Like I wrote in Part I, May and June were all about the roses and the daylilies. The garden behind my house is a very traditional English cottage style garden. It departs from the English ideal with its fencing of split rail and chicken wire. The chicken wire is at the base and is barely noticeable. It helps to keep the hungry bunnies from eating everything green in early spring. Due to breaks in the fence, I still get a bunny or two. For some reason (knock on wood), the deer don’t like this garden. They like everything else in the yard. Perhaps, that is due to all of the super thorny roses like ‘New Dawn’ growing along the fence. Maybe the arbors confuse them.
During May, I shared all my rosey secrets. I introduced you to the Austins, but told you that if I planted a new rose garden, I would probably not include anymore of them. That was controversial. A lot of you adore the Austins, but I maintain that they thrive in better weather than we have here. Fair damsels and gentlemen, they want a climate not unlike their native England, and they don’t enjoy our high humidity and wilting heat overmuch. Portland or Seattle would be a very good place to grow them I think.
As always, May brought wild weather to our state. On May 8, the Diva, Bear and I went to T-Mobile to replace my cell phone. A tornado came close, and we ended up with the entire staff huddled in a hallway.
My hoes took over my blog to complain about working conditions in “It’s Hard out Here for a Hoe.”
In April, the most popular post I’ve ever written debuted. Who knew so many people wanted to grow a Japanese maple in the great state of Oklahoma? I only wrote it because I’d bought a new ‘Tamukeyama’ tree, and I was in the process of planting it. At last count, this post has been viewed 1.175 times. I’ve used it on Examiner.com too.
I can’t leave April behind without discussing the fabulous Spring Fling, where one of my favorite places was the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Oh, what fun we had. It was a scary thing going all the way down to Austin to visit with folks I only knew through their words and pictures. Kudos go to Pam from Digging, MSS from Zanthan Gardens and Diana from Sharing Nature’s Garden and all the others who helped them throw a wonderful party. It was great to see their gardens and realize we grow many of the same plants, only mine are always a month behind theirs. Thanks again, ladies, for such a good time.
At the end of March, my world was purple from Redbud trees and gray from cloudy skies. The exciting spring weather season had started in earnest, and we had tornadoes nearby. I wrote about Bear’s birthday and how much had changed in nine years. Perhaps, I will have a little gardener follow in my footsteps.
I bought and planted more roses in March, and I wrote about how to prune the others in my garden. I also attended gardening school. That was fun, and I learned a lot about trees.
At a request from Dave at the Home Garden, in February, I wrote about my gardening niche, and I had to think about that one. HH and I left the red dirt kids at home and went to New York City. I bet you can guess what was my favorite part. There were signs of life in the garden in February, and it made me glad. The good folks at Gardening Gone Wild, through their Garden Bloggers’ Design Workshop, challenged us to write on color, and I reflected on color as navigator in the garden. I want to thank them for making me think about gardening in new ways throughout this past year.
I also wrote another post about roses. Do we see a theme emerging?
In January, at the urging of my dear friend and gardener, Mary Ann of Idaho Gardener, I wrote about the origins of my garden and how it has grown over the years. We did a lot more work on the garden last year, and I think some of that was due to this blog. Projects gave me more about which to write and dream.
I didn’t always write of gardening. Sometimes, I wrote about food, like this entry about our dinner with Fr. Shane. BTW, he is coming to my house in six days to make another fabulous meal. I’ll try to take pictures.
Oh, and look, another post about roses of memory combining my two loves of roses and reading.
Fences and arbors, with all their uses, were also discussed in January, as well as the garden at rest.
That’s it. The year in review. I want you all to know how much I’ve enjoyed this past year with all its gardening, cooking, travel, reading and writing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this blog. Your comments make me think, laugh and smile.
When you go back and look at all that you’ve accomplished over the course of a year it suddenly seems like a lot! When you’re busy you don’t realize how much you have actually done.
Dave, that is so true. That’s why I like reading other people’s yearly roundups too. I can see posts I’ve missed along the year.~~Dee
Dee, I’m going to come back and click some of those links when I have more time to read. So glad I found your blog. Love those roses! (and suffer a little rose envy) 🙂
Glad you had such a wonderful gardening year. Wishing you an even better one for 2009, and many blessings.
kerri´s last blog post..Welcome to the New Year!
Thank you for the trip down memory lane Dee! Your garden is truly inspiring.
linda´s last blog post..A New Little Gardener
Maybe that last comment didn’t make sense – I grew up in little Moses Lake and now live in Spokane, both in eastern Washington, where it is much drier than western Washington. People are often surprised by the extremely different climates on either side of the state – the east is snowy-cold in winter, warm-sunny and much less rainy in summer than in Seattle. – Vw
VW´s last blog post..Dances with the Daffodils
RE the first photo: ooooh, aaaah, WOW . . . absolutely gorgeous! I clicked on the Austin post link, as I am an Austin rose addict, and have a comment – Seattle & Portland definitely aren’t the healthiest places for roses, since the rain/humidity encourages fungal disesases. The growing season is shorter, but my tiny hometown of Moses Lake, WA might be the best place for roses – as long as they have drip irrigation. The extremely dry air (not much rain or humidity) makes for extremely healthy leaves, and summers are warm enough to keep the flowers coming without sending the plant into a sulk over humidity and extreme heat. I don’t have much humidity here in Spokane, but my growing season is even more abbreviated than Moses Lake’s. But while it’s warm enough to grow, my roses are quite healthy. Happy new year – VW
VW´s last blog post..Dances with the Daffodils
Dee,
Like always I’m in awe of your roses. Hope you had a great New Year.
