Roses in bloom on a gray day

It's a dreary morning, but not an unwelcome occasion following the blistering heat we had early in the week. The roses are nearly at their peak, the pinks are there but the older John Davis (or is it Redcoat?) is nearly at peak. For whatever reason, this year the canes seem unable to sustain themselves after a magnificent  display last few years. They are flopping over, I think a hard pruning back come winter is in order, unless someone else has a suggestion.

Here we are this morning. Enjoy. (As always, click on any image to enlarge!)

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener.
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Setting out plants in the square foot garden

The seedlings in the sun room, are puny compared to the offerings at the store. Since I really only was successful with tomatoes and peppers, I proceeded to purchase.. tomatoes and peppers, and eggplant and a few herbs.

The east bed is planted, sans a few squares, and the other starts are placed. The taller peppers and eggplanst are placed in west and north squares to reduce shading of other plants.

An overview...

I also crawled into the rose bushes (very slowly) and tied up some of the canes to "smarten" the roses up a bit.

I have a surprise for you in the next post, stay tuned!


Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt

http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Releasing Roses from Bondage.

About seven - eight years ago, I planted the shrub roses in the back. They were small and tender, but not much to look at. In 2003 they were still quite small and spindly. There they are against the picket fence. Can you see them?

As they grew, they started to need support. When I was still in my apartment in the late 1990's, the house (a second empire style house) next door was being rennovated. That's not the house, just an example of second empire. Note the large curved windows on the first floor.

I was amazed to find beautiful arched storm windows in the trash. I asked the handyman doing the work and he said he was told to throw them out!  At the time I didn't know what I what I would do with them but knew I couldn't let them be discarded. I plucked three from the dumpster, carefully broke out the glass (gasp!) and carted them up to my apartment. There they stayed, leaning up against the wall for a few years.

When I moved to this house, I still didn't know what I would do with them, but they came along and went into the garage.

At first the roses were small and didn't need much support. Here they are in 2003.

As the roses grew, I wanted to give them some structure, so I tacked some wire fencing to two of the frames and installed them to give the growing roses some support.

Well now, fast forward 5 or 6 years and by last year the roses are HUGE! Muscular and tall they have outgrown the supports.

Underneath it all, the powerful canes have destroyed the frame!  I'm pretty sure the roses don't need the support anymore.

Now in deep of winter, I've decided to disentangle the plants from the support. Today I took care of it.  Not what are normally thought of as "gardening tools."

A bit of wire snipping, and cutting the wood, and the roses are released!

They still need some pruning and cleanup but I'll wait to see when they are more budded out.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well! 

The Gastronomic Gardener

Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/

Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/

Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt 

http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Saturday in the Perennial garden

Sad to say, but I've been neglecting my garden. Today  I managed to get about a third of the garden weeded. I'm thankful I have two more days to finish it up.  I worked on the front and the side gardens.

If you haven't gone back to the beginning of the blog, I put in the side garden last year (2009). It had been a vacant spot, but with some free river rock and 12 days off I managed to create a nice entrance to the back garden.

Even neglected, the garden is doing it's thing. I was mindful to put in drought tolerant plants that can withstand the heat on the west side of the house. I also walked around to see what might be interesting to look at.

I like the "Hens and Chicks" - they do well and don't need much attention.

This sedum is in bloom, it has a creeping rather than upright habit. The sprays of tiny blossoms are a welcome burst of color this time of year.

As I was weeding I noticed this little rabbit. It was maybe 6 inches long. It was hiding under the rudbeckia. I managed to run in the house for the camera in time to capture these shots. I had to lie down in order to see it.  I get a kick out of the wild animals that come and visit.

Finished with the side garden. I like the way it beckons you to the back.

I walked in back to see what else I might find. I was pleasantly surprised to find a lone blossom on this clematis. I had thought that it was done for the season.

This time of year the rudbeckia drifts are in their prime. It contrasts nicely with the Russian sage.

 High up in the roses, a single blossom was bobbing in the breeze.

And finally, the phlox continues to flourish. It's a tight shot as I need to get to the insidious bindweed that has invaded from the neighbors yard. Perhaps tomorrow I'll show you a wider shot once the bed is cleaned out.

I hope you enjoy this little view into my garden. Tomorrow promises to be a big day with more weeding and a trip to the garden plot.

Until then, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Garden in Transition

I suppose it is always in transistion. One of the goals when I started, was to always have something in bloom from thaw through frost. Here we are in early June, the shrub roses are far past peak,  bearded iris are done, tulips and crocii a distant memory.

So what is there to look forward to? I took a walk and here is what I found.

The Clematis is starting to take off. The oldest and largest of the five in the garden.

A side shot of the west sun bed. The little iris, coreopsis, and Knock-out roses are doing their thing.

 

The Iris make me think of birds in flight.

 

The Knock-outs are very reliable and the only rose I have that will go all summer long.

 

While the coreopsis has not bloomed yet, it is about to and is interesting.

  

Moving on to the back garden the lilies have bloomed with all the rain. Tucked in, they are one of the oldest plants in the garden.

 

Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up. (Name the movie, and get props on the blog!)

 

No, closer.

 

One plant that I continue to enjoy is a bi-annual foxglove, but not sure, it's been 3 years. Not as impressive as the foxglove on the west walkway, it is lovely in its own aspect.

 

 

On the way to the west walkway, there is magical door in the ivy at the base of the black locust tree. If you are very patient, something wonderful might happen. But such is life, or?

 

Out on the west walk the Beardtongue is in bloom. Only the second year, but is seems to like it here.

 

Like snow drifts in summer.

 

So there we are for now. I wonder what happens next?

2009 - a new side garden and a color riot!

OK, so I couldn't justify going through 2006-2008 - really more of the same, just bigger. A few plants did fail. After a few years of covering the arch and the shade structure the silver lace just did not come back. I've replaced it with hops - Caution - unless you have a place for them to go, avoid hops they are super aggressive!

The yellow iris that came from the Batavia House with me are petering out - they need some transplanting and centering again - they have wandered into the sedum.

And the Hops grow vigorously up the shade structure.

I haven't shown you much from the shady area against the garage - here are some ferns and hostas.

It's just  very peaceful back there.

We were very fortunate this spring to come into some river rock free for the hauling. I was on that faster than a hobo on a chicken dinner! The west side of the house had always been neglected. I took some time off work and used the rock to define and edge the beds. I also had enough to edge around the magnolia out front. Take a walk with me.

So there is a little tour of the side garden. I really like the way it pulls you into the back garden and your eye travels all the way to the japanese maple.

The roses were spectacular again last year.

The peonies performed well again. As I've mentioned they came with the property even if I didn'y know they were here when I bought the place. I've also worked out the staking methond - both effective and discrete.

On to the lilies! Always liked them and they come in so many forms and colors. Always interesting.

And now the final few before I wrap up 2009.

And so we'll wrap it up now. I am sure there are other pics, I know I am missing the Knockout roses, the lupine, the sedum and a few others. Oh well there is always this year!

If you have any questions of comments, I'd love to hear from you.