Diane, I would check out Carding Mill. personally, I think the blooms look better than double Ambre? And you know Austins do so well for you. Scentous is beautiful but, to me, looks similar to Ashley that you just planted? I am personally not a fan of the colors in Eustacia BUT from everyone ive heard it’s a GREAT rose ( so would probably be phenomenal in your garden). Have you ever looked at Grace? I saw that one at the DA gardens and it was a really unique rose! I wish i had pictures of my Carding Mill. I planted it this spring and it was already a big blooming machine. Unfortunately, we left to go to Bahrain for a year at the end of June, so I can't say how well it did all the time. BUT with literally zero care except irrigation the person who feeds the cats sent me a picture and it was still blooming like crazy and huge in September. So far I'm impressed with this rose. I'd say top three of the thirty roses i planted this spring!!

I can't wait to see Victorian Secret in ya'lls gardens!!!!!! I wish there were more photos online. SO beautiful!!!!!!!!

PeachTree I love the story! Grandmas are the best. I planted a white peach like a month after we moved into our house!! unfortunately it gets too much shade :( but the blooms in the spring are so lovely.

Lily, that's another Dianne (with two n's. She lives in the next county over, according to my friend who lives in that area.

Sophia, I'll take another look at Carding Mill. I did check it out on HMF, and the color wasn't as deep as I wanted. Edwards may be carrying it which would really make it tempting. I'm very interested in the Japanese rose, Myabi, but I'm not sure when to get it.

Carol, the auger idea is a good one. Maybe Ray has something that could drill out the blasted tree roots.....No, that's not Jemma's kind of art at all. I'm the rabbit and animal person. She's really into photography and just got herself a hideously expensive telephoto lens. Last night, she took pics of the "Wolf Moon", and I haven't even gotten to see them. Yes, I think Scentuous is gorgeous. I'll never get this down to just one rose. It sounds like Teddy and I are good at scaring the heck out of squirrels. You should have seen the one I yelled at run off. He was trying to get into the ultimate squirrel proof feeder, as I mentioned. The deer keep pooping in the back yard and leaving tracks in the mud. They'll be at the roses as soon as there is anything to munch on them. Out comes the repellent.

Peachy, I love that last illustration. It's so Wind in the Willows. I need to get my book out and re-read that wonderful classic. Diane

A photo of a watercolor of a rabbit i made many years ago. Sorry about the reflections. It's hung in an inaccessible spot for photography, so the pic is tilted.

Since i have no roses right now here's some teapot roses 🙈 Anyone else love teapot roses/ chintz??

Sophia, I was a huge collector of teapots and other china for many years, and of course, they sport many a rose. I need to take some photos. A favorite is Billingsley Rose by Spode; I've got a few chintz pieces but no teapot. Your chintz above is so beautiful. For now I'll show a couple of demitasse. I took a lot of photos of those last year and still have them in an album. I just need to photograph so many things here--antique dolls, jewelry, etc, and I don't seem to be getting it done. At my age, I should be selling it all, especially the dolls. But Sophia, I'm a great reader, too, and I spend a lot of time at it. Maybe that's why I'm not getting my collections photographed. Diane

The table is hand painted in roses by an artist in western Oregon and was shipped to Boise.

Most of these pieces and the next after this are Austrian and were my grandmother's pattern. She died in 1912. The Lenox pieces in back are not antique.

Anitique demitasse. RS Prussia? These were made before 1890.

Rosenthal Germany demitasse.

Child's set, pre 1890, possibly RS Prussia.

Diane, I used to spend hours drooling over china like yours, but I've reached the age of getting rid of stuff - except for roses of course :) Looking at the watercolour of the rabbit, I marvel at your talent(s).

Sophia, I'm drooling over your scones as well as your china. Love that teapot.

berrypie/peachtree/Linda good to hear from you. I love those illustrations, especially the second one. Isn't it odd that the expression is 'head over heels'? 'Heels over head' seems more appropriate :)

I had a message from Lisa on Instagram. She says to say hello. She's had to give up her home and garden, as she could no longer manage the garden, but has two beautiful granddaughters now. She still has Sebastian, who is 18 now, and the ever-irrepressible Millie visits often.

It's pouring here. The sky darkened a few minutes ago and a wind whipped up. Quite dramatic.

Trish

Trish, thank you. I should surprise you with a big shipment of china. Then getting rid of the stuff would be your problem. My daughter has her own china collections, plus we share a lot of it, or used to when I had tea parties, which is another thing I don't do anymore. Jemma has some interest in my little gimcracks (don't you like than Victorian word?), but I don't think she's into teapots, etc. I don't think Clare is much interested in any of it......How nice you received that message from Lisa, but I'm saddened at the physical challenges she must be having. I think of her a lot, especially when the orlaya comes up. She got me started on it with a gift of seed. Take care, Lisa, we miss you so much. Diane

Lisa, we miss you.

Evelyn in the orlaya

Diane has tempted me with Double Ambre, and I’m seriously considering placing an order with Jackson & Perkins. While browsing, I also came across a few others that caught my eye: Sugar Plum, Crescendo, April in Paris, English Coral, and Malibu.

