It's August in Texas.

That's all you need to know.

Throw a tarp over the bags so the sun doesn't destroy the plastic.

Go make Iced Tea and wait for a norther to come through or October.

Been there! I can empathize. I also know you won't be able to wait 'till October!
Question, do you have a big bag of Perlite/Vermiculite? In Texas I believe you will want it.
It's kind of a good pain though, huh? :-) (not counting the margarita headache :-P)
Betcha can't wait to get those roses in!

Allison

anntn6b, :-) yes, my sun burnt face clearly indicates it's August in Texas. I'm going to take it easy from now on, wait til sun down to head out to the garden or wait for the norther as you mentioned :-)

Allison, my plan was to amend the soil and put a 3-4 inch mulch on top. Do you think this will work or should I go the perlite route? Yes, I can't wait to get some roses in!!!

Vuwugarden, well, maybe some other Texan gardeners (or "Oh Knowledgeable Ones")will be able to answer that? My "soil" is clay, I had to. It just popped into my head when I read your post.

Let's see what others say? Ohhhh Jeriiii, where are you?? maybe we can channel her... :-)

Allison

Lay out your paths first; there's no point in digging where you dont have to. You don't have to brick them, or whatever you're going to do, but know where they will be. String is good. At least 18" wide and two feet is better.

Then start your beds. Add perlite if you have clay, but not if you have sand. Do your beds one at a time, starting with ones where you will put your first roses. Reward yourself. Get a few in the ground. Do you have a tiller? You can buy little ones and they are very helpful, though they don't go very deep. Don't bother mulching until you have plants in. Throw in your kitchen peelings, coffee grounds, grass clippings, fall leaves, anything organic except carnivore poop (altho a cat or two isn't to worry about). Let the rain get to it. Till it again in the spring.

Do as we say, not as we do. Because what we really do is:
1. Buy more roses than we have room or are ready for. Then add five or ten to that.
2a. Pot them up and line the driveway for at least a year while planning new beds
2b. wander around the yard for several weeks, shovel in hand. Find a likely spot, dig a hole. Fill the hole half with compost. Plant rose.
3a. Desperately finish a bed because there is no more room in the driveway. Plant root-bound roses or
3b. Two years later, finish making a bed around overcrowded likely spots.
4. Transplant roses to a more likely spot.
5. Repeat steps 1. thru 4.

Connie at Hartwood uses the 2a and 3a method; I use 2b and 3b. I'm sure there is someone on this forum who, at least in the beginning, planned, plotted,prepared and finally planted, but I don't who.

Vuwu, it would be helpful to know what kind of soil you have.

Do you have a plan or is that yet to develop? If you don't yet, that's the first thing to do with the benefit of A/C. I would make the paths wider than 2', wide enough for wheelbarrow, wagon, lawn mower, etc plus a little - sometimes things stick out of mine. I used the ground marking spray paint that sprays upside down. Do you have to remove grass? Do you have to kill grass in the paths?

Even though I am still out in the Florida heat a little, it is only as seldom as possible for maintenance that is mandatory, and still it winds up being the better part of a day. BUT I am no longer digging dirt and hauling wheelbarrow loads. It is amazing how quick the heat exhausts you when you're shoveling dirt. This past weekend hopefully broke you of that. If you want to nibble at your projects in the evening for an hour or two, that will be exhausting enough. And I don't think you'll want to do it two evenings in a row. I'd also switch to Gator Ade or another brand that replenishes your electrolytes. You'll have less pain.

I know the desire is great, but nature is greater. If you dive in now, I'm afraid you may burn out or hurt yourself - or have a heat stroke. If you get afternoon rains that make the evenings cooler, that's when you want to jump out there. Also, when I first started, I took shortcuts because of poor planning, lack of knowledge or flowing adrenaline. Get your ducks in a row and do it right. You'll be glad you did. Have you gotten a soil test? That would be a good time user. Then you'll have all the needed amendments on hand and won't miss something. One item I especially like is Mycorrhizae.

Our weather breaks in mid-October. So I'll be chomping at my bit WITH you, waiting to do my last bed. I wouldn't be out there now digging a bed for all the money in the world. Well, maybe I could go for an hour for ALL the money. And maybe not.

