Rain and Roses

Last night we got some much needed rain . . . along with thunder and lightning. I don't mind waking up to stormy weather as long as it isn't tornadic. According to our big rain gauge in the backyard, aka swimming pool, we got about an inch of much needed rain. More rain is expected tonight and tomorrow. Too bad it's also supposed to come with an increased chance for tornados along with rain, hail, thunder and lightening.

So to bring a little sunshine to the gloomy day and projected forecast, here are a few pics of my rose babies.

A variety of minis

Rock and Roll floribunda

First Prize floribunda

Julia Child floribunda

Iceberg floribunda

Livin' Easy floribunda (new planting)

 

Voyager mini

 

 Moonlight Scentsation mini

I hate to admit it, but I've forgotten many of the names of my mini roses. I could probably figure it out if I looked at them hard enough and thought about it.

If you notice, I don't have any hybrid tea roses or climbers in my collection. I used to have some climbers, but they got a little out of control. Many of their canes would reach 12-15 feet in length and with a 6-foot tall fence, I had to arc the canes and tie them to the fence. This tended to shade the minis. So when the climbers started failing, I replaced them with floribundas. Though First Prize and Iceberg are two of the original foundation roses. I mail ordered them and they were supposed to be climbers, but obviously they weren't.

I like floribundas and minis for the same reasons.

• They flower profusely all summer.
• They have their own roots, not grafted like hybrid teas.
• They tend to me more resistant to black spot and powdery mildew. This doesn't mean they DON"T get these diseases, they do, but just not as much. .  . though I do have a problem with my mini, Chasin' Rainbows. This pic was taken before the black spot went to town on this one.

 

Next time I'll have to share a picture of black spot -- I just went out to take a picture of the black spot, but the heavy rain washed the leaves from the plant. That's what black spot does. The mold basically, kills the leaves and sometimes the rosebush.

Here's a Google image of black spot.

 

I need to get out today and start deadheading. This helps the plant to make new buds instead of trying to set rosehips (basically the 'fruit' of the plant). Minis are easy to dead head, just pinch them off with your fingers, thus the term "green thumb" comes into play.

 

Well, it looks like I have some yard work to take care of . . . after I take my mom to the beauty shop and go on my walkies!

 

Later, Peeps!

Springtime at the Golla Retreat

Originally, I intended to post a smoothie recipe today.

But that's not happening.

Why?

Because it looked like day old guacamole and tasted like crap. Sorry, but I won't do that to y'all. The picture looked pretty, which was why I made it to begin with. But they lied . . . and used a decoy picture. Not nice, people, not nice!

So here a few pictures from my late-blooming garden. We're about 4-6 weeks behind from where we were in the blooming process last year.

I just hope the intense heat keeps away this summer. Here's a picture of my yard when I look out my writing window. Sorry, it's so gloomy, but we had just been rained on and it was cloudy when I took these pictures yesterday morning. As you can see, my roses (along the fence to the right) aren't anywhere close to blooming. I cut them way back this year, so it took them longer to set their buds.

 

 

These are a few of my mini roses that have started blooming. They are alongside the pool deck. I don't remember all the names of my roses, but I think they are. . .

 

Lemon Drop

 Little Sizzler

 Dancing Flame

My clematis

Batik iris (Moonlight Scentsation rose is budded out next to it)

Some cool looking evergreen ground cover that blooms blue flowers. ;-) (next to mini Alberta pine by fireplace)

And various columbines. Alas I don't know the names of these either. The pale lavender and purple ones self-sow, so they are in a different location every year. The pink/maroon one seemed to come back from its rootstock. An astilbe is the purply plant in front and the plague from hell--cinnamon fern--is behind it.

And that's about all that's growing in my yard . . . oh, there is a hosta--Guacamole--in this bottom picture. And if you think I don't have garden pests . . . I do. I just didn't take a picture of my poor Rose of Sharon bush. It had aphids last year, but I found some ladybugs to nosh on them. This year it's been so cool, I haven't seen any ladybugs to collect!

Plus we have gophers and moles we're trying to encourage to visit our neighbor's yards instead of ours. I did plant some garlic chives in the side yard, and I think the gopher didn't like the smell of them. If they stop tunneling there, then I might have to break up the clump and plant it in various locations in the yard!

I hope you have a good weekend, Peeps! It's Mother's Day so do something nice for the woman who incubated you for 9 months before she took care of you for the subsequent 18+ years.

I know what I'm going to do--I have numerous annuals to plant in my bare places and in six pots that decorate my deck.

Later, Peeps!