The only challenge is that all of these seem to be exclusives, and there’s not much information available about them. I’d love to hear from anyone who has experience growing any of these roses. How do they perform in terms of bloom size, fragrance, repeat, and overall growth habit?

Is there anything else from J&P that I must grab?

Lily, I love my Double Easy Orange (Orange Dude), and I like the looks of Golden Zest, which Ben grows and has recommended. I think it's prettier than the Austin, Bring Me Sunshine. I know there's something else from J&P I wanted to mention, but I can't remember. I'll check their site for it. I've only got the Orange Dude, but was very pleased with it right from the start as a bare root. And it's a Tom Carruth rose. It's a total continuous bloomer for months on end. I think it will be a medium sized rose when it finishes its third year. It fook off like a rocket and started blooming immediately. Diane

Diane- What a gorgeous rose!!!! I knew you would be able to tempt me with a few more. I saw you also have a gorgeous Angel Face. Sugar Plum is supposed to be similar but with bigger repeat.

Berry/Peachtree/Linda -- such cute little goats! I think Sultry calls the baby goats buckles? or bucklings? I just prefer babies! Is Amara very gentle with the babies? You named your hen soup? :-0 . You don't need a rabbit to ride -- you have Amara! I appreciate you telling the story of your grandmother's peach tree from a pit. But I get a PIT in my stomach when I think about what was lost!

Victorian Secret looks...intriguing...could be one of those roses that always delights with a changing color show -- or could be steady and dependable -- or could become garish. Keep us posted!

Diane -- I've grown Scentuous and Eustacia Vye. I loved Scentuous so much the first year that I bought a 2nd, but then I learned that my bushes would sort of sulk and get ugly after a first glorious flush. And then last year it looked really bad (but a lot of stalwarts did -- we had that crazy wet winter followed by a very damp, almost sunless May/June). So I pulled her out, but then didn't have the heart to get rid of her, so I put her in a pot. And then she perked up and bloomed like a maniac, even in shade. So I think I might just keep her in a pot. She had 3 years (maybe 4? but I think 3) in the ground. One planted as bare root, and the other as a 5 gallon plant later that same season. I gave away the 5 gallon one. It's the original bare root that's now in the pot. Eustacia Vye took her time getting started that first year -- but she came in April as a bare root for cry eye. Even in the past 2 wet, wet, wet winters and then the really bad May Gray and June Gloom, she was super healthy and bloomed and her flowers were gorgeous. And not long octopus canes with nary a flower. Nope. Largely upright (but not stiffly so). I have a 2nd one coming this year, and only hope it lives up to the first EV! I'll have to look up the double ambre. Ask Ben about Carding Mill. You know how clever he is...well, when he described Carding Mill as looking like a big piece of fresh salmon, he kind of ruined it for me. Everytime I looked at my carding mill, I saw a big slab of salmon after that! But I actually got rid of CM because it had a huge spring flush, then almost nothing until end of December -- it would set a ton of buds just when it was time to prune. I just figured that life is too short for me to have CM sitting there like a big fat salmon and not blooming most of the year. Speaking of Ben -- I got a free rose from Otto's -- and I planted it yesterday. But Ben's name for it is stuck in my head already -- Summer Nomance. It didn't bloom a lot for him. One thing Ben and I disagree on is Julie Andrews. I think he was unimpressed and did a fun little song from Sound of Music -- can't remember which exactly -- but mine is beautiful and makes me sooo happy. Did you ever grow Lady Emma Hamilton? That and another one really caught my eye at Otto's. I think one of the others was Brass Band. And...I'll have to go back and look at my pics to think of the other one. Love your illustration of the little rabbit! Unfortunately, I'm Mr. McGregor...

Trish -- thanks for the update on Lisa. I still remember Lilyfinch going to help her. And Lisa is the reason I have a Mel's Heritage on my slope -- which has put all its energy into growing, so I'm hoping I get a big bloom this year.

Lovely china collection, Diane. I have a big set of china that my Dad brought back from Japan for his mom when he was stationed there. It's got a huge pink rose in the center of the plate. It's not my favorite style, but it is dear to me b/c my dad chose it for his mom. And there's a lot of it!

Lily - I almost ordered Crescendo based on J&P's marketing -- some gorgeous photos! But then I read some reviews and saw some other photos, and figured I'd give it a pass. April in Paris looks gorgeous, too! J&P has some nice ones! I think there's a yellow one there at Ben highly recommends. Diane will probably remember the name. I'm growing the Double Easy Orange, which Diane calls the Orange Dude, which I'm now calling Abiding Orange -- and it's a very pretty, highly scented, super healthy little bush! I got it on clearance, bare root -- in May! Or June! And I"m in So Cal, where bare root is in January! So I put it in a pot in the shade and it did well, and I just planted it in the garden a couple of weeks ago. It's already recovered and thinks Spring has sprung. {edit} I took so long to catch up on everything I missed that Diane already talked about these things! doh!

