Diane, I swear your flowers aren't real! So beautiful and huge! Gym, I think of you so often and pray that you can find a house. I think even if it needs some work you should just get it unless it's really bad shape and beyond your capabilities. I'm talking about a roof or something like that. This Market is insane and it's hard to understand it.

My helper was able to come over today and with my great neighbor was able to take down some volunteer trees that were starting to get way too big and shading out one entire area. They're weed tree so I was happy to get them gone. I also just about managed yesterday to transplant a rose. That was prosperity and I did it just for Aesthetics as I didn't realize I'd put two white roses next to one another. I had planned on moving Awakening to prosperities Prior spot that with all of the tree cutting and then the rain it didn't get done. Oh well maybe tomorrow or Monday. Then I just have to transplant lavender Lassie and that's it for transplanting.

Thanks, vapor. I do have a twinge of guilt about Big Purple. It's a good rose. Sounds like you're as busy as I am. I'm wanting to transplant Rouge Royale to a better spot, but just can't seem to get it done. I finally have a spot for it since the neighbors removed the three giant Colorado Blue Spruce trees. I'd like to see a couple more trees out of my life, but it probably won't happen. Diane

Magpie - I couldn't remember (but I thought it was) Moonlight in Paris that we were all raving about. I'm so glad I'm getting it!! What a treat!! Falling in Love is supposed to be uber thorny. But that's okay....(so I say now, before, I've had to do fall pruning LOL).

Kitty - Wow!!! You always have such wonderful things to share....your son's musical, his class "cruise", all of the flowers you're going to have!!! So much joy!!! Yeah, I was thinking of getting Lagerfeld. I did have Big Purple before...but it wasn't a great bloomer....so I'm thinking I may pass on that one. Lagerfeld, Lagerfeld...hmmm.

Jim - I love Kristine's advice! I never would have thought of saying you'll buy the house before you see it..but it makes a lot of sense! I love the flowers you put on your sister's grave....so beautiful! And Gracie is looking good! Good luck with the house shopping. :) :)

Kristine - great idea!

Diane - I remember you saying that the cats don't get along. Be careful going through the gate you have to separate the cats. You don't need an accident, that's for sure! That's great that Clare can be a big help for you this season. What a godsend!! And no one here would ever be bored from reading about plants. Come on! LOL My goodness!!! Even the stingy Big Purple is wonderful for you!!! Yeah, I've decided not to get that one, because I have grown it before and decided to get rid of it. So, one the excitement of hearing that Kedra is going to get me some new roses wore off...I thought...nope, I don't really want it.

This isn't Kedra's 5 year Residency...this is just the last 2 week placement that she has left from her coursework. She only has one more week left there. On April 20th, we'll hear about the 5 year Residency program she'll be offerred. Exciting!

Vaporvac - Awesome that you have such great help with your gardening. Trees are really hard to get out...no matter the size.

@rosecanadian where are you getting Moonlight in Paris from? I'm torn between Heirloom and Edmond's

Aaron - a local place near where my daughter is staying for 2 weeks of her medical program. They don't ship. You're getting one too? :) :)

it's on the back burner. Basically I want an apricot rose "hedge" with Evelyn, Sweet Juliet, Lady Gardener, Princesse Charlene, Colette, and *maybe* Moonlight in Paris. We'll see! I'm jealous you can find it locally!! That's awesome that your daughter is doing that!!

Yes, I was so happy when she phoned to ask me which roses I wanted. She told me every variety they had and was so patient with me!!

That would be such a gorgeous hedge!!!

Aaron, I got my Moonlight in Paris from Edmonds last summer and it has taken off like gangbusters . It is one of the best looking roses coming out of winter.

I am kind of worried about my hand going numb and being tingley. It has been going on for a while but today seems worse. Maybe from all of the weeding and digging and being old lol

Kristine, have you been doing repetitious movements with a pruner? I can see how that may have caused tingly feelings, and maybe a shoulder injury or having your shoulder in an odd position for a long time. I'm sure weeding and digging didn't help.

Aaron, that sounds like a gorgeous hedge, but are you worried that Colette may "climb" all over her neighbors?

Goodness, Carol, that seems like a long residency. Is it for internal medicine? Diane

Weeding and digging probably dont help.

I just weeded and fertalized 22 more roses. I am almost done, 13 more to go. They will be harder because there is some serious weeding to do around them first. Oh well, slow and steady, that is how the turtle won so I will follow his example.

