I am really happy. I got a Pop Art back in January and I can’t stop looking at it. Haven’t had a chance to plant it. What started as a 2 week delay back in September due to a heat wave turned into an almost 12 delay now due to a bunch of sky rivers. What are the chances lol. I’m grateful though. I feel blessed for the rain we’ve gotten, just wish it wasn’t all the rain at once.

Pop Art on Sunday

Pop Art today

Took out all the grass in September and was all dirt. Couldnt fit it all in the pic because it was starting to rain.

Idk who told the hollyhocks to go bananas but it wasn’t me!

AllSass, I want to see those hocks when they grow up and bloom. Your rain has made that area look lush and wonderful. And wow, all that pink is snapdragons. I am green with envy. They are one of my favorite plants. I love the gold Pop Art, a rose I know nothing about. On to HMF. Walmart's website showed lots of interesting succulents along with the roses, including some Aoniums, and a really interesting echeveria that looked like a rose. I want one of those. Diane

I must admit I almost fell off of my chair when I read what Carol paid for a Tone product... $90 for an 18 pound bag! That's quadruple what I pay at my local Ace hardware store. It's a really good product, but definitely not worth that much. Carol, do you have a feed store nearby? But I'm so glad to hear that you are feeling better!

At today's exchange rate, Carol paid about $66 US dollars for each Plant Tone bag of 18 pounds. On Dec 21, 2022, I paid about $24 USD for a 27 pound bag of Plant Tone. So, Carol's price for the 36 pound total was $132 in USD. Yikes. The Tones are not carried here in very many places, and the prices are higher than Amazon's. No shipping charges, either. I make sure of that, so these poor places must make very little on the heavy bags they ship. I refuse to pay for Amazon Prime. I just look for places that have no shipping charges. Other purchases straight from Amazon are free shipping with $25 purchases--never a problem. Diane

If you can believe it, they had 4 lb bags of Tone fertilizers for a 4 lb bag for $90, $150, etc. It's insane. I've been checking all winter...and that's the best I could find. I haven't used a Tone for many years because of the price...but now with me getting vertigo every 2 seconds I thought a slow release should be the good way to go. And you can't find Tones anywhere here. Ugh.

AllSass - thanks...I'm starting to feel better. Went for a 15 minute walk...it was so nice to get out of the house. I just have problems when I'm getting up or down to a couch. :) Then the vertigo almost makes me fall over so I always have my large 125lb dog around to help me get up/down. What's the fragrance like on your Pop Art? I love the colors!

Susan - I tried (last year) going to a cattle feed lot and places like that...no luck. I have been looking for YEARS and I've yet to find any TONE fertilizer.

That really is awful, Carol, about the Tones in Canada, but I guess there must be some import duties that make the price extra high, since the Tones do come from the US. I buy my bagged compost and other soils from a farm and ranch store. There is a small local chain of these stores, and I really like them for the bagged products. But the price of black oil sunflower seeds, unshelled, 40 pounds, went from under $20 last summer to its current outrageous price of $39, Feeding birds has become a real luxury. But then my hairspray and other care products have gone wacky in price both locally and on Amazon--the prices are very volatile, up and down and unpredictable. Our economy is a little strange and scary right now. As I told my son in law, it's time for lots of cash in the closet. Diane's loony words of wisdom. Diane

My short post didn't post, and it looks like the entire forum is out to lunch. Diane

My posts are not showing up. HOUZZ!!!!!!!

Still not showing up, you dorky houzz. Diane

Diane, I see 4 posts from you in a row.

Magpie, there should be seven. Only my outraged posts showed up. I kept trying with the original, and they refused to post it. The one from 10 hours ago does show up. I'm talking about this morning. We'll never know the profound thoughts I posted--hahaha. Diane

Lol Diane, it seems like the Houzz gremlins like to bother some of us more than others.

Diane, the rain has definitley made things more lush than normal and I‘m thinking the lower than normal temps are helping everyone to pace themselves for once. I will definitely share progress pics of the hollyhocks. My money is on at least one hitting 8 feet. I love snaps too! I can never have enough of them. I’m very partial to pink and white ones, especially when I can get them to get fluffy like that. Enjoy your new addiction to succulents!

Carol, I suffer from vertigo as well so I feel your pain. Mine is an inner ear problem from congestion from a sinus infection or allergies. Sometimes I have no symptoms except vertigo. Not fun when you’re walking and your head spins so slowly you can’t walk straight. Pop Art smells like citrus and rose but theres this clean after scent like Irish Spring maybe. I keep picking it up and it’s so familiar yet I can’t quite place it.

