Yes, that's the most beautiful lily I've ever seen, Lisa.

Lisa, what a precious, cute-as-can-be baby girl Cooper Rose is. We have some of the sweetest looking babies on this thread. I know she is the delight of your life and brings you more joy than you ever thought possible. I can't believe your weather!! So not fair. We moved out of CA to get away from that summer heat. The joke's on us! We've been hotter than SoCal all season. I really like your campanula, too. I like most campanulas, except for one tall super invasive one that I just can't get rid of. It's pretty, but I don't need an acre of it. I appreciate your update on our Ingrid. She is missed here. She always has a remarkable attitude about her roses. I hope she has replaced her love for them with something equally as enjoyable. Your strawberries make me wish I had some right now. My big strawberry experiment went awry and I'll never try that again.

Diane, I cut back the Campanula Rotundifolia after it bloomed and turned brown - the blooms, not the plant. They're already coming back for a second go 'round. I'm hoping it spreads and reseeds. So glad you recommended it. Also, by your recommendation, Julia Child is doing her best to compete with the big girls surrounding her. She was left with one short cane after winter, but I counted 8 blooms on her short little self yesterday, plus some buds. A drip system is on the list, but we always have so many projects, it gets overlooked.

Carol, how fun to have both your girls at home, and for Kedra's birthday, no less! I'm sure you're a better cook than I, and that's probably why my kids shoo me out of the kitchen.

Lisa, ditto what Sheila said. I'm sorry to hear about Ingrid's roses, but glad she's ok. She is missed. That lily is something. I've never seen one with a centre before. Gorgeous bouquet, and I'm glad to read that someone in the US is having nice weather.

We had a lovely morning yesterday, not a cloud in sight, which I spent deadheading and pruning. Came inside, had a cup of tea, suddenly there was a heavy downpour, which equally suddenly went almost horizontal!

Diane, in case you missed this:

A few times in life, the words “this is the most Aussie news story ever” will leave your mouth.

We said it in 2015 when a man was fined $1,476 for riding a motorised esky around without a license. It happened again in 2016 when a man “busted his plugger” while foiling a robbery at a servo after a “stubbies and singlets” party. And who can forget OG Aussie “criminal” Mr. Democracy Manifest, who was arrested while trying to enjoy a succulent Chinese meal?

But ladies and gentleman, we’ve done it. We’ve finally reached peak Australian criminal activity because a man has genuinely robbed a Bunnings store by descending from the roof using a garden hose instead of a rope in a beautiful bogan remake of Mission Impossible.

OK Trish, your stories sound so Aussie, they're not written in English. Before I read them, please define: esky, plugger, servo, stubbies (beer container?), singlets, and bogan. Also, who is Mr Democracy Manifest? The garden hose is gold. Actually, quite a while back, my son in law was part owner of a pub called Stubbs (it wasn't his day job). I ate there many times. Your rain sounds like what I call Idaho rain, but any rain is good. I think I'll go ahead and read your stories and not wait for the definitions. Diane

That all sounds like our Florida man chaos, Trish. I'm glad we're not the only ones with the crazies.

Carol, I think we had 3 months of Summer and any other month could snow in Alaska. The season was so too short.

I am really glad to hear Ingrid is alright, even if her roses are all eaten. I loved her garden She taught me so much about climate change.

I wish Ingrid could get a Zalud House too, and put the rose in a pot and a fence around it. I know she wanted one back in the day.

Diane, I hope that heat dome doesn't come back anytime soon. I am living and learning for sure. In 119 F one needed the irrigation and a hose. It seemed so obvious after the fact. I'm surprised the garden doesn't look worse. Plants are amazing.

esky (from Eskimo) portable cooler

plugger thong as in footwear

servo service station

stubbies yup! well done Diane, beer containers

singlets vests as in underwear

bogan uncouth, also can denote where a person comes from

I hadn't heard of Mr Democracy Manifest till now, but googled it, and had a good laugh.

