This month, at Gardening Gone Wild, the subject is roses. Roses, those beauties of the herbaceous garden, those thorny queens with special needs.  Some roses are like pampered celebrities.  In the catalogs, they splash their pretty faces across the glossy pages promising so much and yet, once carefully planted, they deliver so little.  You know what I'm talking about; they're like overindulged actors, who want sparkling water, found only in the Swiss Alps.  Then, when we plunk our money down for their new movie, they give us schlock. So, why do I own over 90 rose bushes? Just look at these sweet faces.  It's easy to look this good in May, but some roses like 'Carefree Beauty', or dare I write, the Knockout family, look this good all summer long.  Then, in the fall, 'Carefree Beauty' presents me with giant, bird lovin' rosehips. In all fairness, we ask a lot...

Lately, with the cooler weather, my thoughts have moved on to more than bulbs although bulbs have been the source of many hopes and dreams for spring. This the front border adjacent to the curving sidewalk.  The centerpiece is this charming little fountain.  Just like in The Wizard of Oz, pay no attention to that man behind the curtain (or the iron bell in the photo's frame).  The fountain is topped with a pineapple, which is a symbol of welcome.  Therefore, a pineapple fountain out front seems appropriate. Before we built the sidewalk, I always thought the area was supremely ugly with the severely straight, edged border (shown at left).  After we finished it, I now like the whole thing a little better.  I can at least look it in the eye, instead of always blocking my vision with my hand as I inserted my key in the front door. Although I...

Good morning everyone!  Lorene Edwards Forkner, professional garden writer and owner of the Planted At Home blog tagged me for a book meme.  While I don't normally do memes anymore because I really hate tagging others, I like this meme very much.  It reveals a lot about those who play.   In fact, after reviewing my Google Reader, I realized Susan from The Bicycle Garden also tagged me for the same meme. Here are the rules: Grab the nearest book at hand (no fair looking for something intellectual, just what’s within arm’s reach of your keyboard).  Turn to page 56, go to the 5th sentence and post your results - include the 2-3 sentences that follow to provide some sort of context.  Then turn around and “tag” 5 or so more blogging friends to do the same. Now, how did she know I'd have a book near my computer? Closest at...

Snow flurries?  Yes, but none of them will stick.  There are too few, and the ground is still way too warm.  I love tough and tiny Violas which refuse to yield to cold fronts barreling in from Kansas.  These are in the front garden where I planted the purple and orange tulips. C'est manifique, oui? This Oxalis has been a part of my shade garden for a long time.  I don't remember the cultivar.  Again, I'm diggin' the purple merging into dark green. This teacup feeder was moved by the irrigation crew into the middle of the rose 'Footloose.'   It looks good there surrounded by freeze dried blooms, so perhaps I'll leave it. 'Rio Samba' isn't looking her best either, but with lows in the 30s, who can blame her? Behind 'Annabelle' the fence is still down from the irrigation crew.  Funny what you notice when it's framed by the...