It's a windy almost-spring day outside so let's talk about English roses to know and grow in Oklahoma. I probably haven't written a happy rose post in years due to Rose Rosette Disease, but ta-dah!! Here it is folks. Rosa 'The Lady Gardener,' an English or David Austin rose. I haven't seen RRD in my garden for a couple of years, and I've added a few roses recently. I've got a new attitude. Instead of being sad when I find an infected rose, I just eradicate it and throw it in the trash--never the compost pile.  I'm sure my attitude is partly because I'm no longer attached to my heirloom roses. They're all gone, and I'll never have the number I had years ago, but I need a little rosiness in my life. I just do. (more…)

I'm working on an article for Oklahoma Gardener magazine, and while going through my photos, I found these of my garden from last summer and summers past. All I could think was, "Isn't it romantic?" (more…)

Niki Jabbour's Veggie Garden Remix. Photo courtesy of Storey Publishing. I feel fortunate to be part of Niki Jabbour's Veggie Garden Remix: 224 New Plants to Shake Up Your Garden and Add Variety, Flavor, and Fun book launch. For this post, I did receive a copy of the book to read, along with a copy to give away to one of my readers. Yay! (more…)

Garden work Garden work is blessed work, but it's still work. That's why garden tasks are called chores. Last Sunday, in Oklahoma, we had a high of 68°F, so I worked my tail feathers off in the two beds facing the street. It was dirty, dusty and glorious. One of the two garden beds I worked on last week. Why dusty? Oklahoma is in the midst of another serious drought. Pray for rain. Do a rain dance. We need rain. (more…)