That's good to know before I heavily salted my roses, Thanks Susan.

I have used bagged steer manure compost mix and the roses seemed to like it. I have also read what susan wrote and that seems reasonable too.

Maybe I'll get just one bag to lightly spread over the flower bed .

I've used steer manure, both the bagged kind, and aged from the feed lot, unbagged kind from several sources. Also aged horse manure. All worked just fine on the roses and everything else. I just happen to like my NuLife Organic compost better for the roses, spoiled things, though it costs way more. This compost is a mix of good stuff, including chicken manure. Go manure! Diane

You're a genius Diane ! Go manure - I want the T shirt.

I'll have to look for Nu Life. A pallet of Steer Gro was out front at my favorite small grocery store , 6 bucks a bag.

Speaking of spoiled things, last night I could not sleep, afraid I'd fall of the bed because the Princess has to hog the prime spot in the middle, with her royal tail end on my pillow.

So I gave more in depth thought to manure, dreaming how to recycle the Steer Gro bag into a garden flag, wind sock, kite...with happy manure thoughts fell asleep .

This morning I came up with the answer ; dress my 5 gallon bakery bucket with the rinsed empty bag. Cosmos or African Daisies will look pretty in my chic micro farm decor.

Princess is adorable, Berry.

Yes adorable looking .

Princess Amara is a the most mule-ish creature I've ever had the pleasure of waiting on. I cannot get her 70 pounds of stubborness to move until she wants to, usually for a food bribe.

After having a sweet

mannerly white Pitbull that was an angel,

our crude beast of a female American BULLY is a challenge. I adore Amara but one of us has to change - that would be me.

She's giving you the stinkeye in that first pic-heh. We are a cat household and we have three eunuchs with completely different personalities. I want to see your new planter when you have assembled it. I think it's a great idea. After you collect several manure bags, you could decorate the front porch, patio, sidewalk, etc with various new planters. Diane

Diane, the way Amara acts, my son thinks she may have been raised with cats. She jumps onto the table to watch birds, pounces and bats at things with her paws.

My neighbor Joyce and I have adjoining cottage row apartments, so our flower beds meet in the middle. She works at a thrift store and brings home all kinds of abominable garden art. Lately she hung the 7th windchime, but who's counting...

I have to admit her plastic pink flamingo with a wind propelled wing is more tasteful than the plywood snowmen were.

This was going to be the year I determined to refine the look of my elegant flower bed in stark contrast to Joyce's ongoing flea market ambiance. I have a concern her shall we say junque collecting may be affecting my mind to save manure bags- although they are classic black and white.

Your garden is so beautiful it's a compliment you thought my rural farm decorating idea might fly. Maybe I'll save the elegant garden theme for next year, Northland sent me an email they will have a Rouge Royale for me, Ye Ha !