Back in Business

Today's purchases.

I can't believe it's been almost two years since I posted here. More than that, I can't believe it's been almost two years since I gardened. I had a rough spring/summer last year and just let everything go. But I'm back to it now! I have a renewed passion and many new ideas for my gardens.

I also have a few obstacles, the biggest being the dreaded kudzu. A creek runs along the back of our yard, and all it took was a sprig of the horrible stuff floating down and taking hold. I hate even writing about it. It feels like a never ending battle.

The other problem I'm facing is Rose Rosette Disease. I've lost two roses to it, so far. We found a wild rose with the disease, and I'm hoping that after destroying it, the rest of mine will be safe.

The saddest thing is I lost my favorite hen, Clementine, a few weeks ago. She was killed by a possum. I am so heartbroken over it still.

OK, that's enough bad stuff. After a year of neglect, the work is overwhelming, but I'm taking it a little at a time. I have cleaned up my little road garden and my main front garden, and they are ready to explode into bloom. I have already had irises and a few rose blooms.

'Batik'

'Little Showoff'

'Lady Banks'

'Pat Austin'

'Crown Princess Margareta'

'Comtesse du Cayla'

Saturday Project: Moss

I have a great love for moss. I love the way it looks. I love the way it feels. I can just imagine fairies tip-toeing through it. I discovered a treasure trove of moss on the edge of our lot. I was extremely excited. I had moss plans!


First, I underplanted my potted Japanese Maple.



Next came my poor, neglected Buddha fountain (located beside door into garage).

The Before. So sad looking.

The After. Lovely!

Still need more moss to fill it up.
An experiment, as always. So hope it lives.

Other Stuff:

The Blues (and Whatnot)

I really love blue flowers. I think they add so much to a garden. They especially look good with my yellow/apricot/orange roses and daylilies. I've been adding lots lately to The Garden of Good and Evil. I recently planted Penstemon heterophyllus 'Electric Blue', Echinops 'Plantinum Blue', Campanula persicifolia 'Coerulea', Veronica teucrium 'Royal Blue' and Delphinium 'Delfix Blue'.

Geranium 'Brookside'

Angelonia angustifolia

Delphinium 'Delfix Blue'
Delphiniums don't do very well in the south, but this is a smaller one, and they were selling it here, so I'm giving it a try. It's the most beautiful shade of blue.

I think I've obtained my goal of filling up this garden. I love that all-smushed-together cottage garden look. Plus it cuts down on weeds.

Lilium 'Tango Ladylike'
I love the unusual coloring of this asiatic lily. It's just about all faded out here. My lily love is fairly recent. I didn't like them for years and years. Now I think they're a great addition.

A few years ago, wild snapdragons (Linaria vulgaris) starting coming up everywhere in this garden. I like their delicate look, and they're great for filling in. They're really easy to pull out anywhere I don't want them.

I've received my last roses of the season. These are from Roses Unlimited. They send the healthiest, most beautiful plants. Now I just have to figure out where to plant them all. Only one has spot so far.

I got 'Clementina Carbonieri' (Replacing 'Mme. Charles' in Good and Evil. Now I have to figure out where to move 'Mme. Charles'.), 'Mrs. B.R. Cant', 'Duchesse de Brabant', 'Buff Beauty' and 'Adam'. I'm going to have to expand!

I'm finished ordering/buying plants. For this year. Maybe.


I adore garden statuary. I have several small ones. I so want something large and prominent. I don't even know where to look. Maybe I should hit the flea market.

Good and Evil Girl

Flower Girl, my favorite

This is a busted up statue girl from my mother's garden. She used to be part of a fountain. I'm thinking of using her in my future Ruins Garden.

OK, here are this week's roses:

'Graham Thomas', a favorite

'Mrs. R.M. Finch'

'Fair Bianca'

'Irene Watts'

'Martine Guillot'

'Martine Guillot'

On my back porch:

Some critters:

Henderson, being cool

Max, being Max

AmieRuth, being all proper

Clementine and Magloria, being sweet

Look at my lotus! It's huge and so so beautiful!

Please bloom, most glorious lotus!

Planting Again

After all the rain, I finally got to start planting again today. The ground still could have been a bit drier, but I just couldn't wait any longer. I am overwhelmed with all I have to plant and everything that needs to be done. That happens to me every year though. I'm just trying to take it one area at a time.

So today I moved a rose 'Irene Watts' out from under the giant rose 'Martine Guillot'. I planted it on Flower Girl Hill. I also planted one of my new daylilies 'Madge Cayse' there. And I finally got the rest of my vegetables planted there: Four tomatoes, squash, cucumber and lemon basil. I still haven't finished degrassing that garden. That bermuda grass is enough to put me off gardening. I don't want to spray anything there, since I'm growing food. Plus I don't want to spray where chickens go. Let's face it, I just don't like to spray anything. So I guess I'll be digging it out for the rest of my life.

I cannot WAIT to have tomatoes!

This rose, clematis and foxgloves looked so pretty together this morning.

I think 'Fair Bianca' has the most beautiful bud of any rose.

'The Bride' has a beautiful form. It's just a tiny little plant though. I'm going to really baby it this year. It's on Flower Girl Hill and was being smothered by 'Perle d'Or.' I uncovered it today.

'Triomphe de Luxembourg' looks almost like tissue paper. I love it. It amazes me how many different flower forms roses have.

'Lady Emma Hamilton' is that color blend that I love so much. This one is coming close to stealing my 'Pat Austin' love!