A strange spring
A cool and wet spring has led to some odd timings this year. Some of my roses are not looking their best and some seem happier than ever. Erinnerung an Brod usually blooms with the apple blossoms, but this year is blooming when the tree is bare:
La Belle Sultane is usually late, but this year is early:
Irene Bonnet can sometimes take on a grayish, dusky tinge. It's not at its best this year:
With Fred Howard:
Bon Silene is reaching higher and higher:
I'm attempting the radical pruning method for Félicité-Perpétue as described on HMF. Still buds for now:
Some old hybrid teas are looking good this year. La Jolla:
The Doctor with baby grapes:
Alec's Red:
Lastly, I'm beginning to think Dr. Rouges is just plain ugly:
Comments (9)
Melissa Northern Italy zone 8
11 days agoRelated Discussions
Need advice from East Coast organic gardeners
Comments (5)I have yet to get any significant blossom blight, but my impression of the brown rot lifecycle is it is easiest to shut it out early than to try to fight it later in the season. The only year I ever had bad brown rot was last year, and there were horrible continuous warm rains last spring and I did not spray very much then either. Previous years I had done many more spring sprays (trying to shut down a bad case of shot-hole) and I never had brown rot then. Since last year was so bad I did one spray of Orbit at pink and plan on using the Saf-T-Side/Serenade combo for the rest of the summer. Scott...See MoreUpdate on Sum and Substance and a few others
Comments (17)Mocc, I have been wanting to get a Full Moon but haven't found any for sale around here. Maybe I will have to order one online. I really love the pictures I have seen of that one. I want a yellow/orange colored one really bad! I like your Short Fat Fanny too! Great name for it! Dmkelly, I say go for it! The first JM that I planted was a really small noid red one that I bought for less than $10 and not long after it was planted my new puppy chewed it to a twig. I grew back and then the next year, I accidentally broke it off again while cleaning out the garden. The poor little thing perservered and now 17 years later is a beautiful tree. I thought for sure it was a goner! Linda...See MoreWhat seeds should I save?
Comments (7)it might be a little early for plantaginea... give it another two weeks.. or peek down in there and see if the flowers are just forming ... pick a plant... since you don't have streakers... in a size and shape that pleases you ... if you can get a plant in the size and shape you like.. you can always take its pollen.. in future years.. and put it onto one of the reliable streakers ... too many people do it backwards .... genetics are sooo variable... get size.. get shape... ruffles... crinkles.. etc ... and when you have perfected it.. the easiest part.. is to put its pollen onto the streaker to get an edge on it ... all you need is 20 years.. lol ken...See MoreI Have Spring Blooms
Comments (21)Thanks for looking and for your comments. Mel, you are right about this winter and late spring. I've had plants killed and frozen to the ground that survived the winter of '09 which was much colder. I think that it just stayed below freezing longer this time. It is forecast to reach 92 today, then be 51 Thursday morning. Crazy! Jim...See Morebart bart
11 days agoMelissa Northern Italy zone 8
11 days ago
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
11 days agoFormerly RBEHS Z10A/S17
10 days ago
Formerly RBEHS Z10A/S17 thanked comtessedelacouche (10b S.Australia: hotdryMedclimate)Formerly RBEHS Z10A/S17
4 days agoThis photo from today shows better what I'm talking about with the shading on Irene Bonnet. Maybe gray is not the best way to describe it. At the bottom of the photo, the bloom in the shade has the dusky coloring that can sometimes pop up.
But that said Irene really kicked into gear over the past week and is looking glorious right now.
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
4 days ago
Melissa Northern Italy zone 8