Thanks, Trish, but I still don't get the singlet. The article said a cut off vest. Vest? As in a vest with buttons down the front? My guess was it some kind of sleeveless undershirt. I didn't find a link to the garden hose robbery story. But I wonder if the store had a hole in the roof the burglar could descend through using his hose--harhar. I've never heard of a motorized cooler, and the photo looked more like a three wheeler rec vehicle with an extra wheel. What creative geniuses you Australians are with your ability to come up with a new form of English. I've always thought Aussies had the best slang and attitude. The song Waltzing Matilda is just one big slang story set to music. Gotta see what's in my tucker bag from the dollar store. Just went there for sweets and fake Aussie likrish. Diane, the Swag Man

Haha. Yes, sleeveless undershirt. What do you call them?

https://junkee.com/bunnings-hose-robbery/302038 should get you to the story

Trish, we call them sleeveless undershirts. Americans are not creative in their speech. I see you thoughtfully posted a link which I probably overlooked above. Thank you. I just got in from a hellish hot 1 1/2 hours of cleaning up part of a flower bed. There was so much debris and stuff to cut back because the heat has just wrecked my snaps, and, the Blue Bells of Scotland were an absolute mess and barely blooming. The first few years I grew it, it never stopped blooming all summer. Years ago, there was a huge hit called Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Mate. Have you heard of it? I got so sick of hearing it played constantly on the radio. This was in the 1960s, I think. Didn't one verse say "tan me hide when I'm dead, Fred"? And it just got worse and worse. Diane

Diane, why did you have to remind me of that awful song?! Now I'll have it stuck in my head for days. Are they forecasting an end to the heat you're having?

When I arrived in Australia 54 years ago, it was not uncommon to see men in singlets in Sydney. It was a bit of a surprise after the suits and bowler hats I grew up with! Now you'd have to go deep into the country.

I went and pruned and deadheaded more of poor Ms Tillier. He's a very sick looking fellow, but the canes are 2 inches in diameter, and I don't fancy asking my son to try to dig him out. He'll just have to die a slow death. Yesterday I gardened in a t-shirt, and today, after the change yesterday, I wore a (very old and holey) cashmere jumper. I decided to stop when a sudden wind gust nearly had me over the edge of the terrace he's on, and the canes were whipping about my ears.

Trish, I'm sorry. It was a truly hideous song. I can imagine men in sleeveless undershits were a bit of a shock. Even here, in the Western backwater where I grew up, I didn't see men running around in those. My Hawaiian neighbor, not fat, but old, often runs around his yard with no shirt on at all. Not overly lovely. He's often barefoot, but then so am I. I'm sorry about Ms Tillier. It sounds like your weather is in a changeable stage. I still haven't got used to the word "jumper" for what we'd call a pullover. You mentioning this sweater with holes reminds that after my mom passed away, I was going through her clothes and meant to keep a beautiful cashmere dress she wore. What a disappointment to see all those moth holes. They had a large carpet in their home that was wool, a huge thing, and I know that got the moth business started. Mom would have been appalled. I think I tossed the dress. I'm in a remembering mood. We get winds like you describe. I'm surprised I haven't been blown down the slope. Now take care. Of course, you're just a young whippersnapper. Diane

Trish, I love your stories. I don't have a clue what any of it means, but it sure is fun to read.

Diane - We're the same in the Calgary : The first snowfall of autumn for Calgary usually arrives in September or October. The season's last snowfall typically happens in April or May. But in some years there is no start or stop to the snow season as it can snow any month of the year in Calgary.

We've had 3 of our trees killed by summer snow...too heavy and just broke off branches and was too traumatic. And I've given up on trying to hybridize roses...there's never enough time for them to ripen...or maybe I don't start soon enough. :)

She lives too far away for a one-day drive, and my husband is working on his Ph.D. Plus, I can't drive on the highway. And Holly doesn't drive. Covid certainly didn't help, because she was going to come home for Christmas. Wild invasive grasses, huh...we don't get that here. Thank goodness. :)

I've never grown peppers...and I'm surprised that they're prolific. :)

Lisa - I envy you your grandbaby!! My one daughter has Aspergers and never wants to marry...people are too much for her. My other daughter is gay. She may adopt though. You never know.

Such sweet berries...she'll get used to how wonderful your berries are...and she'll go "yuck" to store bought. LOL

Oh....no....my heart breaks for Ingrid. I know she was really struggling with critters eating her roses and with the heat, etc. What a shame. :( I'm glad that she's okay with it...but I'm sure none of us are okay with her losing her roses. Please pass along that we're thinking of her.

Those strawberries look delicious!!! YUM!! And, I'm glad your temps are quite nice! OH!!!! I love your bouquet...the colors are amazing!