AllSass, I used to grow many hollyhocks. They were the Carnival type, but from passalong seeds. They were double, about 5-6 feet, and bloomed the first year. I gathered seed, plus the plants did a lot of reseeding, too. Between our wind and the lack of space here, I decided to end actively growing hollyhocks, but I still get a few that reseed. I've grow many snaps for years. My friend starts new plants for me from seed, and they do a lot of reseeding and natural hybridizing. My snaps last about three years, after which they get woody, and I pull them up. They aren't perennial, but they aren't a "normal" annual, either with their long roots. I love pinks, purples, and magenta snaps, but I also like the surprise colors, too, especially the blends. Diane

Warning: old photos

Carol, when I asked above if you had a feed store, I meant to buy the Tone ingredients there. We have two feed stores here; one is a standard feed store where you can buy bags of livestock feed and supplies and bales of hay and straw, plus cat and dog supplies. The other one is more geared towards poultry growing and organic gardening. They carry huge bags of all of the ingredients in the Tones; you can also buy them by the pound. I used to go this route and make my own, but now that I'm an old lady, I buy their "Landscape Mix" and Citrus Tone from my local Ace hardware, and mix them for my roses. Anyway, my point was that you can make your own Tone if the ingredients are available. Here's a link to their dry organic fertilizers, just to give you an idea, and probably just for a chuckle for you :-D

https://islandseed.com/dry-fertilizers/

Carol, the message the powers that be wouldn't post was to you--just something silly, but it must have contained a couple of words like names of world leaders that houzz didn't like. It wasn't political, either. Oh well. Have a good sleep, and wake up feeling better, minus the vertigo. Diane

Gee Carol I hope you feel better soon! My mom suffers from head spinning problems... Hers just started a few months ago...

My roof on my house is 30+ years old so time for new shingles... Company dropped the supplies off today and will be starting next week...

I hope everyone is doing well! Warmer weather is just around the corner... :-)

Jim, it seems like a lot of us have been needing new roofs. Did you read our debate about roofers taking potty breaks (can't remember which post)? We are awful old ladies. I hope your roofers are kind to your plants, and that your mom gets some relief from her vertigo. It seems to be one of the many curses of getting older, though Carol has had lifetime problems. I don't think warmer weather is around the corner for us. But I hope it is for you. Nanadoll

Jim, we got our new roof on Wednesday between rain storms. They sent a team of 6 guys and they got it done in one day, one very long day. I was worried that I was going to have to make them dinner . But they did a great job.

We are still waiting on the solar panels before I finish up the front planting bed

What color did you choose ?

I haven’t seen this many suns on the weather app like this since probably November. That is a very, very, long time here. I’m trying not to get my hopes up lol.

We expecting another week of rain but you guys definitely deserve a break.

I got my Gilbert h Wild order today and not sure when I will be able to plant

I put the order in the garage to keep it cool until tomorrow

We had some snow today

AllSass, my version of that same app has rain for Tuesday and Weds (as does the local weather forecast). But since you mentioned going to Roger's on another thread, I'm assuming you're in Orange County, so maybe it won't make it all the way down to you! Really trying to get some gardening in, between the rain and wind and cold :-D

SUSAN --I had bought the mix from Island Seed Feed on your rec, but didn't see the big bags, so bought two smaller bags, and mixed with the Tones, and the EB STone Rose Fertilizer, and then threw chicken manure, worm gold, and a bit of osmocote in the holes for the bareroots (but not for the Heirloom one-gallons, as that would void their warranty). So...they got way more food than I've done in a few years.

I pruned my roses so late they are behind schedule -- plus we've had the unusual cold/rain. But they are looking happy!

I have officially given up on hollyhocks -- mine have not done diddly squat, and I've really tried! I can only grow delphiniums in pots. Even if I bait for slugs/snails, somehow they don't make it. I just ordered my supply of Deer Out, so will start applying that soon. I will curl up in a ball and cry if the deer steal my spring bloom again this year.

Diane -- keep posting your photos! They are inspiring.

That POPART looks lovely. Amazing how quickly it changed its coloring! My is looking really sprawly. Planted in late, late fall.

Well, our overnight snow has melted, but it's good and cold, already below freezing now. I think our first semi decent day will be March 31. All Sass those temps look balmy to my tired eyes. Diane

Diane - thanks for the unseen message. :) :) My vertigo is getting better....still bothersome when I get up/down. It was cold today...the wind was bitter...I actually wore a winter hat today when we went for our short walk.