@Kristine LeGault 8a pnw Do you have Epsom salts you can dissolve into hot water to soak your hands in? Maybe roll a tennis ball or a golf ball around between your hands to massage them?

Just popping in to share a bouquet I cut today! It's not fancy but I'm loving the look of these daffs. I'm not a fan of the yellow ones to be honest. I'm dying to throw the rest of my seeds outside! Ugh. We're 4 weeks out from Mother's Day, which is where it's generally pretty safe to plant everything out by around here, but I'm wondering if it will matter if I put them out 2 weeks early (maybe of my packets say 2 week before last frost). Will 2 weeks matter? They'll probably just sit there in the dirt until it warms up enough. They're not going to be sitting in wet, cold soil for weeks so they won't rot or anything. I know I'm just terribly impatient. But I have things from last year that said not to sow until after frosts are over, yet they survived in the soil just fine over a very wet winter and have begun sprouting.

Just popping in to share a bouquet I cut today! It's not fancy but I'm loving the look of these daffs. I'm not a fan of the yellow ones to be honest. I'm dying to throw the rest of my seeds outside! Ugh. We're 4 weeks out from Mother's Day, which is where it's generally pretty safe to plant everything out by around here, but I'm wondering if it will matter if I put them out 2 weeks early (maybe of my packets say 2 week before last frost). Will 2 weeks matter? They'll probably just sit there in the dirt until it warms up enough. They're not going to be sitting in wet, cold soil for weeks so they won't rot or anything. I know I'm just terribly impatient. But I have things from last year that said not to sow until after frosts are over, yet they survived in the soil just fine over a very wet winter and have begun sprouting.

Magpie, what seeds are you impatient about? We just had a hard frost last night, and will have another tonight. It's not over. Your bouquet is just exquisite. Very delicate and elegant. I love those daffs. My little antique ones (from a miner's abandoned cabin in the mountains) are almost over with. They're species like, short, early, and bright yellow, though they look pretty double. Diane

Hmm let's see... some that I can remember right now are alyssum, Nigella, ammi, dill.

I've got some Nigella and dill volunteering here and there already, but not where I want it of course. Thoughts?

Also did you snap and photos of your unique daffs?

Alyssum can take the cold and probably ammi. Please don't hold me responsible--ha. I know volunteers make it confusing. I did take a photo or two of those daffs. I haven't even downloaded them onto my computer. I use a camera. I'm a flatearther. Diane

I won't hold you responsible haha, I hold myself responsible for still not learning the virtue of patience! You'd think by now I'd have learned how to wait contentedly.

Not 100% sure of what to make of your last sentence!

Jim,

I wish I could help you. I always looked for my own homes as I love real estate. Then Id ask realtor to solidify deal after I found the perfect home. Dont wait for the realtor to find you the perfect home. Do you look on internet yourself? I’d call and let them know you want it, then send in your realtor w/offer as you look. Again, you deserve a home just right for you! This pandemic won’t last.... either. Don’t settle for anything but what is right for you!

Mischievous, tha.ls fpr tbe idea about the epsom salts

I will give it a try.

I have alysum popping up everywhere so I would feel safe with tossing those seeds early.

As soon as I can clear the area I am going to stick my cosmos starts in the ground and just hope that they make it.. Next year I will just direct sow those. Im also trying to figure out a small fence to keep the dogs out of the new zinnias . They are going in an area that dogs use to bark at the neighbor dogs

Diane,

I am surprised you still have freezes and yet your daffodils are almost done. You have lots flowers opening up! Is your peony blooming? I have little red peony eyes coming up. I am amazed at your gardening experience, such tall flourishing roses and knowledge of seeds and plants. I am learning from you how to start my flowers, better. It is a joy hearing about you helping your family and their cats; although, is difficult. I have had family member cats that didn’t get along, too. Now I am down to my cat & dog... who are a challenge, too. Anastasia gets playful and chases my kitty who is timid and just hides. I separate them every day. They don’t fight. Anastasia is just happy to play! But kitty says “stop patting on my head-you are squishing me w/ your giant paws! I am glad you have Clare helping you!

Vapor, I am happy to hear you were able to transplant some and had tree work. Those are tougher challenges.

Carol, I am excited to hear where Kedra will get a job! Happy to hear her internship is almost finished. It’s exciting to get new roses and have your daughter help. Maybe Big Purple isn’t the one, but I am excited for you about the others, Lagerfield, Moonlight in Paris. We can all celebrate a “Faux moonlight evening in Paris,” this summer.

