sprouted on Friday, Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate. I was introduced to them a few years ago during my Master Gardener course. They were featured in the herb beds that all of the classes are required to plant and tend. It was love at first sight. KMOTGG are a difficult seed to germinate. After much trial and error, the Master Gardeners have found that seeding the

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-51261188876398995952008-03-29T23:42:00.000-04:002008-04-01T02:08:08.822-04:00

Duke Farms recently announced that it is “going green”. You can read the press release here. What caught my eye is the fact that they are closing the indoor Display Gardens which I visited last year with the Master Gardeners. I went back today for a last look. It was especially bittersweet as one of the docents told us that what is being kept quiet is that the new facility is much smaller than

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-71881894313006418452008-03-27T13:28:00.000-04:002008-03-31T00:30:54.081-04:00

I’ve been wondering why none of the supposedly cool season flowers have germinated in my wintersowing containers. I had expected snapdragons and petunias by now, not the heat loving marigolds and cosmos that sprouted last week. My relief was palpable yesterday when I noted that the Balcony petunias were showing signs of life.Last year I filled hanging baskets in front of my house with petunias.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-79914842099265103312008-03-26T13:40:00.000-04:002008-03-30T01:42:37.400-04:00

Iris are one of my favorite flowers. I have bearded iris, Japanese iris, Siberian iris, Iris dardanus, Iris bucharica and a lot of unidentified iris. After seeing them on various blogs, I fell in love with miniature iris. They bloom early so I thought they would go well in my Semi-Shady garden with the other miniature spring blooming bulbs already growing there.Two years ago I took the plunge and

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-43843821636823981242008-03-26T13:37:00.002-04:002008-03-30T01:43:59.641-04:00

I am pleased to announce the first daffodils of the season in my yard. They are the same daffodils that bloomed first last year and on nearly the same day.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-39223910881163077942008-03-25T13:27:00.000-04:002008-03-28T01:32:00.722-04:00

I’m falling behind with my wintersowing updates. Boring for readers but a treasure trove of information for me in the future so please bear with me.March 21, Good Friday – St. John’s Chamomile. Hmmmm, I wonder if there is some kind of significance there. This will be planted in the Accidental Herb Garden.The following day, March 22 two violas, Historic Florist Mix and Bowles Black made their

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-53199554648253929962008-03-23T13:15:00.000-04:002008-03-27T01:22:18.664-04:00

JoinThis is a hellebore flower that is just opening. Normally I don’t like taking photos in afternoon light but in the early spring and late fall when the sun is lower in the sky, colors are not as washed out and I can get interesting light and shadow contrasts.Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-80054036854308267312008-03-21T13:19:00.000-04:002008-03-26T01:29:56.903-04:00

The hellebores surrounding my birdbath have made a lovely groundcover since they first emerged in the spring of 2005. They finally deigned to bloom last year, if you can call one measly flower a blooming event.This year they have out-done themselves sending up four flower stalks, only three of which are visible in the above photo. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you will not only see the

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-86714489294032233482008-03-20T13:13:00.000-04:002008-03-26T01:18:59.226-04:00

Two more containers have sprouted. An heirloom pansy, Chalon Supreme mix for the border along the Ugly Green Fence and Johnny-Jump-Ups that I will try to establish in the border along the back of the house.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-34529264524094688082008-03-19T19:48:00.000-04:002008-03-23T19:51:32.087-04:00

My first exposure to Michael Pollan’s writing was an article in the New York Times Magazine. I loved his writing style and his point of view. He made me think about the environment in ways that were totally new to me. I love those “aha” moments. Those “why didn’t I think of that?” moments. And then my outlook on life and the world around me is subtly altered.So it was with great anticipation that

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-43148309997495689012008-03-18T14:18:00.001-04:002008-03-22T00:26:27.436-04:00

No, I don’t mean the ravenous Middlesex squirrels or the dastardly tulip-bulb-eating rabbits or even the occasional mouse that sneaks into my basement only to become a cat toy. I’m talking Mousies, the Mouse & Trowel awards, where garden bloggers can nominate and vote for their favorite garden blogs, podcasts and websites.Colleen has made some changes. She has eliminated a few categories and

