@Diane

I can't imagine what kind of neighbor would mind roses up her fence. I mean I can, but it's a bit depressing.

@rosecanadian

I will make sure to post. I am a bit of an intermittent poster, go through long periods of focus on various things and during winter I sort of check off this forum. But come Spring, I can't help getting back here. :)

Pinkie's last year was the first truly eye-cacthing one, but this year it has grown by leaps ans bounds so the show should be nice. Problem is it's already black spotting and losing yellow leaves quite a bit. Probably needs some spraying.

Carol, yes, the blasted snow is all gone, except on the highest mountains around us. But it's wet and cold outside. Has your snow melted any? I like the sound of Pinkie on the nine foot fence. This neighbor is a pain, and when we first moved here, she said to me she didn't want any of my roses touching her fence. She then kept wanting her paint crew to come onto my flower beds to work on the fence every couple of years when it suited her, and I told her it wasn't a good time for that, and she has not pushed again for those careless crews to work on our property. She's wealthy, weird, entitled, and has nothing to do all day but walk her dog--over and over. Later, I may tell a funny story about one of her obsessions. Probably shouldn't. Diane

It will be a while before the hibiscus bloom.

New Hampshire cranesbill self seeded over here. That's fine with me.

Penstemon

Snaps and orlaya. Come on spring.

Judi & Artist!!! So beautiful!

Diane, what a lovely Jude- but my goodness the weather! so scary.

Carol, I always dream of living somewhere with four seasons instead of what feels like a never ending summer but then I can’t imagine the snow. sending some of our warmth your way.

I already have some tomatoes.

Zinnias. Cut some of the larger ones a day or so ago to promote branching.

Boscobel flushing heavily on it’s third year

Echo, thanks about Jude. Your tomatoes look like July to me. I can't imagine. My Boscobel is leafed out and that's as far as it gets. I haven't even pruned him. Your Bosco bouquet is gorgeous, and I'm envious. Love the bit of background showing a flower bed. It's lovely and so well done. I'm inspired now to make a plonk of Boscobel, if he ever gets to bloom. I've never cut that rose for bouquets. Diane

It's snowing here...but it's not going to get me down. :) I heard songbirds for the first time this year!! There were about 20 robins (all male; I think they come up first) singing their hearts out and looking for food. They love my garden. :) :)

Artist - oh, for sure...intermittent posting is not a problem. :) :) What a shame that Pinkie has black spot already. Drat

Diane - I love that cranesbill and the hibiscus!! :) I think the Penstemon is my fave. I really hope it works out for me. I planted one last year...no flowers, and I bought 1 or 2 this year. Our snow has melted a bit. But we're getting more as I type. Like Artist said, how can anyone not want roses on their fence? Yes, do dish on her. :)

Echo - What's worse than the snow is the ice. Sooo many people end up breaking an arm, etc. over winter. But, I can't stand the heat, so we all have our foibles. :) Thanks for sending the warmth...it should be here by Sat. Unreal...you have green tomatoes already!! And your Zinnias look so healthy and lush. Yay for Boscobel...what beautiful roses!

Go away snow! for Diane & Carol! How lovely the song birds, Carol!

I ordered 3 A& A new Eufloria release own-root roses….. let you know tomorrow what I ordered! Sleepy! Big Day! 😊🥀

I also received my BRECKS order from Holland -BLACK (purple) Asiatic Lily-3 bulbs & 3 Black Hollyhocks roots. Then I potted them & they are inside now under grow lights. With an occasdional freeze I can’t put them outside yet. 40F today/26F tonight. Burlap went on my smaller rises outside again.

Artist, Echo, Diane, Lovely garden photos! Boscobel is a perfect bouquet! Great tomato! I wait unril May for my tomatoes to look good! Lovely! Bright and beautiful hybiscus, Diane!

Artist, Simply exquisite bouquets! You have many roses for your bouquets! What are the names of the ted & yellow roses in vases? Awesome roses!!!

Chat more tomorrow! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Ok…. little garden photos from this morning…

MY GARDEN SINGS, ”I’m coming out! I want the world to know…”

Crocus are blooming

Hyacinths budding up

Tulips taller leaves. Daffodils are budding.

Peony Poppies in 9 outdoor pots are sprouting!

MY PRETTY RED NODE GARDEN:

Brother Cadfael has the largest nodes! Lol!