Magpie,

My knowledge is limited to reading about each seed online, most request to put out after frost. Putting them in window trays seemed to work for me. I even used veggie trays yesterday with holes in bottoms to put some seeds in. Now no more impatience-they are planted. Could you plant them inside?

Kristine,

I am sorry about your hand. We have to be so careful. Soaking in Epson salt and warm water and massages really helps. Take it easy with that hand for couple days.

Aaron,

I bought my Moonlight in Paris from Edmunds . Heirloom has bigger roses, though, and it is my favorite supplier. Your apricot hedge sounds very pretty!

Today, I planted my Salmon pink Sweet Peas, after their soak. It‘s raining but is a warm 61 F. It’s a nice drippy light rain today...just what I hoped for so as not to disturb seeds outside. It sounds like everyone is so productive! Have a lovely evening!

Kitty, our last frost date is in the first part of May. Even though we are zone 7, we are in a very northerly latitude, the same as southern Maine. This means short growing seasons, though we have long sunny days in summer, so things grow fast. My daffodils are up and ready in February, just waiting for a little sun and warmth. They look pretty nutty just standing there for weeks with closed buds. It warms up quite suddenly when we reach a certain point in spring. We're having a hard freeze again tonight. The temps go up and down all through April. The many plants coming up around here are very cold tolerant. No, my peonies aren't blooming--the earliest bloomer is over two feet tall, and others vary downward from that. My last by far to bloom is the Sarah Bernhardt peony, and she's my favorite. She's just barely coming up.... We have a long way to go before all three of these cats we have will get along, and I don't know if it's possible, frankly. Thank you for the nice comment on my roses. I wish I could have given those Big Purple roses to someone, rather than have them end up in a garbage can. I'd love some of your rain right now. We're in a drought (actually, we always are since this is a desert), and the ground is so dry. Once the wind dies down, I'm arranging our little sprinklers and cranking up the drip system.

Magpie, I'm a Flat Earther--hate technology, especially the latest. Hence, the old camera that I use. Diane

Kitty, Diane believes in science for sure. (She is very bright). Diane, I think you are a Luddite, not a flat earther.

Kitty and Kristine, look on the houzz clematis forum for the recommendations for baby clematis. They really will often just die off if they go right in the ground. You really need to beef them up in a pot for the best result for a year maybe or 6 months minimum.

@Diane Brakefield Being a "flat earther" literally means that you believe that our planet Earth is flat instead of spherical. I mean, maybe you totally know that and you're just being candid about your beliefs, in which case I'm sorry for being so redundant... it's just that in this context and with your comment about technology, I'm a little worried that maybe you're going around unintentionally telling people that you believe the earth is a flat disk?

Do you really think I believe the earth is flat? Of course, I do. Diane

@KittyNYz6 I've completely maxed out my indoor growing space. The weather turned cold this evening and I checked out where the forecast was at... the lows are below freezing for about 5 days and the highs are not pleasant gardening weather by any means.. So I guess the weather made up my mind for me! Haha. It changes quickly here. I guess I can wait another week or two 😊

Sheila, thank you. Yes, I think a Luddite fits me better than Flat Earther. You know, though, that gnomes control each person's computer. Diane

Sorry, you never know. I don't know you very well so I didn't want to make assumptions...

Kristine - how is your hand doing now? I loved hearing that your Moonlight in Paris is a winner of a rose...since I now have one. :)

Diane - Emergency Medicine. :) :)

Magpie - those daffs look so beautiful...almost sculptural!

Kitty - yeah, it will be fun to compare our Moonlight in Paris!

Sheila - a Luddite!! I love that!! I still use my camera too!

My daughter's friend brought over my 3 roses I got:

- Moonlight in Paris

- Sheila's Perfume

- Falling In Love

They are covered with buds!!! I'm so excited!!!

What do you think everyone, should I (or someone else...Kitty, Magpie, etc.) start a Spring for Sure new thread? Is this thread getting too long?

Diane - I just noticed your pictures! Even your campanulas are waaaay better than mine!!! Gorgeous!