Sherry

Oh Vuwu, I feel your pain! But doesn't it feel good to have the material at your place and know that you can go out and work it whenever you want to? Or not! The next thing I would do is a soil test so you know what you're dealing with. Then you'll know what you need to add and amend with. You can get a home test kit at Lowe's or Home Depot or send some samples off the your local extension service if you have one. I sent mine to Colorado State University which cost about $22 and saved me a lot of hassle. I would have amended the soil with things I assumed it needed and didn't. I hear the home tests are pretty accurate for ph levels. I knew my soil was clay and alkaline but didn't know what nutrients were low or high. I mailed CSU a sandwich bag of dirt taken from unamended soil in three different areas of the yard. About a month later I got a report back that not only told me what the nutrient levels were but also gave me recommendations for what to amend with and at what rate. If you go that route you can design your beds while you wait for the results and have a margarita for me!

Catsrose, hilarious!!!! Must be a sickness, I swear....my husband just thought I was *gasp* impulsive!!! But I'm normal. Really. And pshaw, I only have eleven in my pot ghetto...but absolutely nowhere to go with them.

vuwugarden, good on ya! way to go, and when you recover, take it a bite at a time. I agree with laying out your paths first. I also agree with starting with ONE bed and working it until it's done, and put some roses in it. Then you have some inspiration to keep going!

Grass grows back, and plants can be moved- even roses!

This is great! My husband keeps teasing me about jumping the gun on the new garden he's been making me. Catroses' descriptions are pretty accurate in my case. (I did make a plan which is only somewhat being followed) I now have six roses in the new garden and 4 in pots waiting to go in, 2 shrubs in pots, and 2 corners started with transplants.The garden is only just started and has a long way to go. It's good to know there are others out there!

Ya'll are too funny!!!!

Catrose, I should have read your post before I bought 12 roses yesterday. All are in pots and no where to go!!!

I was even tempted to order online on David Austin but their shipments are not until 2010. I better register for Roses Anonymous soon before the sickness gets worse :-)

I haven't gotten a soil test -- will check into this. I do have a plan in my "head," not on paper. I would like a circular bed surrounding the fountain. That's it so far. pathetic , huh?

Vuwugarden, at least you don't have 18 roses soaking in trash cans and buckets! Waiting.....

Allison

vuwugarden, not pathetic at all! I think the number one obstacle to so many who are planning a garden space just dont know WHERE to begin. You have a start, and that is no small thing.

I'm enjoying this thread we've all "been there done that"

Catsrose-----your instructions made me smile.

Florence

I can sympathize! I waited until last fall to put in the garden in my front yard. I had collected plants since the spring then spent the summer killing off the Bermuda Grass lawn. By fall I was sooooo excited but the ground was hard as concrete! We have 90 - 100 degree summers with no rain at all. You know the song "It never rains in California..." -- they're talking about here. Couldn't get a shovel in 2 inches! What's a girl to do???

I rented a jackhammer to dig it -- complete with a shovel attachment! It was a great way to meet the neighborhood - everyone came over to talk. I think I was the entertainment that weekend.

We do what we gotta do. It worked although I've never been so sore. The garden looks lovely now and the 11 rose bushes are happily growing and blooming.

Debbie

Oh, Debbie, you're wonderful! The picture of a woman in her front yard with a jackhammer going full tilt has me laughing out loud. I love that you did what you had to to do and got it done - that is, a beautiful rose garden! Congratulations!!!

Sherry

Don't mix compost in with the soil under the paths. It will sink over time and the bricks will tilt at random angles. Ideally, the soil should be compacted.

That said, it's better to amend the soil sooner than later, and let the amendments settle and decompose a little before planting.

vuwugarden, checkout the Cottage garden site, a couple weeks ago, a poster marylou asked if she should dismantle her website, and it showed about eight years of planning and planting. She had beautiful pictures, and fountain with roses around it was part of it.
Try this: http://fpl.centurytel.net/ladybug/index.html
or look on the Cottage Garden forum about the 4th page
'Should I continue to Update my web site?'

Thanks roseberri! Will check out the site. I'm a visual person so pictures do help better than the jumbled thoughts of various gardens in my head.

Rosecorgis and everyone in company, I bought a tiller yesterday to assist with the amendment. Should I have rented a jackhammer :-) After one hour with the tiller, small tiller by Mantis, my arm muscles were "tingling." Is this a sign? Am I done for? Would I ever have a rose garden?

Yes! Yes you will! Just make small, achieveable goals to begin with. Take your time, and quit when your body tells you to quit. Push your limits a little and you will recover. Push them too much and you risk permanent damage. Sucks to have a beautiful rose garden if you are too crippled up to maintain or enjoy it. :o(

If your body is saying, "Well, we should start thinking about quitting," then realize you are about done. If your body says "STOP! Now!" Then do it.

Yes, been there done that.

I was even tempted to order online on David Austin but their shipments are not until 2010.

Chamblee's has Austins and they start shipping in September and they are in your state...no help for Roseaholics here. :)