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-30335090345661843462008-03-17T14:09:00.000-04:002008-03-21T02:12:30.650-04:00

Last fall I splurged and purchased a Jack Frost brunnera from a catalog. It was the most money that I had ever spent on a single plant. I was fortunate to receive a large healthy plant. It stayed large and healthy after being planted in its new home in a bed on the shady side of my house. I’ve had my fingers crossed that it would make it through the winter.I was very excited this morning to see

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-84989925109313762362008-03-17T14:08:00.000-04:002008-03-21T02:08:59.109-04:00

I’ve started my springtime routine of checking my wintersowing containers every day. More seeds have germinated. All of which will be planted in my plot at Rutgers Gardens. New today are statice, Gold Coast (yellow) and Roselight (pink), cosmos Sonata Pink and Yellow Garden and Signet Marigolds, Lemon Gem (yellow).I’m a little concerned about the cosmos. Last year, cosmos germinated well but then

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-88690977089004794792008-03-16T14:03:00.000-04:002008-03-21T02:07:26.837-04:00

JoinSPROUTS!!I haven’t been checking my wintersowing containers because it is too early for anything to be germinating. According to my records, the first seeds sprouted during the last week of March. Just for fun, though, I decided to peek today to see if anything was stirring. Two of the containers had seedlings. Silver Cup lavatera destined for the pink side of my plot at Rutgers Gardens and

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-80084422872967376042008-03-15T18:37:00.001-04:002008-03-20T01:39:28.488-04:00

Today marks four years that I have been attending the Home Gardener’s School at Rutgers University. Thankfully they keep adding new classes because I have taken most of the core courses already. This session I signed up for three classes instead of the usual four. I just couldn’t find a fourth one that I either hadn’t already taken or was remotely interested in taking.My first class of the day

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-51520685518693728282008-03-14T14:11:00.001-04:002008-03-19T02:22:06.034-04:00

I’m posting my GBBD a day early because I will be attending the Home Gardener’s School tomorrow.Currently blooming in my yard:Snowdrops past their primeThe few crocuses that the squirrels have left me. The rest look like this.Rounding out the outdoor portion of our tour is the annual single hellebore blossom:This is a vast improvement over years of no blossoms.Stepping inside, one of my many

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-74652614248158340232008-03-09T23:07:00.000-04:002008-03-19T02:10:57.939-04:00

Join (From the Philadelphia Flower Show)At first glance, I thought she was real.Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-84498740773034947462008-03-08T22:36:00.001-05:002008-03-17T17:51:10.601-04:00

This post is my personal opinion only. It in no way reflects the views of Rutgers Gardens or any of its staff. I am not a spokesperson for Rutgers Gardens.As difficult as it may be to believe, I lived most of my life in ignorance of the floral nirvana that is the Philadelphia Flower Show. As soon as I learned of it, I made plans with gardening friends to attend. And those plans fell through. No

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-2763655670360148862008-03-06T23:05:00.001-05:002008-03-07T01:10:16.543-05:00

Two summers ago, I noticed a white cat hanging around the neighborhood. He had the prettiest coloring. All white except for his black ears and tail. A few months later, I glanced out a window and saw him in my backyard leaping into the air trying to catch a bird. He was a changed cat. His beautiful white fur was filthy and matted. And he was so thin. I thought perhaps someone had moved and left

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-48335090399858927342008-03-03T13:40:00.000-05:002008-03-04T01:42:23.500-05:00

The first crocus of spring has bloomed.I believe this is a Crocus tommasinianus. I planted a bunch of them on either side of the path that runs along the side of my shed. The normal first crocus next to the shed door and near the foundation in the front of my house are still merely foliage.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-24690652074795571962008-03-03T13:35:00.000-05:002008-03-04T01:40:18.637-05:00

I have had crocus try to bloom before today. Thanks to the squirrels or perhaps rabbits, this is all that I have found until today’s blossom:Chewed foliage and scattered petals.Happily whoever is nibbling my crocus doesn’t seem to care for the few snowdrops that are blooming.I wish I could get snowdrops to naturalize in my yard. They such a welcome sight after a long dreary winter.No sign yet of

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-37789356855026767982008-02-24T12:09:00.000-05:002008-03-02T12:15:36.287-05:00

