hardy roses

October’s Bounty: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day October 2017

– Posted in: What's up/blooming

Visitors asked about two plants at my Colchicum Open Garden. The first one is readily available at garden centers or online. The second one is a little trickier to find--it helps if you know someone. But visitors were also surprised to see so much in bloom at the end of September. It helps if you know my special plants and (not so) secret techniques. Click over to my blog post and I'll share them with you!

Autumn Blooms: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day September 2016

– Posted in: What's up/blooming

Autumn blooms come in three categories: fall-only bloomers, "summer" annuals, and rebloomers. Because of this, September usually has more blooming plants than August. When you combine fall-bloomers, late-bloomers, and rebloomers in one bed, it hardly looks like the fall garden is waning. With thoughtful planning and cooperative weather, September can be a floriferous month. What's [...]

How to Fortify Your Roses Against the Cold

– Posted in: Roses

Jack Falker is a rose enthusiast who gardens in Minnesota. Minnesota--in case you don't have the USDA Hardiness Map memorized--is entirely a cold climate state, consisting of Zone 3 and 4. (Okay, there is a teeny bit of Zone 5 in the most recent map, but still.) One can't grow roses in Minnesota without knowing [...]

Bright Spots and Lots of Texture: Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day September 2014

– Posted in: What's up/blooming

Unlike mid-summer when there are large drifts of color in the garden, the late summer garden has bright spots and lots of texture," says my friend Layanee, and I couldn't agree more. Many plants have finished blooming, their foliage and seedheads now providing texture, some plants are just reaching their peak, and still others are [...]

The Roses at the End of the Road: Book Review

– Posted in: Book reviews

This is Pat Leuchtman. You may know her as the garden blogger Commonweeder. I first met Pat at a garden blogger's fling and chatted with her then and at other garden blogger gatherings. I thought she was a cheerful, conventional New Englander. When I started reading her book, The Roses at the End of the [...]

The Cabin Fever Bed: Part 1

– Posted in: Cabin Fever Bed, New House, New Gardens

Cabin fever is a colloquial expression that means different things to different people. Wikipedia defines it as a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person or group is isolated and/or shut in a small space, with nothing to do for an extended period. Cabin fever describes the extreme irritability and restlessness a person may [...]