( I do see a few leaves on a couple roses, too.)

Cartonnage has many triple nodes coming out!

Cartonnage’s single node.

Now….Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…………

Those crocus are spectacular, Kitty. I love the petal combination. Everything looks great. My daffodils are in full bloom and all blown over by the awful wind storm we had yesterday. Oh, well. I think you're going to have to thin those poppy seedlings.

I've got a few tiny new seedlings coming up, and I'll bet they're poppies. But lots of green clumps from older perennials and I love that new green color. Still drooling over Echo's Boscobel bouquet. That phrase has a nice ring to it.

Carol, blast the snow, go robins! Lots of birdies here, getting their daily ration from Diane. Did I mention that when Clare and I pruned Colette a little while ago, we found at least two finch nests. Those were the guys that pooped on my head. Thanks about the cranesbill and hibiscus. If you want a cranesbill that blooms for months, choose Rozanne, though. It's sterile, but the extra blooming is worth it. Remember to snap off spent penstemon stalks (or cut the stalks off) and they should keep blooming all summer. Some are better at this than others. I noticed that good old Red Rocks and Pikes Peak purple are the best continuous bloomers here. Diane

@KittyNY6

I don't really have any red ones in those pictures, unless Dee-lish counts as red. Plum Perfect also looks a bit red there. Unfortunately, I do not have PP anymore since I lost it to RRD last season. I took it out of its container at the very first sign since I didn't want to take any chance and infect the other container roses. All good so far. It was a lovely rose.

The yellow is South Africa, the orange is Easy Does It and there's also one Olivia Rose.

EDI did not perform that well last year in terms of bloom, despite a spectacular prior year (2023), so I just ordered the Double Easy Orange guy against my vow of "no new rose" this year.

Well, I broke it. Honestly, I am kinda starting to question this whole 'vow' notion, on many levels lol.

On a different note, your spring flowers are absolutely charming. Ah, the purple on that crocus! Lovely.

From the garden this Spring:

Now in the spotlight, early blooming azalea, a beautiful older variety that fades away fast, unfortunately.

Last fall I added three more Double-Pink KO-s along the driveway, in addition to an older one at the mailbox. This thing just performs and I can't deny it.

Firey tulips.

Happy daffodils. Nothing like yellow to pick one up after winter blues.

Grey pearl has bloomed for me. I was on the waiting list for four years. I purchased one and today I purchase another one because who knows if this rose will ever be available again. It reminds of the Ai rose I made and posted here a while back. I don't think any of you liked the rose look🤣 but I really like it. I also purchased Connie from Paul Barden. I have never seen anyone post pictures of that rose here. Do any of you have it?

My mandarin is blooming away and my whole living room smells divine. I wish citrus flowers would bloom as often as roses

Oh, did I need that breath of spring from both of you above.

Artist, your garden is perfect. Nothing is out of place and all clean up is more than done. As much as I love the exquisite azalea (they aren't grown in this desert, sadly), it was those tulips of yours that really got my spring on. Gorgeous wake up call to spring with the little yellow viola/pansy peaking through the blast of tulips. Of course, your daffodils are pretty good, too, a delicate and lovely choice. Thanks for this pretty, happy peek at spring.

Socal, your Little Gray Pearl is really beautiful. Most of the others I've seen don't compare to yours. So after waiting four years, how long did it take to get this rare bloom? I hope you get that second one you ordered. I totally agree about the wonderful citrus scent from any kind of orange. In 1965, I first smelled orange blossoms blooming at night when I lived in San Jose. It was such a gorgeous scent, I wrote a poem about it. I really need to move to a warmer climate. Diane

Kitty - did you take those crocus pics? My goodness...they look like professional shots for a magazine! Beautiful!!! :) :) Yes, let us know what 3 roses you ordered. :) I loved the look of the canes with leaf buds...so filled with hope!