Join "I don't get no respect"Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-71315167708200356782008-02-22T13:56:00.000-05:002008-03-02T12:09:14.282-05:00

The groundhog was right. After another relatively mild snowless winter, we finally had a significant snowfall.The view out my backdoor:Hmmm . . . I’m certain I left my car in the driveway last night.How deep was the snow? Well, how tall is a gallon container? Those holes in the snow are the tops of my wintersowing.I loved how the snow made little caps on the dead flowerheads.Even small

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-7681329916284386372008-02-16T14:39:00.000-05:002008-03-01T15:06:00.327-05:00

This post is my personal opinion only. It in no way reflects the views of Rutgers Gardens or any of its staff. I am not a spokesperson for Rutgers Gardens.After my sprint through the display gardens, I tried to slow down a bit so I could better appreciate the flower arranging. The artists/gardeners put a lot of effort into them and it showed. This year, the judges and I agreed more than last

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-46365674908473278512008-02-15T13:53:00.001-05:002008-02-29T02:23:33.762-05:00

This post is my personal opinion only. It in no way reflects the views of Rutgers Gardens or any of its staff. I am not a spokesperson for Rutgers Gardens.The NJ Flower & Garden Show was hugely disappointing this year. I adore touring the display gardens and tearing them to shreds in my blog. There wasn’t much to savage this year. There were only seven gardens rather than the usual dozen or so.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-52122859847229007342008-02-14T23:06:00.003-05:002008-02-17T12:32:10.662-05:00

One of the highlights of last year was winning first place in the digital color photo competition at the NJ Flower & Garden Show. Buoyed by that success, I kept an eye on the Garden Club of NJ website for information about this year’s competition. My heart sunk when the theme, “Welcome to My Garden”, was announced. It suggested to me a gate or an arch or a path into a garden. I couldn’t think of

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-45757760196988624482008-02-07T14:01:00.001-05:002008-02-13T03:10:01.927-05:00

A couple of years ago, I posted about Breck’s selling columbine as expensive plants that are a nuisance in my garden. Recently, a Dutch Gardens catalog landed in my mailbox that contained an even more outrageously priced garden nuisance.“Zebra Malva: Tons of Perky, Bicolor Blooms”. I have to agree with their description of “Unstoppable!”. I grew Malva sylvestris ‘Zebrina’ from seed a couple of

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-63556271137041160592008-02-07T13:53:00.001-05:002008-02-13T03:09:28.103-05:00

I’ve been battling squirrels since I moved into this house in 1995. It’s ironic because my last house had many trees in the yard, but few squirrels whereas this house has only one tree, but an abundance of squirrels. Voracious squirrels. Bulb-digging, seed-eating, plant-chewing squirrels.Animal-lover and organic gardener that I am, I have tried to discourage the squirrels from using my gardens as

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-778985444785672742008-02-06T13:40:00.000-05:002008-02-09T16:28:57.077-05:00

A lot of gardeners seem to have snowdrops blooming. Even though it is a few weeks too early, I decided to take a look to see if I have any at least peeking out of the soil. I do, and some of them are blooming.I just love the green spots, don’t you? This is the snowdrop by the birdbath that always blooms first. I’ve been trying to get more snowdrops growing in my yard. I plant them all over, but

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-68658641830551758762008-02-04T13:35:00.000-05:002008-02-09T01:57:26.969-05:00

It’s orchid season and orchids were seemingly everywhere at Longwood Gardens. Every display, every container, every room in the conservatory sported orchids. The Orchid Room was spectacular. There were flowers of every color and shape. Rather than the usual moth and corsage orchids, I want to highlight orchids that don’t look like orchids. At least to orchid-challenged people like myself.Please

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-87403682458170737682008-02-03T13:30:00.000-05:002008-02-08T01:34:23.244-05:00

JoinWhen I think of orchids, I think pastels. Pink, lavender, yellow, white. I never imagined that they also come in red:And orange:Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-54658884072698756762008-02-02T23:15:00.000-05:002008-02-09T01:59:07.407-05:00

The Straw Hat Society kicked off the 2008 gardening season with a visit to the new Indoor Children’s Garden at Longwood Gardens. It has been under construction for several years. During our previous visits, we could only peer longingly through the construction fences, trying to imagine what it was going to look like. Murals painted on the wall and written explanations whetted our appetites.Today