Jim - my sympathies to your mom. Ugh. Did you lay down new bricks? That looks really new. Good luck with your roof...we need to get ours done sometime soonish.

Kristine - good for you for getting solar panels. :)

AllSass - oh good for you! :) :) I'm happy you're getting some great weather. Phew. Next week we're getting down to -3C/25F. Blech.

Deborah - deer, snails, slugs...blech. And you can't even get success in pots because of the the snails. Maybe put vaseline and salt on the edges of your pots?

Diane - we'll be having our first good days weatherwise about the 2nd weeks of April. So you and I are pretty close.

@susan9santabarbara Yes, I’m on the LA/OC border in Cerritos. The app did say rain next week, then changed to sun and now says rain on Wednesday. At least I wont have to water but my rain barrels are full. I had put out 6 of those home depot buckets, 2 small indoor buckets and 3 watering cans this week and now those are full. Think i’m just going to feed everyone some fish emulsion tomorrow so I don’t have water sitting around. Do you go to Otto’s? I saw on their rose availability list they have assorted, non-branded English Roses in assorted colors. Do you think those are ”retired“ Austins?

Snowing hard! Oh bother says Pooh

Kristine please don’t send that snow north!!

I'll tell you where I would like to send it lol.

Stupid never ending winter.

Somebody sent us hail, but this time it wasn't Kristine. I think it was Deborah (she has a hail pic up somewhere). It's really cold, too, still below freezing right now. I second the poo and bother. Diane

Deborah, sounds like you did great with your organic fertilizing this year! Yeah, they keep the big bags in the "warehouse", so next year, just ask for a 25# bag and they'll load it in your car. In some ways, I have no idea where my roses are compared to "normal" years. Last time I was out actively working in them for several hours was almost a week ago. They looked great, a few scattered blooms. But it seems as if it rains two days a week, then on the dry days it's cold and windy, and I still have a lot to do. Like on Friday (yesterday), the best day of the week, I had a doctor appt and then all of the errands we'd been postponing. I keep reminding myself not to complain!

AllSass, good to know where you are for perspective! Otto's is one of the greatest places on earth, and it would be worth a road trip if you can do it. They have their Rose Days open house in April, but they're open other times too. I haven't been there in > 10 years, but Deborah went there last year, and posted a bunch of great pics. I have no idea what their "non-branded English roses" could be. Do you have a name list? Sometimes when folks say "English roses" they mean DAs, and sometimes they mean other English breeders.

Well, something weird happened with my Amazon order for my Tone fertilizer. We got a total refund and yet the order is on the way. ??? I'm not going to argue with them...if they want to send it for free...I'll take it. :)

AllSass - I bet those are retired Austins! Do they have pictures of the roses?

Kristine - yup, still snowing here too. Ugh. When will it end? We're supposed to have 5 days of snow coming up. Ugh Ugh.

Diane - bother, bother, pooh, pooh. Ugh. Ugh.

GardenNut - I find that happens a lot...stuff to do during summer...on the only nice summer day without rain.

Yay for you getting a refund, rosecanadian! I want to say you deserve it for boldly ordering it even when it was so crazy expensive! Maybe they’ve been reading all these posts about everyone feeling you’d been ripped off, so now they’re trying to salvage their reputation.
I got Holly Tone and Plant Tone in the big bags, 38 pounds at $50 each, if I remember right.
Let’s hope your order still is really and truly on its way!

Hey just to let everyone know, in case you want to check for your area you can get 50 pound Plant Tone bags from Walmart for 44-free shipping

Carol yay for refunds!

Holly Tone is also basically the same price

Judi - yeah...I'm excited about getting it for free...tee hee.

Oursteelers - this is what Canadians have to pay with Walmart. Disgusting.

Espoma TP6 Triple Phosphate Fertilizer, 6.5-Pound

Espoma

(4)$102.65

----------------------

PLANT FOOD GARDENTONE18# (Pack of 1)

Espoma

(9)$134.07

If it's any consolation, Carol, the $134.07 in US dollars would be a mere $97.60 at today's exchange rate. A bargain! Diane

Thank you, Oursteelers! I’m going to get mine at Walmart next time. It’s hard for me to buy any fertilizers at all since I am used to having plenty of chicken and cow manure for that purpose. But since we moved to Az, I have no cows or chickens and am limited to the horse manure the neighbor gives me as well as bunny manure from my daughters pet bunnies. It’s not enough to supply my vegetable garden, fruit trees and my ever-increasing rose and flower gardens. So I’ve been buying other fertilizers as needed and wince every time at the prices. Now I’m going to stop feeling sorry for myself and instead feel sympathy for you, Carol, every time I buy a bag.