Just a stroll through the past--I'm so bored waiting for things to bloom. Above are my three types of campanulas; next heliopsis (things look different now in that bed); and hollyhocks. Diane

Carol, go ahead and start a new thread and surprise us with a poem. A photo from a past spring/summer would be nice--I know things aren't blooming for you yet. Diane

Carol, I think my hand issue probably involves my shoulder so I tried mot to sleep on it . It is better today but not totally good. But we push through dont we and try to get it all done.

Im excited about your new roses. Especially Moonlight in Paris. I hope that it proves to be a winner for you. I have wanted Sheila's Perfume for a while now but will have to live vicariously through yours.

I wasnt going to order anything else this year but for some reason ordered Easter Basket .

I recieved Desmond tutu from Jackson and Perkins and it doesnt look to lively. I have a replacement for Our Lady of Guadalupe coming but so far J&P is batting zero

Carol,

Love a new spring thread! Great idea! Happy to hear you received your new gorgeous roses!

Diane,

Beautiful photos, hollyhocks esp! I need to look up the others. Very pretty blue bells! Your weather sure brings the flowers up quickly. Feb daffodils are wonderful! You have a longer growing season than I do.

Magpie,

A little patience and soon you will have tons of gardening to do. Be careful what you wish for.

Sheila,

I tossed and turned thinking how to grow my new baby clematis realizing you are right! I need to really nurture the 3 new babies! I will plant them in pots half in the ground...with rich potting soil. I am thinking of buying the pots in next couple of days! Thank you.

TODAY:

It’s 61F and dripping rain again, today! All day long. A little wet stroll and check on my rose gardens w/Anastasia at my side and look at emerging flowers in the garden will be nice.

Then I should paint The bedrooms-fun, fun! I have a maple tree that sprays the yard w/maple seedlings... I walk & pick all the seedlings daily out of my new landscaped lawn. I wish I could stop those maple seedlings! I need to turn on some music to get the house lively so I can work!

My peonies are sticking out red buds and a few stems w/leaves still. Some daffodils are in full bloom, some emerging. Roses are leafing out and some just starting buds. My Halo Violas perrenials are in full bloom that I just bought And some yellow Violas. My apple & Cherry trees are budding! Lovely spring even though a little drippy!

Diane, I forgot to mention how much I am enjoying Coming Home. I take forever to get through a book because I can only read at bedtime and by then I am pooped. But so far I am enjoying it very much.

Kristine, I'm glad you like Coming Home--it's one addictive book, which makes reading binges easier. I do understand you're not in the same position as I am when it comes to reading--and that's an understatement. I hope your hand gets better pronto, and I agree that your shoulder was probably involved. You should make an appointment with Sheila. I wonder if she has passed her Oregon boards--haha, Sheila.

Kitty, those photos were a "stroll through the past". And those plants are not blooming now, though the campanulas are really forging ahead. Hollyhocks are growing, but they are summer bloomers, and heliopsis bloom in late late spring. It's a huge perennial, and I grow several, all started by the original plant.

Sadly the killing frost knocked out the entire magnolia flush, which would have been a huge display. Some blooms had already popped, but everything is good and brown. Maybe the buds will still pop. I've never seen this happen before, and I do feel we are borderline hardiness for magnolias.

I forgot to mention that Friday was my daughter's 53rd birthday, and she decided we would all go shopping, and then have a special dinner at home. This was after weeks of declaring that she was going to totally ignore her birthday and call it just an ordinary day. She does this every year. Anyway, my point is that I went SHOPPING for the first time in 13 months. I had a good time and ate lots of sugary, chocolatey treats, including a scrumptious donut, the first I'd had in a year and a half. I will say that shopping exhausts me more than heavy duty gardening. I crashed when we got back home, But we had a lovely dinner that I didn't have to cook! Diane

Diane, Yes... past photos.. beautiful! I just planted Hollyhocks. They love the sun so it will be awhile for them. I just reviewed thread to try to see where everyone’s gardens are at. You have beautiful gardens when they start blooming! Your roses are spectacular! You will have a wealth of flowers when they bloom!

Thank you, Kitty, and same to you. We want photos of your flowers. Diane

My favorite hyacinth of all the colors I have. Just wanted to share before it fades, I can smell that it's on its way out.

Today’s garden photos... when they all bloom it will be lovely! Fun seeing it all emerge!

My Violas, daffodils, hyacinth...

Crabapple budding

Kwanzan cherry tree buds

This has been a very poor summer for my roses. So much grey sky and rain, then bursts of heat and high humidity. And the garden is getting more and more shade from neighbouring properties. And the disease carries on. I'll have to remove an Anna Olivier, and Ms Tillier. Ms Tillier tries so hard, but the tree trunk canes with sparse leaves and flowers do not look good! I've lost enthusiasm.