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-62811207188568988132008-01-30T13:02:00.000-05:002008-02-02T01:13:01.311-05:00

I get teased a lot in real life about being overly detail oriented. I will refrain from mentioning the Freudian term that is normally used to describe my “condition” but I’m sure that you are familiar with it. Sometimes, though, attention to detail is a good thing.I’ve created spreadsheets every year documenting my spring seed orders (since 2006) and my fall bulb orders (since 2005). Each annual

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-18085628683062923392008-01-17T13:22:00.000-05:002008-01-17T13:33:04.666-05:00

This has nothing whatsoever to do with gardening. I'm just so excited because I have literally waited 25 years for this day:I finally have real furniture in my living room. It's going to require new curtains, new lamps, a new rug and repainting the walls, but it's all worth it. Thanks to a generous Christmas bonus from my employer and a lousy economy courtesy of the present administration

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-91999859814712871192008-01-15T13:37:00.000-05:002008-01-16T01:39:13.797-05:00

This is what desperation looks like:I don’t have anything blooming so I picked up these primroses at the grocery store. 2 for $5 and I have something to post for GBBD.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-11500390509541212462008-01-09T19:33:00.000-05:002008-01-16T01:51:30.332-05:00

The Display Gardens at Rutgers Gardens are normally a riot of color. Formal in layout but informally planted, each bed is tended by a different gardener. In some cases, the beds are divided up amongst several gardeners. Their mandate is to interpret a theme using mainly annual flowers not more than three feet high. The result is a kaleidoscope of shape and color.The gardens will have a new look

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-20992800504880599242008-01-03T20:19:00.000-05:002008-01-11T01:21:27.523-05:00

I am a creature of habit. I find comfort in routines. Children also crave routines and rituals. Every August, we would do the back-to-school shopping. New clothes, new sneakers, new backpack. September found us in the fabric store picking out a pattern and fabric for the all-important Halloween costume. Each day my progress was measured. Was it cut out yet? How much was sewn today? Was

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-14452846074624504182008-01-01T10:46:00.000-05:002008-01-01T10:56:10.148-05:00

Three years. Other than marriage and motherhood, I can’t think of another personal commitment that I have kept for so long. Even in my first post I wondered how long I would be blogging. Back then, I didn’t think of it as blogging. This was supposed to be my garden journal. And I have used it as such, constantly looking back to previous years for information on weather, plantings, bloom times and

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-68717029666306568742007-12-29T17:22:00.000-05:002007-12-31T08:23:30.320-05:00

50°F (10°C). Global warming notwithstanding, there aren’t going to be many more balmy days this winter. I took advantage of the unseasonable warmth to do something I haven’t done in years: plant all of the bulbs that I ordered. Every year, it seems that I have more bulbs than time to plant them. Or the weather doesn’t cooperate. Or my schedule gets hectic. It really hurts to throw out

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-81190224702583005082007-12-26T21:23:00.000-05:002007-12-30T09:26:51.111-05:00

I have to admit to a certain hesitancy when Two Gardeners: Katherine S. White and Elizabeth Lawrence – A Friendship in Letters was chosen for the February 2007 selection for GBBC. After all, it’s rude to read other people’s correspondence. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Both the writers and the writing were so engaging that by the end of the book, I felt as if we were old friends. Based on that,

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-5233932405805902852007-12-23T13:24:00.000-05:002007-12-25T11:30:55.974-05:00

JoinThere was a population explosion among my African violets this summer. Almost every pot is in violation of official occupancy restrictions.Just one problem. If I split everyone up, then I don’t have enough room to accommodate all the new pots. Once more, the outdoor plant stand has been pressed into service.My poor aloe, on the other hand, is in dire need of larger accommodations. It has

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-90194246568020760742007-12-22T21:26:00.000-05:002007-12-24T09:31:24.229-05:00

Finally! The day I have been waiting for. Time to start my winter sowing. I’m a little worried, though. I only have 55 containers. I hope that it’s enough.This winter sowing is a sickness, isn’t it?To start me off, I have seeds from the Joe Pye Weed around the parking lot of Holly House at Rutgers Gardens. Also gathered “without permission”, seeds from some kind of lilies. I was having dinner at