Okay -- catch up time. Re my query about Connie's Sandstorm -- I have just had to shoehorn roses in to my already full garden, so I gave up on "ideal" and just went with where things will fit. Sadly, I don't think I can fit a rose in where I originally thought to put CS. So I'll stick a plant there, like a catmint or something. But I did take out my pomegranate and a big shrub to create more room for roses -- so now have planted (kind of in a row, but not a straight row, and interplanted with salvias, etc.) -- Summer Nomance, Connie's Sandstorm, and Sitting Pretty. Behind them is a Wollerton Old Hall, and next to Summer Nomance will be Princesse CdM, and to the side/front of Sitting Pretty will be Jude t O. What a mishmash. Oh well. Sometimes the things I shoehorn in end up looking perfect. Sometimes not. We'll see. I also moved the bright red dahlia that clashed with Eustacia. And I called DA to see if they unearthed any extra Lady Emma Hamiltons -- but no. And that's how I found out that I didn't just order 3 roses in September -- I ordered 4! I'd forgotten about the 4th! I may have to cancel that. I mean... I have Evelyn, another EV, and Gentle Hermione coming -- but apparently I also lost my head and ordered a Brother Cadfael. I still have roses that need planting to get out of pots...and rapidly running out of room! I also have The Dylan Rose and Sweet Mademoiselle coming from Menagerie. I gave away one of Mill on the Floss (from a cutting), Apricot Candy, and Desiree. They were nice, but I didn't *love* them. So off they go! I know where I'll put Sweet Mademoiselle. Not sure about Dylan, GH, Evelyn, 2nd EV. Plus, I still have to plant my Augusta Luise (thriving -- came from a cutting from Straw), Reine Victoria, my 2nd climbing High Hopes (from a cutting), Felicia, St. Elisabeth of Hungary, my 2nd Jude (from a cutting), Sespe Sunrise...I think I'm forgetting a couple... ANYWAY -- what am I going to do with all these roses??? Should I cancel one of the DAs?

Okay -- so back to garden update and less crazy dithering. This is the Abiding Orange aka Orange Dude aka Double Easy Orange a few days ago.

This is July Andrews -- more deeply saturated colors than is usual.

Love Song after many days of crazy winds (the same winds driving the wildfires - though no fire here, and winds not *quite* as strong - we usually get the crazy winds a day before L.A.):

Ball Gown Romantica

Ruth Clements -- after being open in the garden for over a week, enduring all the crazy winds (some gusts over 55 mph), and now 2nd day in vase. Much paler than when first opened, and lacking the 2-tone usual in this rose - but incredible staying power!

These are my kind of peppers! Easy to grow and easy to eat! These are called lunchbox orange!

Okay -- don't enlarge the tag or put on your glasses. Just read the tag fast. Everytime I pass this pot I think it says "moron" ross. I know it doesn't. It's Marion Ross. The lovely and talented actress (played Mrs. C on Happy Days). When I give her a bigger pot in a few days I will write my own tag. And then no more moron.

I found this unexpected hip on Augusta Luise. Do you think it got ripe enough? Should I try to grow the seeds? She was in the front garden, surrounded by so many lovely roses -- might be worthwhile? How hard is it to grow roses from seeds? I stuck it in the ground to make it upright for this photo. I just remembered I left it there. I hope it's still there tomorrow morning!

Ruth Clements when she'd only been open a day or two.

T

DDinSB my sister called the little boy goat a buckling and the baby girl a doeling, they're just kids to me. Amara hasn't been out to the farm yet but no doubt she would treat the little ones as puppies.

My velvet red Francis Dubreuil is planted next to the big piece of Salmon Mill - Francis has got to be moved...

Gentle Hermione looks beautiful in photos, there's not much heard about it. I hope you like yours and tell us more.

All these from Otto's --

Eyeconic Mango Lemonade

Brass Band

Lady Emma Hamilton

The Dylan Rose

Peach/Berry/Lynda -- ha ha ! you made me smile. Salmon Mill!!! 😜

Thank you Trish for the update on Lisa. She is such a doll! I'm glad she has 2 grandchildren. I think of Lisa and Ingrid often, wondering how they are doing.

Diane - you really are talented!! I can't imagine having the skill to paint that bunny. :) :) I think you should go heavy duty and hire someone with a truck auger. They have really long arms. And if their machines harms one of the too many trees you have...well, it's not your fault. Slip the worker some money. lol Well, when you see the moon pics, show them here if she'll let you. LOL The Dian-nihilator for squirrels!! I would like to have seen that. :) Will the deer poop be good fertilizer for your garden? Yup, it's good you don't have much summer rain so you don't have to apply the repellent very often.

Sophia - rosey teapots...I don't collect them, but I love pictures of them. Yours are wonderful...and I want that jammy confection. Yum!

Diane - that's such a beautiful collection...the one I love the most is the Rosenthal Germany demitasse. I love the first pic with your roses and that very special table. Your orlaya and roses are a nice tribute to Lisa. I looked up the word "gimcracks" and it doesn't apply to your treasures...gimcracks are cheap and showy. Yours aren't cheap...but they are showy. :) Yes, tempt Lily with your Orange Dude. :) :)

Trish - thanks for telling us about Lisa, and it is a sad change. Thankfully she has other blessings in her life. <3

Deborah - you posted so much!! I love it! :) :) Ugh...a big piece of fresh salmon. Oh well. Yes, life is too short to have roses that don't bloom well. :) :) And then, Summer Nomance. My daughter is like you in that way. For example, I can't tell her that I don't like the taste of something that I made...a little too much of a certain spice or whatever...she'll forever think of that and never eat it again. So I have to keep my mouth shut. Which is fine...she's worth it. :) I'm super glad that you love Julie Andrews. :) :) I think it's so pretty. I love the name Abiding Orange that you came up with. We could merge yours and Diane's and go with "Abiding Orange Dude." lol Not so much.