Flowers - LOL - I doubt I'm a better cook than you are. More like they're so happy to be together (they are the very, very best of friends) that they can't tear themselves away from each other. Kedra would really love it if Holly would be closer to home.

Trish - a garden hose?? How unique...and I guess, very Australian. LOL :) I went back and reread your post after I read the definitions. :) :) Yikes!!! Those winds must have been strong!! Scary!

Sheila - yeah, Alaska is just too far up near the Arctic Circle for me. :) Fort McMurray had a really short summer too. So I kind of get it. Especially the temps.... -50C/-58F every single winter for 3 weeks in a row. Yikes!

Diane - yes, I remember that song! I love hearing the 6 White Boomer song at Christmas!! Whenever it plays, I get excited to hear it!! We all sing together BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!!! Oh gross....1 1/2 hours of weeding/deadheading...that sounds exhausting. It keeps us young, but makes us feel old. LOL I'm another one for being barefoot in the backyard. My dogs don't eliminate at all on the grass...so that's no worry. :)

Lisa, Your very upright creamy rose with the campanula that I think you said was Perdita reminds me so much of my Lemon Spice. Also do you know what the strawberry variety is that grows so well for you? This is Lemon Spice just planted this Spring and it blooms with extremely fast repeat.

Stephanie, what a pretty rose and path.

Stephanie - I so agree with Trish!! Such a lovely path!!! I would love to have that in my yard!! Lemon Spice is beautiful!!

Thanks! I love the path too. I do have to trim the creeping thyme every 6 weeks, but worth it. Someone here had it and said it was thornless, which it is so I put right next to path. That yellow kangaroo paw behind it could be removed to make way for more roses but it attracts so many hummingbirds!

Yes, Lemon Spice is luscious with its soft yellow, many petaled blooms. I grow creeping thyme in several spots in my front yard flower beds to keep water from running down hill on our slopes. It works. Diane

I wish I could grow a kangaroo paw. They aren't easy to find. I'd have to grow in a pot here.

That Kangaroo Paw is quite unusual!! And hummingbirds love it!! Awesome!

That IS lovely, Stephanie! I have heard nothing but good things about Lemon Spice. I’m not 100% sure about both kinds of strawberries, Stephanie. I am 100% sure one of them is Quinault, and I’m about 50% sure the other is Chandler. I know I planted two different kinds to extend the harvest period. It was so many years ago that I only remember the Quinault for certain. I don’t do much for them except give them some compost in late winter. As long as I keep watering and picking them, they seem to keep going. Of course, I haven’t had very high temps yet this year. That may have something to do with it.
I see so much kangaroo paw around here, it’s unreal. Many business landscapes use them because they are so drought tolerant. With the price of water around here, I may be looking for more plants that don’t need much water. The neighbors took away all the trees on their side of the fence, so I’ve lost my afternoon shade.
You know we DO have a colorful slang word (actually it’s two words), for those white sleeveless undershirts. It’s rather crude and insensitive to domestic violence, so I won’t write it down here. I’m sure you can find it online if you should desire.
I haven’t taken any pictures in a few days, so I’ll have to take more as soon as I see something worth a picture. Have a wonderful day everyone! Lisa

I looked at the California gardening forum and saw a lot of postings about people having trouble keeping their kangaroo paws alive. Apparently it is very happy for some and impossible for others.

I have an Ocotilla I've had just sit there in it's pot and it finally, after years, decided to grow. I think it was because I gave it Osmocote Plus since I was sick of it sitting there doing nothing. Who knew a desert plant would need Osmocote Plus?

Before in cactus / succulent soil.

After Osmocote Plus and more water.

Sheila - awesome work by Osmocote Plus!!! My roses have it too, because of your urging. :) :) Thank you!!

Well, I did it again. I went for a short walk with the dogs (steep downhill then steep uphill to come back...our whole neighborhood is like this)....and my calf felt like it popped out of placement. I called my hubby to come and get me. Thank goodness I brought my phone. This is the calf that wasn't bothering me. DANG, DANG, Dang!! I think losing weight would help enormously. I keep trying...lose 20 lbs...then it comes back. Thankfully, it doesn't get worse than it was when I started. I'm so annoyed...I should have had a nap like I had originally planned.