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-17868407653409671802007-12-15T00:37:00.000-05:002007-12-15T01:00:09.544-05:00

I hunted all over for flowers for GBBD today. There were none in my slush covered gardens. There were none adorning my African violets. I was about to put away my camera when I remembered this.My christmas tree is covered with flowers.It's a veritable garden. There are pinecones and icicles. A cardinal and a wise old owl. The Antarctic must be really warm if penguins are seeking refuge in New

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-22029399226605337632007-12-10T20:31:00.000-05:002007-12-23T19:16:34.527-05:00

Christmas is my favorite holiday. Every room in my house is decorated, even my bathroom. The Christmas tree is a glittering triumph, covered with my ever growing collection of glass ornaments. But how do you keep three cats away from a big, shiny toy?You place the tree in the front window and move the cat tree from there to its new location next to the secretary, the highest point in the house

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-34225825185016186362007-12-09T17:56:00.000-05:002007-12-10T17:58:41.649-05:00

JoinIt’s amazing what my houseplants have been up to this summer while my attention was focused on the gardens outside.When did this happen?Just last April I posted a photo of my plant room. The hanging pot had a couple of baby spider plants in it. Now look at them, all grown up with babies of their own!Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-59875063037530310232007-12-06T16:17:00.000-05:002007-12-07T16:24:09.132-05:00

You never know who is reading your blog. Apparently Marty Wingate of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reading my blog. He recently wrote an article on garden blogs that mentions this one and my cats' blogs.My thanks to the Ranters, who are also mentioned in the article, for the link.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-83406305489962689962007-12-02T23:38:00.000-05:002007-12-05T23:41:36.280-05:00

JoinSNOW!This winter season couldn’t more different from last year when it stayed warm until February. Last year at this time I had snowdrops blooming. This year we have had first snow flurries and today our first significant snowfall. It was only about an inch but still unusual for this time of year in New Jersey. We don’t usually get significant snowfalls until January. As noted in my

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-36619643775895431022007-12-01T20:15:00.000-05:002007-12-04T20:23:24.007-05:00

I wasn’t only playing with compost on Thursday. I’m back working nights three days a week, so I used my “day off” to get a lot of needed yardwork done. My first “chore” was to clean out the Butterfly/Hummingbird bed and re-plant it.My butterfly bush, located next to the Accidental Herb Garden, dropped a few seeds in it resulting in two seedlings. At first I panicked. What was I going to do with

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-75124913244483810272007-11-30T17:55:00.000-05:002007-12-03T17:57:57.621-05:00

I was very happy when “Green Thoughts: A Writer in the Garden” by Eleanor Perenyi was chosen for the Garden Bloggers’ Book Club. I checked this book out of my local library about four years ago and liked it so much that I added it to my Wishlist on Amazon.com for purchase so that I could re-read it at my leisure. This was the perfect opportunity to finally buy the book and read it again.The

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-52900552083680573502007-11-29T17:09:00.001-05:002007-11-29T17:18:32.444-05:00

This is what goes into the top.This is what comes out of the bottom.Compost, baby!Black Gold.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-32528872878134622382007-11-25T01:30:00.000-05:002007-11-25T01:44:44.010-05:00

In 2003, Niall Edworthy and his family purchased a home in West Sussex, England. It had a yard, a shed and a vegetable patch. He describes his first attempt at growing vegetables as a disaster. He bought a couple of books, asked advice from neighbors and the second year was merely pathetic. He decided to get serious about this gardening business and took a course, bought more books, bothered

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-22058980523560683122007-11-22T23:19:00.000-05:002007-11-23T01:01:31.407-05:00

My fellow Strawhatter, "A" and I share a love of gardening and cooking. We pooled our talents and recipes today.You can find the menu for our feast on our blog, The Wooden Spoon. We will be posting the recipes, including A's Top Secret Apple Pie, in the coming days.Enjoy!