We had a beautiful few days at the start of April, now it's turned quite chilly (though you would think that ridiculous, Carol!), but the sun's still shining in almost clear blue skies.

Meanwhile, the camellias are doing well. My three High Fragrance are bursting with buds. And Paradise Blush has put on it's usual wonderful show.

Some Mrs Dudley Cross picked yesterday

Eden leafing

Lilac blooms all spring-summer

Chocolate mint

Grapes, AstiblLes, rhubarb really growing...

African Violet first blooms

Seeds planted last weekend: Zinnia, Aster, Cosmos.

Neighbor’s ornamental tree?

Magpie,

Beautiful blooms! Your tulips are blooming! Yay! Pretty hyacinth!

Trish,

Lovely rose blooms on am Dudley ! Yay! Your camelias are doing well! I love camelias. Sorry about your weather.

Kristine - I don't know. That's what I did with my leg...I pushed through the pain and walked for 2 hours and I haven't been able to walk more than a block every once in awhile since December. So maybe you should rest your hand. I actually have 2 Sheila's Perfumes coming (one my daughter got for me...and another from B.C that's coming)...I've been trying to get SP for about 5 years...so I thought...I have the chance to get another...I'm going to get it. Good luck in finding one for yourself. :) I've always been an admirer of Easter Basket!! So pretty!! Not sure if it has fragrance. I've never seen it available...good for you!

Kitty - you're still working hard!! I get tired thinking of it. LOL Awesome about your peonies poking through...that's a favorite thing of mine...peonies when they start to grow. Thanks for the pictures...so awesome to see your flowers/leaves waking up. :)

Diane - oh that's SO good to hear!!! You're vaccinated and now you had a wonderful day!! And you didn't have to cook!! Awesome! :) :) Thank heavens, things are getting back to normal for you!

Magpie. - oh gosh!!! Those colors are so lovely together! I'm glad you shared that with us!

Trish - :) :) chilly weather were you live and same here. Snow last night. Melted though. It's 3C/37F. That's too bad that your season wasn't as good as you hoped...I'm sure that the trees shading the yard aren't helping. At first I thought you meant that was a cross that you had hybridized of Mrs. Dudley. LOL Then I googled it and realized that is its name. It's stunning!

Please go to the new thread Spring is Here Seasonal Thread

:)

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6105639/spring-is-here-seasonal-thread

Kitty, is your chocolate mint a spreader? I wonder if I could findnit locally. It sure is pretty.

Carol, I believe that my hand is getting tingly because of sleeping on a shoulder that is sore

If it aint one thing its another lol

Getting old is a literal pain in the backside.

Azalea and I cleared the grass out of the Julia Child hedge. I had a really cute black iron fence that separated my roses from my neighbor but it was so hard to edge that I removed it and cleaned it up. I gurss that I need some kind of edging

Trish, Im so sorry that your season was a dissapointment

Gee, we wait so long for our gardens to strut their stuff and then to not have your expectations met is so sad.

Well, husband got his first vaccine today. We might be able to see those grandbabies after all.

Kristine, you posted the above three days ago, and It's just now showing up. I hope your hand is better by now. I have a ton of grass everywhere to pull out of flower beds. I have so many other jobs that take precedence that who knows when I'll get the stuff out. See you on the new thread. Diane

Hi, Kristine,

I love my chocolate mint and I have spearmint and pineapple mint, too.You may order a olant growing on Etsy.. I ordered lots olants from Etsy snd I have had excellent plants. I may have bought it locally.

Yes they all spread really fast in one season! You must put them in pots and I took all my pots out of the ground & trimmed them back. I will have them above ground from now on In the growing season. (Put them in ground for winterize in fall only.)

I really need to take them all and thin them out and start with a tiny sprig of each in new pots & I will. They grow so fast that the sprgs went over the edge of the pot & started into the ground. I have to soray them if they come up in the ground-they will take over the garden bed. No worries. Just be careful & thin them out-repot yearly maybe. I love the scents and I they are great for home bouquets, foods, and as a bug repellent for the gardens.

Kristine - I echo Diane's statement ... I hope your hand is better now. :) And that's so good that your husband got his first vaccine...I'm getting mine on Sunday! :)