Deborah - that's a great looking Abiding Orange Dude bloom!! It's such a vivacious rose! Oh, I can see why your Julie Andrews rose makes you happy!! So cheerfully beautiful!! Love Song is a great bloomer for you and I'm in total love with your Ball Gown!!!!!! SWOON!!! Moron rose!!! Yes, that's what it looks like. lol A new tag is definitely in order. lol Gosh, Dylan's Rose steals the show with those countless blooms!! Brad sure does know how to breed great roses! I've never seen Eyeconic Mango Lemonade...it's really beautiful!! I'm surprised by how much I love it. I don't usually like the Eyeconic look. Although, I do have Easy on the Eyes and love that one. LEH looks like a great rose too.

I took pictures of my glass houses that I decorate with twinkle lights for Christmas. Yes, I still have my Christmas stuff up. lol The glass maker who made the houses wants to put a picture of our houses on her website.

Since I have the pictures, I may as well show them here...a little late...but..

Deborah, i have gentle Hermione, and i would NOT recommend her. Shes actually in one of the few spots that do get full sun and she has one major flush in spring and then like two meager other ones. Her flowers shatter fast. Thrips loveeeeee her. The smell is unique but besides that not worth it. I had gotten her for 12 dollars in the discount bin ( was obviously very excited to find any DA that cheap!). This will be year four for her. Id cancel her if you are short on space. LOVE the pics of all the flowers! How does Ball gown romantica do for you?? Shes so beautiful. I realllllllllllllyyyyyyyy want LEH and am very frustrated with DA being so stingy with her. Of course none of my local nurseries carry her either. last year we drove two hours away to check surrounding nurseries and no luck. ugh. I am also curious if Diane ever grew her!!!!?? When we come back im thinking of trying to get certificates to get Summer Song and Emma Bridgewater back from England. Anyone have any experience with that?

here is GH. First pic is year three second pic is year 2. As you can see not very impressive.

Diane, SWOON😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 love it!!!!!!! I think my favorite is your grandmother’s set! How lovely that you got that heirloom to remember her by!! I love old pieces that tell a story. I am in love with that unique table!!! how wonderful!!! How did you ever manage to not get it all banged up with kids and grandkids???? How do you display all your china and dolls? I’d love some good ideas! Right now I have one china cabinet that i display my teacups and teapots in. I'm

thinking of mixing in some madame Alexander dolls or would that be a weird mix? When you get time/ feel like it do post any pics of any gorgeous china and dolls! Dont get rid of them!!!! its such a wonderful collection!!! AHHH TEAPARTIES!!! They're the best. The picture above was from a " tea party" my 3.5 year old son requested. My daughter actually ate so much clotted cream it filled her nose and she was struggling to breathe 😂😂😂 A girl after my own heart. She's such a goose! I love tea rooms and wish they were more popular in America. At least your daughter is into the china! That's wonderful that you guys have something special to share together. Does she share your artistic talents as well??

titian1, Do you ever miss all the china or are you glad to have gotten rid of it? Were you ever into collecting anything else? Or just roses?

rosecanadian, thank you!!! I made the scones and was very pleasantly surprised with how they came out! I used the BBC recipe which was a little vague to my normal metric of baking ( aka everything is weighed to the gram) and this was more add milk until it's the right consistency. I felt like i was getting a recipe from my great grandmother who was always oh add a pinch of this or a teacup of that until you get this consistency. Trying to make her biscuits is a lost art at this point 😂 i love your glass houses! How cool!!!!! Isn't it so wonderful to support artists?? They're a beautiful display!

Diane, I copied a part of your post and sent it to Lisa

Carol, those glass houses are delightful.

Deborah, great to read your posts.

So many roses I've never heard of. I love the look of Eyeconic Mango Lemonade in particular.

Cold, windy and rainy here after it being hot, dry and very humid for quite a while. Something in between would be nice.

Beautiful China, Ladies!

Sophia, Lovely rose teapot set! My fave is the biscuit with cream cheese and jam! Yum!

Diane, Lovely china collection! Thank you for sharing! Your artistic squirell painted is dreamy! But the cutest is your squirrel probably caught trying to steal your bird seed! 🤪😇

Deborah, Lovely rose photos, esp. Dylans is soooo big, too! And love your, ”Moron rose!” Oh, I mean Marion Ross! Lol!

Carol, Beautiful lighted houses! What a gorgeous collection!

Kristine,

Chickens sound nice and cuddly! And eggs sound scrumptous! Azalea will love both!

Prunning time, already!

Peachy-Berry pie,

Yum! How about a peach and berry tart with whipped cream and blueberries/raspberries?