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-22605186502980264762007-11-20T17:05:00.000-05:002007-11-23T00:18:51.927-05:00

The spring catalogs arrive earlier and earlier each year. I haven't finished planting my fall bulbs and already catalogs are filling my mailbox. Today the Pinetree Garden Seeds catalog came. I couldnt' resist a quick peek inside. Yes! They are still offering the huge scarlet zinnias that I love for my hummingbird garden. They also have a nice selection of herbs. Three kinds of mustard,

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-36502240513546401962007-11-19T13:12:00.000-05:002007-11-20T19:13:37.940-05:00

The weatherman was calling for snow today. Hah! Fat chance. Then I looked out the window. It was snowing! Just flurries. No accumulation. In all the years that I’ve lived in New Jersey, I don’t believe I have ever seen it snow this early in the year. It was magical.

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-72031838598735482912007-11-18T19:13:00.001-05:002007-11-18T19:26:10.340-05:00

JoinSorry, I have no idea what this is. It was growing on the fence around the veggie plots at Rutgers Gardens. I was at the Gardens yesterday to do some sorely needed work on the Herb Bed. I haven't been out to the Gardens in weeks due to illness and a crazy work schedule. A few hours made a lot of difference in the way the Herb Bed looks. The Head Hatter took an inventory of what's there while

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-64223351534934519042007-11-11T13:54:00.000-05:002007-11-14T01:58:04.046-05:00

JoinLast January, a fellow Master Gardener who has a huge Night Blooming Cereus, was helping to clean out the home of a friend who has passed away and who had a Night Blooming Cereus that was originally a cutting from his own. He had no room in his house for it, so he was transporting it to another friend’s home. In the process, a small piece broke off which he was kind enough to give to me.I

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-42099538634915679282007-11-09T20:44:00.000-05:002007-11-13T01:56:02.345-05:00

Working nights has its drawbacks. By the time I get home in the morning, I’m so tired that my brain is not working properly. I tend to forget details like taking pictures of the first frost. So here are the plants that I was trying to describe yesterday after they have struggled through two cold nights. Nasturtiums Lion's TailPlease note that the flower in the photo is a zinnia. The Lion’s Tail

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-10164918592705764632007-11-08T20:28:00.000-05:002007-11-10T20:29:35.166-05:00

I’m working nights this week, covering for a vacationing employee. It was 37 F (3 C) when I left my house last night. My car was covered with frost when I left the office this morning.It wasn’t a killing frost but the tender plants definitely felt it. The Lion’s Tail (which never bloomed for me) and the Tithonia are drooping. Even the nasturtiums that had been threatening to take over my

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-79082473457741267312007-11-04T17:22:00.000-05:002007-11-09T17:26:57.103-05:00

JoinI’m finally feeling better and what better way to celebrate than to spend a few hours enjoying a warm fall day? Last week I had dug up some more turf, enlarging the Entry Garden and making room for more bulbs. I planted the lily flower tulips and then another pastel color collection of tulips. When I was ordering bulbs over the summer, I remembered my vow to plant more yellow daffodils.For

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-25596498870643468232007-10-31T12:56:00.000-04:002007-11-05T01:01:45.576-05:00

When I was a child (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth), we were taught never to walk on our neighbors’ lawns. We were only allowed to step on paved areas. No short cuts were allowed through people’s yards either. Times change. Now children are allowed to walk, run and ride their bicycles wherever they please. Even if you want to make your yard off-limits, you cannot. That is considered “

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-62141463258819024342007-10-28T19:18:00.000-04:002007-11-04T01:31:01.882-04:00

It poured for the past two days and now I only have today left of my vacation. Time to get cracking and get my bulbs planted. Before I got started, I took a quick look around the areas where I had planted bulbs and spread the hot peppers. The rain didn’t seem to make any difference. There is no evidence of squirrel depredations.I started in the Purple Garden with the Queen of the Night tulips and

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10023942.post-50152473652136335422007-10-25T19:05:00.000-04:002007-11-03T01:11:23.152-04:00

The promised rain showed up only briefly yesterday but tomorrow and the next day are supposed to be deluges. I spent the day getting as many bulbs into the ground as I could. The first order of the day was to finish clearing out and trimming back the border along the Ugly Green Fence.Then it was time to plant. First to go in were the single peonies. Next were alliums. Allium aflatunenseGarden

OldRoseshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10307114475443602351noreply@blogger.com4