Diane - LOL...a bargain for sure! <3

Judi - :) :) Maybe you can all come visit me and smuggle bags of fertilizer over the border....not that that would be smuggling. LOL

Carol, I already thought of the smuggling. I could add a lot of cuttings of roses like Evelyn for you to play with, along with the Tones, of course. Yeah, a bargain on the fertilizer. I just don't understand the pricing---if the roses from Canada that we buy here are reasonably priced, why is all the US stuff so high priced in Canada? I know, I'm sure you've asked yourself this question many times..... How is your weather? Ours is just awful for it being nearly April, and I haven't started pruning yet. We have icy breezes that make it so much worse. Meanwhile, I'm still forced to look at a dead, big, toppled over Olivia, still slightly attached to the ground. No, she isn't alive, and she looks awful. But everything else still looks awful, too. The roses are all green but that's as far as they have gone with our weather being so unpredictable. Has the horrid vertigo gone away yet? I am hoping so. I'm also tired of posting old pics and want some new stuff to look at. Have you looked at the spring thread and read what Ben posted about the rose hybridizer and head of roses at the Huntington, Tom Curruth? So interesting, and sometimes Carruth posts incognito on the forum. I hope David Austin, jr doesn't come on this forum in disguise. He might not like what we say about his company. Sleep well, Diane

Bernstein-Rose

My only not very good photo of the calendula I grew for many years (the neighbors old fence is long gone). I was trying to find this to show Deborah. Now the quail won't let me grow calendula.

Frederic Mistral, a rose of complicated centers

Diane - yes, it's super frustrating. And I just found out that my order has been cancelled. I guess I'll just use something I can get here...typically that's Miracle Grow. Osmocote has microbeads...so I'd rather not try that.

I did find a 36lb Plant Tone for $121, but it says to put 2 cups of fertilizer/cubic foot of soil. That seems outrageous...I'd need a ton of this stuff. I guess I'll go back to liquid ferts.

Yes, please...LOL Evelyn cuttings and cheaper tones. :) :) You are a true friend. :) :) Have the gophers (?) left your other roses/plants alone? Probably hard to tell with the icky weather you're having...you're huddled inside eating ice cream. :) Ooooh...I've got to put Pralines and Cream ice cream on the grocery list! Our weather is not very nice either. It's -4C/25F feels like -9C/16F. Vertigo is still bothering me. I've almost fallen over a few times. But that's just getting up...once I'm up, I'm not too bad. Or in bed...really dizzy turning over. I'm going to go for a therapeutic massage this week...maybe he can fix my neck. Yes, I've been reading the Carruth stuff from Ben....so interesting. Carruth is my favorite hybridizer.

Beautiful roses...the calendula is the exact same shade as your Bernstein rose...mmmmm :) :)

Diane, thanks for posting the picture of The Bernstein rose.

I have one because of your recommendation. I should have given it a year in a pot to grow it up a bit .

It is slowly growing but growing it is . I cant wait to see those yummy blooms, hopefully soon

Diane, it's on another thread but can't remember which now, but am so pleased you've ordered Double Easy Orange.

Oh, Diane ordered her long lusted after Double Easy Orange? Awesome!

@susan9santabarbara I’ve been to Otto’s and I love it. I check their weekly list from time to time and just noticed it. there aren’t any names. Just colors. Top are the DA’s below them are the non branded English Garden Roses. Abe is in their catalog but I think it says out of stock. I will look through there and see if there are names. I’m wondering if they’re DA’s where the patent ran out. Maybe I will go there this weekend.

AllSass - lots of good Austins there! Let us know which ones you get!

My dad fell twice today (different city than I'm in)...been on the phone talking and figuring things out. I'm just going to say that and maybe talk tomorrow. Stay rosy everyone. :)

💛 I'm sorry, Carol. I hope everything will be okay .

Prayer for wisdom as you decide what to do .

Thanks, Kristine and Librarian. My dad is good now. Hopefully he'll be more careful. He needs to walk with a walker now and he is stubborn.

Roses are going to start going in and out on Thursday or Friday!!!