I love your seasonal pictures! Riding rabbits! Is that now the new sport? Send one to my yard and Anastasia will go crazy chasing it!

Btw, last evening was a nightmare w/ Anastasia, hee, hee! We were walking twice in backyard in the dark about 6pm and 7pm. 6pm, 7pm & , 7:30pm and we walked up really close to 2,neighbor cats nestled next to my burlapped roses. The cats ran off really fast & Anastasia went crazy with excitement! (Usually I see the cats and we dont get that close so they would not spring & run! She usually obeys & leaves them alone.) Afterwards, Anastasia didn’t want to stay in the house! She’d come inside and pace & bark….. and have small accidents on the towel in hallway wood floor, if I saw her going in circles, I’d take her out again on leash-she’d gova little ousude then hunt for cats!!!-it was ridiculous….. she’d have a sip of water, bark oace and go a little accident in floor otr towel, again and again! Too excited!!!. Then as soon as we went outside, she’d hubt again. Then come inside, bark, pace, have an accident in floor 3 times-do it all again. . I took her out many times!!! Totally ridiculous! Never happened before! Finally I locked her w/ me in the bedroom 10pm and said,”Go to bed ” And she gave up. Poidles are hunting digs! She loves to hunt! My nerotic poddle-I think next time I’ll put her in playpen if ever happens again! She wint have an accident in there.

Carol, Oh Oh!!! Can’t forget the weather!!!! Please send me your warmth! 40sF-how fabulous! How dreamy! I want some, please?

CAROL, DIANE,

it’s a warm today26F,

Friday 37F!!!!!! My WARMTH!!! LOL!

But ARTIC -POLAR VORTEX COMING ON SUNDAY:, M, T, W nights low 12F, 3F, 1F, 8F the worst in years!!!! (Sun, M, T,W : Highs 22, 16, 12, 23.F.)

PRAY FOR ME AND TGE NORTH, MIDWEST AND SOUTHERN STATES getting this ploar blast! We need warmth. My sm roses have burlap but I am dumping a2 bags fresh warm dry soil around them, again, too for extra insulation.

Then back to 26-31F for afuture week.

Can’t wait until Jan ends!!!!

FEB is WARMER!!! ———————-

MY NEW APPLE 16 PRO cell phone takes fabulous artistic photography & use is quick and easy! To upgrade to new cell just ask Apple to add $10 to your phone bill-new phone costs almost nothing! (Has telephoto lens, takes action birds in flight perfect! Just like my $1000 canon camera, only better!!!”

Gelato rose, from A&A

Wants some Gelato , Italian Ice Cream with a raspberry twirl? When A&A delivers I can finally enjoy a little taste of Italy!

YUM!

Doesn’t an ice cream sunday sound good today! Maybe topped with hot fudge on the rasoberries and gelato?

Deborah, I was so happy to see your photos of Brass Band. That’s one I ordered with J&P for this spring after seeing Ben’s recommendation for it, but I’ve never seen it in person. I also like LEH, but you already know that. ;) And I have seen pictures of the Eyeconic Mango Lemonade many times but nothing as beautiful as your photos! I think I might like it.

judijunebugarizonazn8 now that you mention it i should have kept my LEH, she just seemed too bright for my watercolor garden at the time. Maybe you will meet someone willing to share cuttings while you are out and about, I used to strike up conversation at the nursery and with neighbors finding homes for my over abundance of plants. Only nightmarish Autumn Damask was worthy of the dumpster last Fall in it's 12th year of saber rattling - a very good goodbye.

Diane it would have been so wonderful if a company had manufactured your designs on teapots and cups , I would have loved a rabbit teapot.

Carol I would want to leave the little lighted houses up year round.

Kitty I'm sorry it was such a stressful situation with Anastasia , that's a challenge. Amara's wild side surfaces too when she sees stray cats out in the yard. I just don't want her to run after a cat through the flowerbed and get thorned.

We are on the verge of arctic weather too expecting around 5 degrees at night this weekend. I figure what the roses do is up to them. Lucky roses that are safe indoors with you.

Sophia - Your Gentle Hermione blooms are lovely, but I hear what you say about it. :) Such persistence over LEH...I really hope you can find one. Good luck! I looked up Madame Alexander dolls...they're a nice size to go with teacups. :) Oh my goodness about the clotted cream (I googled that...interesting...do you add sugar?) Scones...yes, that's the word that my brain couldn't find. lol YUM! Yes, it does do my heart good to support local artists. :) :) My husband gets me a new house every year. I'm not sure how many I'll get...when is too many. lol None of us know that...roses...too many? Nah.

Thanks, Trish. :)

Kitty - oh my goodness...I agree...what a nightmarish mess. Anastasia!! I wonder if next time you show her that you're hiding cookies in the house and she can redirect her hunting with hunting for cookies. May not work. Or a squeaky toy (the squeak represents the sound of a dying mouse) throwing session. Anyway...ugh. Poor you. Thanks about my glass houses! :) :) Our weather is going to get colder soon for a few days...-13C/9C. Nights colder. Hopefully your cold spell won't last very long. Spring is coming...hold on. :) I hope your roses do okay. My goodness...I looooooove Gelato!! What a gorgeous rose!!