Oh Carol, I hope your calf feels better quickly! As we get older, it seems one part after another starts going out doesn’t it? I’m glad you have such a loving husband to help nurse you back to health.

Sheila that’s amazing! My son once wanted me to grow an Ocotilla. I killed it as soon as I got it

I’m back, posting within the Houzz app. The shor comment below was absolute torture to write. I guess I have to be in the app to post from my phone.
Stephanie, I was thinking more about my strawberry patch. Although I know one variety is Quinault, the other is probably either Chandler or Sequoia. I looked at a list that my favorite nursery recommends, and Chandler and Sequoia rang bells. That’s where I purchased the original plants about 8 years ago, so I’m pretty sure the second variety is one of those. Mine have all mingled together, so I have no idea which is which. It would be nice to know if one or the other was the one producing berries for so long. I still have blossoms and berries forming now.
Sheila, that’s so interesting that many people in CA have trouble with their kangaroo paws. Maybe they thrive on neglect. My parents old place still has big clumps of them thriving without care other than occasional water. They are on a slight slope, so maybe they like excellent drainage? I thought they looked so otherworldly when I first saw them. Now they seem to be grown everywhere.
I hope none of you are near the fires. They are so large that it seems someone on the forum must be affected. I shudder at the thought. We are fire free right now, but I’m afraid our turn will come soon.
I’ll leave with a spring picture of Alnwick and Love Song. Perhaps it will inspire me to get up on the slope and show them some love. Lisa

@Lisa Adams ummmm WOW, that photo is stunning!

Lisa, it looks to me like you’ve already shown those roses plenty of love!!! I’m in awe!!!!

Lisa,
Fabulous roses! I think Quinault looks like a great strawberry variety.

Lisa, what a display!

You're right, kangaroo Paws need excellent drainage. They come from a desert in Western Australia.

Great roses, Lisa! I will really be happy if my Ocotilla blooms eventually. I think they are a cool plant. I got mine from High Country Gardens and put the pot under a protective alcove for winter. I would need to do that if I ever find a kangaroo paws too. They might be z 9-10.

Plants that are a cliche in California or Australia are so exotic and interesting to me.

I read how many could not tell if their Ocotilla was dead or alive and I understand that better now, since mine was so slow.

Lisa - I laughed when I read that you killed your Ocotilla as soon as you got it. :) :) Sounds like something I would have done/have done. LOL Thanks about my calf. I think I have to lose some weight...it's always hard to do. But, I think I just have too much weight on my muscles/tendons to walk on our steep sidewalks.

Holy Hannah!!! Unbelievable how well you grow roses!!! SWOON!!!!

Sheila, you’re making me wonder if my Ocotilla really was dead. My son had even brought me soil/sand from Ocotilla Wells to plant my tiny stick of a plant in. Perhaps it wasn’t actually dead, just slow. They are indeed beautiful in bloom.

I cut a few Moonlight Romantica blooms yesterday evening.

I’m going to try the app again. I wasn’t able to comment in the app this morning, but there’s more to this story about Moonlight Romantica. Lisa

Well!!! Now I can’t post using the app. I’m at a loss as to what’s going on.

OK, long story short due to problems typing. Birds nest in Moonlight Romantica. Never see any activity, but have left the area alone. Too high to see in, so I held my phone over the nest and snapped away.

SHOCKED!

Please click to enlarge the pictures. I wasn’t sure what I was looking at, at first. Lisa

Oh I’m jealous Lisa! That is so exciting and the kids would love the experience but unfortunately the cats would also love it….

I bet that was true, Lisa. You thought it was dead like many others because of it sitting there like a dry stick.

Lisa, a nest! Love it!

Lisa - !!! What wonderful MR blooms!!!! Sooooo lovely! :) :)

If I had a bird's nest in my rose bushes, I'd have to look down to see the nest. LOL You did a great job in taking the picture....those baby bird beaks are opened SO wide!!! Their beaks almost look like flowers...what a cool shot!!

Lisa, my Ocotilla was often bald with no "leaves". It really did look so inert it could have been dead. It was like that for months or a year at a time.

Another mystery here was my six roses whose roots were eaten last Winter by gophers. Five out of six really leafed out on schedule after being potted and bloomed on schedule, although less exuberantly than they would have without the gopher's attack, this Spring. This was a few months at the most after their near death experience. I think they will be back to normal by Fall planting in the ground in gopher wire cages. The whole plants lived. I did not cut them back.

