A Baking Soda Spray for Rose Leaves

 I bought two miniature roses this spring. One I put in the ground very early on. It’s leaves are fine though the plant looks a bit floppy.

Another that has been anxiously waiting for a spot in a crowded flat got a nice pot in the sun today.  I noticed it’s leaves were white in places. The dread powdery mildew. Isn’t there a baking soda spray for that, I thought.  Sure enough! I will see how this works.

https://www.hortmag.com/smart-gardening/safe-rose-spray-recipe-that-really-works

Sunday Dreaming : A Rose Garden

For today's Sunday Dreaming, I pretend I have nice spots for roses in my garden, and I can get whatever I'd like.

I "shopped" at High Country Roses, a favorite source back in the day.


Berenger

Ispahan

Rose de Meaux

Madame Pierre Oger

Fantin Latour

All Dressed Up

Sunday Dreaming

Things I saw this week that are the stuff of garden dreams.

He knows where you live!

The new Baby Rose Nasturtium

I'll keep my eyes open this spring for an old candelabra or chandelier and some thrifted tea cups to make a bird feeder.

I've been enjoying the new Supertunia varieties in containers.  Here's a new one called Raspberry Rush.

Wouldn't Heuchera Berry Smoothie look good nearby?

"Infused with the perfume of grapefruit and tea"

Appealing to my love of nasturtiums, Salmon Mousse Nasturtium from John Scheepers. 

Coming Up Roses

It’s time for quality winter garden dreaming.  Last season, I casually looked around locally for a rose to grow in one of my now few sunny spots in the yard.

I haven’t grown roses in years. Early in my gardening days, I grew quite a few varieties, favoring “old roses” for their hardiness and fragrance.

Using the”Minnesota tip” method of covering my roses for the winter, I was quite successful keeping varieties safe till spring.  My roses did get rather tall, and more difficult to tip over time.

Although I’ve always thought roses were the most beautiful flowers in the world, they succumbed over time to disease and lack of space to tip, and encroaching shade.

Even so, maybe one? To start?

High Country Roses

Based in Colorado, High Country Roses sell own root roses. This means that your rose is not grafted onto the rootstock of some other rose, it is completely the plant you’re interested in buying.


http://www.highcountryroses.com/

Roses of Yesterday and Today of  Corralitos, CA has a sumptuous catalog of old and new roses.

http://www.rosesofyesterday.com/index.html

Heirloom Roses of St. Paul, OR offers own root roses, modern and old varieties.

https://www.heirloomroses.com/

Antique Rose Emporium of Brenham TX has a huge selection of roses old and new.

https://antiqueroseemporium.com/

Since I’ve spent so much time away from rose growing, I’ll look at the American Rose Society page to get up to date on rose growing and trends.

https://www.rose.org/

Lastly, I’ll look through my old garden notebooks...I have them all, of course, all the way back, and I’ll see what varieties I grew and liked in the past.

Happy garden dreaming!

DOA In The Virtual Garden

I was all ready to get a leaf blower this year, to save hours of backbreaking raking.  Maybe not.

From the Saturday Evening Post September/October 2002 issue:

From The Empress of Dirt, advice on repotting African Violets.   I have one which has miraculously lived several years.   It is this big odd floaty umbrella shaped plant which flowers periodically.  I don't think it's supposed to be that way but I'm just impressed it's still alive.   Mine has the coloring of the one pictured, but not the shape or size.

From Wayside Gardens, a Blue Parrot Tulip.  Somehow, I've never tried Parrot type tulips at all.

Also from Wayside Gardens, a beautiful tulip called Double Dream Touch.

The perfect rose?   From Heirloom Roses, Fragrant Masterpiece.

From Avant Gardens, a Strangler Tree.   Though it sort of looks like a "Hug Tree", if the hug were by a giant claw...

Garden Planning 2017: Perennials

I've deconstructed and grassed over 90 % of my perennial gardens, so there isn't room for much.  I find myself wanting a few very large hostas nonetheless, maybe a couple of pink peonies, and in a rare sunny spot a rose or two.

Many of the garden catalogs that were in business when I was at the height of my gardening time are now gone.  Locally, most garden centers that I enjoyed visiting are gone as well.  I certainly miss them, particularly Linders.

There are still a few wonderful mail order garden sources.  I'm thinking of seeing what I can find next spring.


Song Sparrow

http://songsparrow.com/   

Klehm's Song Sparrow Farm and Nursery used to be just Klehm's.  They've always had a beautiful selection of perennials and peonies.  If I could only order from one company, they'd be it.

White Flower Farm

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/

I ordered from them quite a bit in my early years.  Their selection has always been amazing, but I was not always happy with what arrived in the mail.  I saw an article recently on them trying to preserve a particular plant and its varieties, so I thought I'd try them once more.

Jung Seed and Plant

https://www.jungseed.com/

I waited a long time to order from Jung, and I wish I had not.  They have much more than seeds, plants, shrubs, trees, all very nice upon arrival.  Also a wide selection of garden supplies you wont find elsewhere.

Well Sweep Herb Farm

http://www.wellsweep.com/


Well Sweep has a vast selection of herbs and perennials.  You'll almost certainly find what you're looking for here.  They offer soaps, oils and books to help you be successful. There are so many varieties of each plant type, it is lovely just browsing and dreaming.

Roses of Yesterday and Today

http://www.rosesofyesterday.com/


I don't know about you, but I've been in the mood to grow roses again.   With the demise of so many local nurseries, the selection of roses is almost non-existent here.  You might see those short cascading varieties....I can't think of the name.  No selection at all, if they even carry roses.

Enter Roses of Yesterday and Today with their lovely name and wonderful selection of roses from many eras.  I'm certain I'll find something to love here.