GRF HAVING ANOTHER SALE FOR EVERYONE!!!!!

ALL ROSES 20% OFF!!!!

BUY 4 ROSES-get a free gift 5th rose(3 gift choices.) ——————————————————-

I almost bought 4 roses, but I bought 3 more roses @ 20% discount. Cost $140 total. (shipping was $20.)

ADD these 3 new roses to my spring delivery April 21., GRF:

Notting Hill
Jan Spek Rozen, The Netherlands

Mansfield Park Pink spray, VIP ROSES, The Netherlands

Victorian Bride, Dummen Orange, The Netherlands

For my NY humid & iceberg (Brrrrrrr) weather, Jan Spek’s Georgia Peach, Netherlands, did well for me. So I am trying more Netherland roses!

Cab we cut out the stories of dogs hunting down neighbor's cats? You know our cougars and numerous coyote packs around here do the same to dogs. Not a pleasant topic. Diane

My 3 roses came from Plantroses, Etsy. They are smaller than usual, 8 inches tall, so I put them in tiny pots.

Victorian Wedding rose, VIP Roses, The Netherlands (Big blooms!) (Now the smallest baby rose.)

Kensington Gardens

Edouard Manet

They are going in living room bay window next to BIG grow light. It’s warmer & more light. They may grow faster! When they leaf I may need to put in cooler kitchen to keep away bugs. Good News-they all have many red nodes-hope to see leaves soon!

I surprised myself. I didn’t know Vict. Wedding rose was different than Vict. Bride. So now I have both. 🤪🥀😊⛄️

My very cute but very naughty dog decided to stand on my pots today and my Purple Lodge now looks like this. Is there anything I can do for it or should I cut it off and hope it comes back?

I would splint it back together with tape and hope or the best. If you put it back together and stake it firmly the rose may heal.

My Pat Austin rose got split like that last spring. I pushed it back together and taped it with electrical tape..Hubby took a piece of PVC pipe and drove it into the ground and we tied it to the pipe with green plastic tomato tape to keep it from moving while it healed. It did grow back together and is doing fine. Bloomed alot all summer and fall.

Sophia, I mostly spent hours ogling china in shops, without buying. This Royal Doulton potty was given to me by my sil 50 years ago. It was from her brother's antique shop in the UK. I inherited a set of four blue and gold cups and saucers from my mil (I think Royal Doulton) and gave them to a great niece as she loves and uses them.

And I have a full 8 piece Rosenthal dinner set, cups and saucers, jugs etc which my children have no interest in :(

Kitty, I'm interested in seeing how your new roses get on. There are so many beauties.

Some photos from today. After weeks of hot, windy and very humid it has turned rainy, cool and very windy. These ones stand up to anything, seemingly.

Sparkle & Shine, with Mystic Spires salvia peeking in

Raspberry Cupcake with tons of healthy, new growth

The Opportunity Rose

Trish

Thank you for your advice, Sheila and Sultry_Jasmine! I’ll give splinting a try—I never would have considered that as an option.

I have a friend who uses Chamber Pots for chicken waterers lol. She buys old fancy victorian ones that have a chip or small blemish from ebay etc. She has quite a collection of them. Her hens love them lol.

Bless you, BerryPie/ Peachtree/Linda for thinking of ways for me to acquire LEH. It looks like I may have a way to get one in March! I found a nursery in Fresno that has a few and I have a cousin in the area whom I can call on to pick it up for me when it’s ready. The nursery doesn’t ship, but I get back and forth to California often and will be able to pick it up on my way through.

Bear with me. I'm looking through albums trying to find more china photos, but I kept finding interesting oddball stuff instead. Orange Belted Bumblebee on a coneflower center. All these pics taken by granddaughter Clare with the old camera I use.

Purple Emperor Butterfly Bush back in the day when this flower bed was still pretty wild. I still grow a couple of this type BB.

A panicle of PE.

Brother Cadfael luxuriating with the peonies--Sarah Bernhardt (1900) and Festiva Maxima. (1890)

Moon over desert hills.

Blueberry Hill, a Tom Carruth rose.

A bloom of the Eastern Snowball, a viburnum.

Judi-That is quite lucky! I hope Lady Emma loves your garden.

A favorite hollyhock.

Jude the Obscure and Frederic Mistral

Close up of Augusta Luise

Big Purple which is magenta not purple.

Campanula carpatica

Easy Does It

Morden Sunrise for Carol

Still no china. All the photos so far were taken by Clare years ago. I no longer grow Blueberry Hill, Frederic Mistral, or Big Purple.

Sisters Fairytale, Kordes, which I no longer grow.

Husker Red penstemon and bumble bee.

Antique English Transferware.

Vase is Rosenthal. White rabbit is Royal Copenhagen, which my mother got while in Denmark.

Wild bed mostly Four O'Clocks and snapdragons.

Itsy Bitsy white spider.

Droopy Blue Bayou.

Natural hybrid snaps. Love the crazy colors.

Kitty - I love Notting Hill and Victorian Bride!!! Talk about gorgeous!! SWOON!!!! Kensington Gardens is beautiful too!!