The sixth rose Conrad F. Meyer just sat there through May I think when the other roses were blooming. I considered emptying the potting mix out for reuse but changed my mind and hauled it back to it's mates. I finally cut it back in June I think and it burst into growth and looks great. This one has not bloomed this Spring.

I'm sure now it will be fine too but was curious about the different behavior. All the roses were equally vigorous before "the attack". Curious.

Revising the above comments here. One of the first five to leaf out and bloom was own-root Evelyn. This plant had been in hot, dry sand inside my courtyard wall for maybe 3 years. It looked like hell. I transplanted it last Fall to the best area on my property on the South fence. It was barely settled in for Winter when a gopher ate all it's roots. In that case, I ultimately did cut it back when it started to regrow this Spring. It had been 3/4 dead when I moved it to the fence, then this gopher tragedy. It is a miracle it made it. It is now on a third flush this Summer. I take back anything I said about own-root Evelyn being a wienie. Rick had seen my photo and kindly commented that it had not looked good. I felt like a neglectful rose mother that I let it get that far gone.

Now it is recovering beautifully.

Pathetic OR Evelyn leaving the courtyard.

Near dead before move in Fall.

Relocated.

Gopher attack.

Pathetic near autopsy photo. Needed a toe tag.

Can't even stand up without crutches.

Skeletal Evelyn

Stump Evelyn

Evelyn today growing his third flush! I really need dates on this post, but this journey of the Phoenix has taken about 6 or 8 months.

That's fascinating and amazing, Sheila! And humourous!

Sheila, Amazing E looks gorgeous now. Your hilarious description above made me think you were talking about me. I need a toe tag. Anyway, you must treat Evelyn like the royalty she is (oh, I see yours is a "he"--he must be British, an Eeve-lyn, I guess. I would have never thought Evelyn could be so tough. I can't imagine my own root Abe being that tough. It's wonderful all six roses have come through the trial by gopher so well. Diane

There's so much I love about your post, Sheila. First thing that came to mind is that I would love to have had you as my doctor. You wouldn't be one to prescribe something just to make it stop hurting. I believe you would want to know why and go from there.

Another reason is how full of hope this post is for any of us who have ailing plants, especially those that have suffered gopher attacks. I wish I had read this, and your previous account of nursing rootless roses back to health, after gophers (or voles) ate the roots out from under the roses around the perimeter of my veggie garden. I had no idea it might be possible for them to survive, and would never have thought to try. But, it might be that only you can do this amazing feat because you approached the amputated roses like you would a patient. Stump Evelyn is a miracle.

Lisa, Alnwick and Love Song make a stunning pair. I've always loved lavender and pink together. Alnwick's big, fat cup shape is so luscious. And what a surprise to find the nest occupied with very young hatchlings wanting a meal. Did you figure out what kind of bird they are? If nesting in a rose, I'd guess finches or hummingbirds. I've had both nest in Colette at the top of her arch. I got pooped on several years ago (not the first time, by the way. Birds like to poop on my head, and I'm so good to those ingrates). I simply can't praise your bouquet above enough. I never knew Moonlight Romantica was so lovely and such perfection with the blue flowers. What is that flower--so pretty? Diane

Lisa, everything Diane said! Except for the bird poops. That has not happened to me, yet. What glorious photos. I had to laugh (and cry a little) at your comment that you need to get up on the slope and show them some love. I LAVISH mine with love and they don't look like that!! You are a gifted rosarian with two green thumbs and fingers and toes, too.

Sheila - I'm so glad that you persevered with your gopher eaten roses!! I probably would have thrown them away....which, obviously, would have been the wrong thing to do! Way to go!

Oh my!!! After seeing how badly your roses looked...no roots at all!!!...I can't believe you got them to live and to thrive!!! Unbelievable!!! What an inspiration!!

Diane - your birds definitely are tough on you!!! They eat all of your garden seeds, cause erosion on your hills with their bird dust baths, poop on your head (thankfully that's not quail doing that...but smaller birds...at least I'm hoping. LOL)

Shelia, you have the magic touch with roses! What a beauty Evelyn is now. Evelyn is a “he” for me after watching Downton Abbey. And the show has its own collection named after the characters. https://www.regannursery.com/rose-category/Downton-Abbey-Collection