MBT, thank you, I had a wonderful new year spent with friends at our house.~~Dee
Thanks for the re-cap, Dee. With much to be proud of, I thank you for sharing … a great joy for all us coming from different zones and mind-sets. Happy Gardening throughout the New Year. I so look forward to a step into your life. Good well wishes.
joey´s last blog post..‘NO WINTER LASTS FOREVER …’ ~ SAVORY SAUERBRATEN with POTATO DUMPLINGS
Hi Joey, thanks for coming by and reading it. I always enjoy stepping into yours too.~~Dee
Of course when I think of Oklahoma and trees, I think of the redbud tree. I do recall that tornado scare you went through! I do yearn for a Japanese Maple. Maybe come spring…
Brenda
Brenda Kula´s last blog post..Hot Yesterday, Cold Today
I hope you get your JM, Brenda. I’m sure one will grow well in your neck of the woods.~~Dee
Your roses are breath taking. They are my first love too. I like your fencing. I want to add some fencing to my garden but can’t decide on the look I want.
Marnie
Hi Marnie, normally it would be tough for me to decide too, but with a log house, split rail seemed appropriate, although perhaps, it is an oxymoron with the English garden. 🙂 ~~Dee
Your gardens are amazing Dee. I wish I could see and smell those roses in person!
And your blog is an inspiration. You do an incredible job with words and pictures. Thanks so much for sharing your talent and love of gardening with all of us!
Linda at Meadowview Thymes´s last blog post..The first new plant for 2009
Linda, thank you so much. Everyone’s kind comments mean so much to me. I do love gardening more than almost anything.~~Dee
Thanks for the memories. It has been a fabulous year.
Okie Sister´s last blog post..‘Twas The Night After Christmas
Dee,
I have enjoyed your blog so much, and I love your year-end highlights. It appears I have missed a few posts (how could this have happened??), so I am looking forward to reading them. Happy New Year… thank you so much for sharing your garden with us!!
Liisa
Liisa´s last blog post..Where Trouble Melts Like Lemon Drops…
It is your writing that gives us so much to think about and thank you for your blog.
I am so envious of your arch in the picture here. OH it just makes my head spin with possibilities. I want that look so bad. I just can’t seem to get a rose to grow like that. You have the same type of weather we do only with maybe a little more severe winds and temp swings. I just don’t get it. Maybe the soil. Couldn’t be the gardener now could it?? tee hee…
I enjoyed your encapsulated year Dee. I will look forward to another year of your writings.
What a lovely retrospective. I can’t wait to see more in the new year. And I adore roses, so I’m thrilled to see more of that! That photo with the arbor of Old Blush is just gorgeous!! I can’t wait for my roses to get that big. Sigh! Happy New Year! 🙂
~Angela 🙂
Angela (In the Cottage Garden)´s last blog post..Saturday Survey: Week 1
Hi Dee, What a lovely year you’ve had…I missed all the earlier posts since I only met you at Spring Fling! Now I can read the origins post and the Niche post and catch up with all the rest of your fans! Warmest wishes and thoughts for this next year in blogging! Gail
Gail´s last blog post..May All of You Have Enough This Next Year
Gail, I’m so glad we met. It’s been great reading a glimpse into your life too this year.~~Dee
Dee, I just re-read your most popular post, and now that I have inherited a lovely Japanese maple (on the north side of my new house), I paid even closer attention. One question: once your maple is established in a hot, dry location like, say, Oklahoma or central Texas, how much water does it require per week in the summer, assuming no rain, which is our natural summer condition?
And I’m so glad you were brave enough to join us in Austin for the Spring Fling. I still marvel at the fact that so many people took that leap and joined us, and what a blast it turned out to be.
Pam/Digging´s last blog post..2008—A Year in the Garden at Digging
Hi Pam, uhm . . . lots? Actually, mine get about an inch like everything else in the garden, more or less. It’s a good thing you were brave enough to host the Spring Fling. I bet you slept for days afterward.~~Dee
Hi Dee, it has been so fun going backwards through the year. I am totally with you about the roses too, our climate is similar to yours and those types of roses don’t appreciate it all. It was a pleasure to meet a fellow native Oklahoman at the Spring Fling also! 🙂
Frances
Frances´s last blog post..Muhly Grass-See You In September*
It was great meeting you too, Frances. I’m glad someone besides me has trouble with those English beauties. Well, not glad exactly.~~Dee
I enjoyed this look back and see some posts I missed and will have to go back and read. Hmmm… think it was around mid spring that I found your blog and started reading it.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens´s last blog post..Hyacinths "On Vase"
Carol, I probably started reading yours in spring too, although you’ve been at it way longer than I have.~~Dee
The first photo of Old Blush is gorgeous. What a magnificent arbor filled with blooms. It would be a great photo spot for a wedding. 🙂 You definitely have a theme going with the roses, but then again you have some beautiful selections to choose from in your garden.
Racquel´s last blog post..Half a Year in Review (May-Dec 2008) Part 1
Thank you, Racquel. Some years are better than others with roses, but I also like that they are habitats for the little birds nesting.~~Dee
What a delightful year it has been in your garden. After reading your Japanese Maple post, I started seriously thinking about planting one here. I’m still considering it if I can find one I like at a local nursery. All those Rose posts certainly got to my brain. I planted my 1st Rose based on your recommendations. I hope 2009 brings you calmer weather, joy and pleasure.
Mr. McGregor’s Daughter´s last blog post..What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been: 2008 in Review
I hope it would do well for your with some protection, MMD. Isn’t it great how we, bloggers and gardenings, influence each other’s gardening? I often think of your eyebrow & how I need to fix my front beds.~~Dee
Reading the origins of your garden this past year, and this review, encourages me in many areas.
xxxooo
CurtissAnn
CurtissAnn´s last blog post..The New Year Just Opened
Just wait until you get in that new house with some windbreak. You’ll have a beautiful garden.~~Dee