Lily - oof - that's quite the break. I've never tried splinting (good idea, Sheila)...but it does sound like it could work.

Sultry - so splinting does work! Incredible what nature can do given a chance. I love that about the chamber pots and chickens. lol I find it delightful to use nice/pretty things for everyday uses that way I get to see them more often.

Trish - I've never seen such a blue salvia!! What a color!! And the blue is wonderful with S&S's yellow. :) The Opportunity Rose is doing really well for you...talk about a great bloomer!

Judi - YAY!! You might be getting a LEH this year!! I'm super happy for you. :) :)

Diane - I love when you post bumblebee pics. :) :) What a clear shot of her. Oh, I really love that butterfly bush...maybe my favorite non rose plant that you have!! I looked it up and it's zone 5...so I can't get one. Thanks for showing us this beautiful plant. :) Panicle...I've never known that word before. Hopefully I can remember it. Would a bloom from a lilac be called a Panicle? You have such beautiful surroundings...the moon over the desert hills...what a lonely looking scape...but so lovely. I wonder if my Snowball will bloom this summer... 3rd year. Morden Sunrise...such lovely, soft colors....mmmm Thank you!! :) :) I'm excited to be getting mine!! I love that bowl!!! It's always nice to see you use your beautiful things. :) :) Crab spiders seem to be everywhere. :) They eat bees though. Booo. The color on your Blue Bayou is exquisite!! Too many wonderful things to comment on. lol But keep the pics coming. Good night. :) :)

Thank you so much, Carol. I started out wanting to comment on all the lovely roses posted by Trish and Kitty, and to chat a bit with Sophia about china and porcelain and my lifelong crazy collecting. And I got bogged down in old photos. But it cheered me up to see them, and I'm reading an incredibly sad book which has some wonderful happy bits, too. It's my second time to read it, so I knew it pretty well, and it still, and I admit it, made me cry. And I'm not a big sobber when reading or viewing movies. Oh, well. Good night to you, too, and everyone have a great day tomorrow. It's going to be cold here. Diane

I dont know if splinting always works but it works much better if you can do it as soon as possible after the break occurs. If it gets too dried out inside, the chances go down for it healing.

Lily,

Best wishes with splinting your rose cane! Hope it is fresh.

Sultry,

Is there a healing cream one can use to put on the canes before fusing back together?

Diane,

What a glorious display of spring & summer nature photos ! Feels like sunshine is around the corner and plants will soon burst into beauty! Brightens our day! Thank you! Lovely china and bunny, too!

Trish,

Your china is beautiful, too! Sooo enjoyable to post a few decorative pieces to spice up our long winter. A cup of tea & vases of roses to brighten the spirits!

I oughta add my china pieces….. maybe later. My new antique vase was delivered few days ago for Loli spray! Loli is just a new baby, but has many many small canes-looks healthy and leaves! ….. I’ll take a photo soon.

Carol,

Thank you! The new roses are some lovely bloomers! Notting Hill is a great medium peach-pink , medium fragrance, cold hardy spray rose from the Netherlands, zone 5. Maybe in the furure you may like a florist rose from the Netherlands? Or other florist roses? I’ll have to check fragrances to find you some strongly perfumed ones. Then Rose Explosion may be an option.

I have 4 baby roses in tiny pots which may takes all season to grow-I may transplant to bigger pots, but may not plant in ground until spring 2026. They are soooo small now… above photos posted. I am hopeful they will grow leaves from nodes soon. However, many of my kitchen roses have thick mature canes & will be great to plant in the garden this season.

My green house arrived in a tall box. We ill set it up on April 1st. maybe .

I am making a little change coming up. Going back to MK Cosmetic Consultant sales…. skincare, artistry! I never get enough art! I have been”playing all morning with colors, skincare products. Art, music, fashion, gardening roses….. love the artistic world! Message me if you need something. (please forgive….just thought I’d mention my career change, just once.) 😊🥀⛄️

Still Dreaming of Roses Blooming…..

Victorian Secret

Dummen Orange, Netherlands

(To brighten Our Day with Sunshine )

(Etsy photos)

My new plant has thick canes growing in the living room-no leaves, just a few nodes, yet.)

Carol, I havent heard of any type of healing cream to fuse the stems/trunk back together. There could be one out there that I dont know about though lol. Good question!

Both of my new Greenstalk Vertical Plant Towers that I ordered less than a week ago, just arrived today. The package was huge & heavy. They sent some free seeds and waterproof vinyl stickers. The planting pockets seem huge and deep!

I can see how people could grow tomatoes or green beans in them. We are gonna have 4 super cold nights next week (for us) in the mid to low 20's. I will plant them out with hardier flowers and veggies after that. I am gonna try to put them up Sunday after I get potting soil. Fun Fun :)

Diane, Blue Bayou is divine! Your snaps are so bright and pretty. I saw a video on you tube where the lady was growing snaps in her lower greenstalk tiers so I might try that for fun! I'm thinking that if your quail don't like snaps, then the chickens might ignore them here.

Kitty, I am looking forward to seeing your greenhouse. So exciting!