Diane - drat about the wind ruining your daffodils. That sucks the fun out of growing spring bloomers. Booo!! Go robins!! Don and I were staring out the window for about 15 minutes watching the robins. I love that they come to my yard. You really take care of your birds...food, water, nice trees. :) My water fountain (couldn't use it last year) is something the birds, bees, and our dogs use...the birds get water when they fly past. The bees go on top where the water dribbles, and the dogs drink from the bottom. Although I'm not sure if Sugar will be able to reach. We'll see. :) No, I don't think you did mention that. Finch nests...seems like they need the robin's name turdis migratorial (or something like that...I remember you mentioned that). I love your garden; it's so critter friendly...even for the quail. :) :) No, I'm not going to add another cranesbill...I still have the huge, spreading rotter in my garden. I'm just going to plant other plants right over top of my cranesbill. I'll Remember Rozanne, though; in case I see one...they are beautiful! Oh, sure, I'll cut off the spent penstemon stalks. I can't remember which ones I got...I don't think they're Red Rocks or Pike's Peak.

Artist - no new roses is a difficult vow to keep. :) :) Wow!! Your Azalea is so uplifting...as are the yellow tulips and daffs!! Those 3 roses are going to provide quite the statement when they start blooming. They're pretty just as shrubs. :)

SoCal - oh, I really do love your sweet Grey Pearl!! Please show us how it looks fully open, too. :) Mmmm...the smell of mandarin blooms. We have a Mock Orange shrub outside and when it blooms (very long bloom period) I can smell it from far away...brightens my day. :)

Carol, you have the huge spreading rotter type cranesbill. Love that and have never read a cranesbill described that way, veddy British sounding. Right now, we don't have any robins, but the next wave will arrive before long. We get them about every three months. And at least two crops of babies are produced by the spring waves. Last year's robin poop stains on the water irrigation box are still quite bright. Yeck. There will be more to come. I'm buying no new roses this spring, too. I decided to pipe down, stop dithering and just don't buy anything. It's too crowded here, and I'm too far gone. I hope your weather is warming and snow is melting. It's just muddy here, and not warm. Tonight will get down to 31F. Hopefully, I'll get some pruning done. Take care of the foot and have a good night. Diane

Rouge Royale plonk

Royal Bonica

Antique Daffodils

Judy,

I thought your bouquet was Artists! Sorry! It is exquisite with Rouge Royal! And the yellow DA rose is sensational-really beautiful! They should sell her again! She has besutiful form & color!

Artist, Lovely bouquets! Ok, what is the fuchsia rose w/ red centers? Beautiful color!

Artist’s bouquet-Beautiful!

Your orange/yellow daffodils are doung so well! Beautiful and Double Pink Knockouts will have beautiful blooms. I had them for about 6 years. Your D Pink Knock Outs look so good & healthy-I am sure they bloom well!

Diane,

Thank you about my crocus! I need to add more….they are colorful! I need to try snow drops, again. Not sure if they are coming up & more pansies. Why do we have wind…. so unecessary. I pray the wind calms for you. Daffs are so pretty in our gardens. Yes! When I plant the poppies in the ground…. they thin themselves… lose a few-thinning time. LOL! Tay! Your poppies and maybe more seedlings, too, are sprouting. Soooo exciting! Just a little warmth & they sprout! Loving your Rouge Royal bouquet! She is a forever beauty! And Royal Bonica-she climbs almost and is always orolifically blooming! 2 forever keep roses!

@Z10Socal Grey Pearl is EXQUISITE! Ooooooooo! The rare colors! Looking at her close-gorgeous! Wow! Hope you don’t mind the enlarged photo for you-Mmmmmmm! Yummy!

She looks the color of my pearl earrings! Wow!

Socal’s Grey Pearl

&Windowsill , You will love your Grey Pearl blooms!!! Beautifil shape & color!

Carol,

Lol! Just my Iphone 16 + takes good photos-my crocus! It’s great! Maybe you’d like an IIPhone? Easy use! Thank you! I love hearing about your flowers you will try this season….. I think you have a ton ordered! When will your roses & flowers start shipping? Spring will be coming soon for you! Time for the snow to disappear! No more abominable snowmen for you! So Sugar may not be able to drink from the fountain? Then will she need her own special fountain? LOL! I have a bird bath that Anastasia loves to drink-just at her nose level-perfect.

Thank you on my Red Node Garden, LOL! The back yard/all my yards are rather bare right now….. clean beds of bare soil, bare caned roses, trimmed a few trees. I have more bushes/trees to trim. I have 10 rosrs left to prunecTONORROW!!!!!!!!!And bare grass! LOL! Little daffs, tulips, allium, iris, lilies and peony bulbs/tubers popping-up with leaves and my strawberry leaves,. Red nodes are an exciting attratction right now…. nodes on roses, trees, bushes, and peonies! April 2nd. Next year I need to plant a hundred crocus & snow drops to color it up more for now! LOL! We will see about that. Maybe I can pick up more crocus from Lowes now? .

