May Days

I've actually been doing a little gardening. Yay me.


The roses are just going crazy now. They are making me fall in love with them all over again. Of course, when the Japanese Beetles move in, I'll be swearing off roses forever again.

Oh, I recently reread Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden. That so puts me in the mood for gardening. I love gardening memoirs. I've also read From the Ground Up by Amy Stewart. I'd love to find more books like those.

A line I like from Mrs. Whaley: Everything we use in a garden either adds or takes away from its beauty.

I just got three roses in the mail from Vintage Gardens! My second Mme. Charles, Marie d'Orleans and McClinton tea. Now I have to decide where to plant.

OK, time for lovely photos.

My new favorite rose (this changes daily), Austin's Crown Princess Magareta

Clematis Will Goodwin

Iris to be identified later!

Clematis to be identified later!



Souvenir de Germain de St. Pierre

Mme. Laurette Messimy



Leonie Lamesch

Comtesse du Cayla

my other favorite rose, Clementina Carbonieri

William R. Smith


Teasing Georgia

Phyllis Bide

Mme. Charles

I think this is Polly Sunshine

Apricot Nectar
The amazing Marechal Niel

Last Day of April

More weeding today. I almost have fairy garden all cleaned up. Then I have a zillion new things to plant there.

Today's lovelies:


Mutabilis I love this China so much that I'm ordering another one. It blooms forever and just cheers me up to see.

I love how these limbs of this redbud are growing.


Mons. Tillier

Ordering Crazy

I did no gardening yesterday or today. Yesterday I had an excuse: It was raining. Today was just pure-t laziness.

Here is photo I took today of the China rose Mme. Laurette Messimy.
This rose has grown so much in two years. This will really be first year to see it big and full of blooms. I think this one is beautiful, but the photos I've seen of it online aren't that attractive. Looks like it fades fast. We'll see.

All my roses are just full of buds, waiting to explode. I can't wait.

I did do lots of plant ordering/buying the past two days.
Daylilies from ebay (ebay photos):
Edge of Darkness
Mildred Mitchell (which I've wanted for several years)

I also bought from ebay peony Gay Paree and echinacea Twilight. I'm bidding on another peony Bowl of Beauty, which I love love love. I'm going to plant one of the peonies in front of the roses in my Front Porch Garden (gotta come up with better name!). The other I'll maybe put in Fairy Garden, which is also in front yard. I have a white peony there that I'd rather have in the back, but it's so big and established now that I don't dare move it.

I ordered three tea roses (!) from Vintage Gardens:
Mmme. Charles (My second. Such a great tea.)
Marie d'Orleans
McClinton Tea

My Wayside Gardens order (I know a lot of people don't like Wayside, but I've never really had any problems):
Qty 4 Mazus reptans
Qty 3 Malva sylvestris Blue
Qty 3 Geranium 'Rozanne'
Qty 1 Epimedium pubigerum
Qty 3 Geranium hybrid 'Orion'

Stay tuned for actual gardening tomorrow!

Back Again

I'm really going to make an effort to keep this journal updated again. I neglected my gardens all last year after my mother's death, but my gardening obsession is back full force. Yesterday I planted coneflowers (echinacea), After Midnight and Summer Sky, in my front (fairy) garden. I've been working hard to get all the weeds pulled there. It's in not great shape after a whole year of neglect. All the lamb's ear there from my mother's house died. It had thrived for years. So strange. Anyway, I'm going to add lots more perrenials. I even bought some seeds to try. I've never had much luck with direct sowing but maybe this time.

I have roses blooming!
Iris It's Magic
Rose Leonie Lamesch, Irises Good and True and Grapesicle

Leonie Lamesch
Marie Pavie

Clematis MultiBlue
Mutabilis
Handmedown Iris

September Roses

The most gardening I've done lately is pulling a few weeds to take this photo! I'm deeply ashamed.

This is the first bloom from my little Precious Dream by Ralph Moore, purchased from The Uncommon Rose. It's so pretty.

Also blooming today is the bodaciously beautiful bourbon, Souvenir de la Malmaison.

Bad Gardener

Austin rose Lady Emma Hamilton
(photo from David Austin catalog)

I have been so neglectful of my gardens and this journal lately. A comment prompted me to update.

My gardens are all full of weeds and Japanese beetles! It's been so hot, and I've been so lazy. I vow to get out there soon and create some beauty. Or something.

The above rose is one I've been waiting on for two years now. It's finally for sale in 2007. I've preordered, of course. Isn't it beautiful? I have a thing for orange/yellow/apricot roses.

Spanish Lavender

Spanish Lavender

I gardened for 3 hours this morning. Got some things done from my yesterday list: Numbers 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13. Pretty good, huh? I also planted Irish Moss and Scotch Moss around my Good and Evil statue and planted a 6-pack of Salvia 'Victoria Blue.'

Later this afternoon I want to plant 2 tomato plants: Big Boy and Better Boy. I plant them in half barrels. I only have 4 plants total. Those 2 and Sweet 100 and Grape Tomato.





The many faces of rose 'Mutabilis' The blooms change colors as they age. One of my very favorites. This is in my backyard, near pond.


Polyantha Rose 'Leonie Lamesch' planted last year in Roadside Garden. I adore polyanthas.

Clematis 'Belle of Woking'.

I can't remember name of this clematis. It's planted on arch leading to pond with rose 'Cl. White Maman Cochet'. I promise to go back through garden notebook and identify.

Rose 'Cl. Souvenir de la Malmaison' on left side of pond arch.

China rose 'Slater's Crimson China' planted beside 'Mutabilis'.

Wisteria on pergola over deck.

White Siberian Iris.

Unknown orange iris.