Diane - I'm glad that your pictures cheered you up and they made me very happy to see them too. Win-win. :) It's super windy here and a bit cool....-6C/21F. Getting colder tomorrow. I guess we can't be surprised...it is winter. lol

Kitty - I love the colors of those new rose blooms you'll be getting...so fresh and bright...very happy looking. Please show a pic of your antique vase. I'd love to see it. Rose Explosion may be an option next year. I haven't looked there beyond the first page because they all look so gorgeous and I have no room. :) Do they send baby roses or larger ones? I usually like getting larger roses...I'm not sure I want to get any more from Heirloom. So will you do this on the side to what you're already doing or are you making a complete change? I should use stuff on my face...but I never do. It sounds like something you're passionate about. :)

Sultry - it was Kitty who asked about the healing cream. :) Hey, it's great that your Plant Towers have come! Please make sure you show us it all planted out. I'd love to see that.

Sultry,

Thank you! Me, too! LOL! I’m looking forward to having a green house & filling it with my roses!!! Roses go OUT of my kitchen in April! Yay!

I think many of my florist roses would grow great for you! I just received those 3 baby roses from Atlanta, Georgia, Plantroses, ETSY. Very humid in Georgia like your Florida. I have a collection of other roses, too, from her nursery in Georgia.

My NEW above potted roses from Atlanta, Georgia nursery:

Edouard Manet

Kensington

Victorian Wedding

In past she sent me:

The Pride, NIRP

Hiraku

Mahogany Veil

Rouge de Parfum

Princess Kishi

Plantroses , has many of the typical florist roses, the roses that the other sellers have..

i buy from the other Etsy sellers, too, A&A and Grace Rose Farm mainly for florist roses & a few other sellers.

Some roses don’t like humidity & get BS or mildew. However, they usually do as well as my other roses, sometimes better than my Austins. I only lost one florist rose really prone to mildew/BS that wouid not recover. I will have this season about 45 total florist roses-I just counted.

Loli Spray, Wabara, Japanese rose,

Floribunda, from GcmRanch,

delivered 2 days ago ! Growing in my kitchen. Baby w/ tiny leaves, many canes, opened more & turned green! Considered vigorous, disease resistant, easy to grow, light fragrance, blooms a ton!

She‘s the rose I bought the antique vase for.

SULTRY,

How exciting! Vertical plant towers! Could you show photos? What do you olan to plant? Tomatoes &??? I can’t believe you will be having 20sF nightly! Really cold thos week! Are your roses dormant? Or protected? Burlap & batk work well. Cones?

I’m curious to know what dormant sprays you’re using this season. I’m currently dealing with some powdery mildew, and this summer was especially tough with spider mites. Otherwise the roses have been perfect. No black spot no aphids-i have been very lucky. All of my roses still have their leaves and are even pushing new growth.

We just had our first freeze within the last two weeks, but now we’re back on a warming trend. I’m planning to remove all the leaves and give them a good spray, but I’d love to hear what products or methods have worked well for you.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Lily,

I only soray if there is a problem during growing season. Soraying with dish soap and just rinsing w/ water leaves weekly can remove mites/aphids & bugs. I also use organic mint sprays ”only on ground,” -they burn leaves. Good for grass & beds. Gets rid of grubs. And I use Ecosmart granules in ground. Ecosmart granules havecvexessential plant oils-smells good-bugs dissappear instantly! Ecosmart has: cloves, Thyme, wintergreen mint, corn cobs oils.

Mint smell really chases bugs instantly away!

Thanks to everyone for sharing their Instagram recommedations and their own accounts. I've followed you all!

Diane -- Thanks for reminding us of the beauty of summer during this time of year I hate the most -- the doldrums of January and February. Your Angel Face in its grower's pot is absolutely astounding. I can't believe how robust and bloom-covered it is. Is its scent as wonderful as everyone says it is?

Judi -- I love the stonework tower you've made for your outdoor bath. Can you create a stone guest houst and list it on Airbnb so we can all stay in your incredible garden? Just kidding (well, sort of).

Kitty -- Your nymph amaryllis is gorgeous, and a third flower stalk feels like the ultimate bonus! My new amaryllis bulbs are potted up and only just starting to come to life. They are dutch bulbs, like yours, so they will be slow-ish. But I'm hoping they'll have nice long stems unlike the South American amaryllis I grew earlier this winter. There was a mistake in my order, so I ended up with an Elvas amaryllis in addition to Samba, Lady Jane, and Pink Flush. I really like the blooms of Elvas but find the stems can often be short, so I wouldn't have ordered it myself. My peach daffodil potted garden arrived and I have it in a sunny window, so hopefully I'll have blooms within a couple weeks or so.

I'm headed to Southern California now to see my family, and luckily I'm escaping some frigid temps coming up in the NYC area. I can't wait to poke around the nurseries in CA. I love seeing all the wonderful things they have for sale during what I consider the dead of winter. Luckily, my family is far south of the wildfires and out of harm's way.

Hopefully you all won't get too tired of me posting the same 7 or 8 varieties I grow, but Perfume Factory has been so pretty this winter, even if it only puts out one or two blooms at a time. But the blooms are big, and I adore the fragrance. This bloom opened earlier this week.