TODAY is 47F day/42F night.

I am staying inside w/ my Jumanji garden today. Guess I have to walk Ana…. quickly outside!

My kitchen & living room Jumanji gardens are more interesting now! I have white stems on my new Black Hollyhock roots & Black Lily bulbs in pots under lamps! Roses are keeping warm.. Seedlibgs are havibg real fun-growing FAST! I hope most of these house plants go outside for good in a couple weeks.

OK: MY APRIL FOOLS ORDER, April 1st:

A&A OWN-ROOT ORDER (Eufloria roses)

UNVEALING-PREMIER FINALLY:

3 new ordered roses from A&A yesterday…. more photos on “A& A is Coming,” thread: Precious Parasol, Perky Parasol, & Northanger Abbey -soray roses. Ordered 3-free shipping!

(Internet photos)

Northanger Abbey (internet photo)

Blushing Parasol

Perky Parasol

A$A has excellent customer service & packaging! They ship on April 22, soon! Cool! Love unwrapping them from their oretty box & biodegradable oackaging!

A&A also shipped yesterday 2 of my Jan.1st ordered roses…. Gelato and Chantilly Lace. I also had ordered Charming Corneille , but it doesn’t meet A&A shipping standards, so they offered a refund & to free ship it in November to me-which I am accepting! Cool!

I did want a Charming Corneille this spring, though, so I am looking at ebay cuttings of it now. Don’t know if they’d grow -5 cuttings for $20. Hoping one way or the other to get ” One Ch. Corneille rose. She is very beautiful & unique. More photos of CC on A&A Coming,” thread.

A&A photo, Charming Corneille, Jan Soek Rozen breeder, Netherlands

Internet photo

A lady found a Charming Cornelle bouquet at Trader Joes! Sensational!

Trader Joes has some very unique roses i see on Facebook! Very cool! Looks so antique!

Diane let's hear that citrus poem 🩷

Diane let's hear that citrus poem 🩷
I just got grey pearl last month and since it's so cute I put in another order. I will post more pictures when it opens more. I waited forever for this cutie pie. Thank you Carol and Kitty
Diane which rose is a prettier bush Rouge Royal or Mustenwood?

SoCal,

Maybe Rouge Royal would be a prettier bush,. Munstead has so many thorns. However, Munstead has the most magnificent blooms. I now have 2 Munstead, but giving one away. Making room for florist roses…..

Grey Pearl is a gem! 🌺🥀 2 Grey Pearl-the more the merrier! I think I will put her on my wish list!

Maybe I will have 2+ Ch Corneille when I am done?? Rare roses are a must have!

PROPOGATING TIPS?? HELP?

Carol, , Socal, I think my 2 propogating roses all burned one day w/ 65F west sun came in window on one surprise day! They were doing well, then burned! Tossed! Oops. Never put them in that window again.

Trying to think a shade spot in home for them. It’s 70F in living room. It’s 69-70F kitchen. Recommendations? Do you grow the oropogated in house or where?

Diane - veddy British sounding, pip, pip and all that. :) I was thinking again about the robins and how dark they are. And I found this: There are seven subspecies of American Robins, each with its own plumage variations. Birds from dryer, western locations tend to be lighter in color; robins from northern coastal regions, where conditions are more humid (like Atlantic Canada), are darker. Interesting!! I wonder if some come from Atlantic Canada here. Your roses are so divinely beautiful that I can see why you don't need any more. Plus, it's so hard to get the pruning done. It snowed all last night. We have about 6" of snow again. We're going to have more snow today. But, Saturday is coming!! Muddy isn't good. I hope you get warmth soon. :) My goodness!! I love your Rouge Royale!!! So beautiful!!!! And your Royal Bonica is a fabulous bloomer!! I love your antique Daffs...they're prettier than the more modern ones.

Kitty - thanks for enlarging Artist's bouquet...wow!!! Talk about an explosion of color!! And I see that you enlarged So Cal's Grey Pearl...that really does show its beauty!!

Kitty - Yes, I did order a lot of perennials this year. I almost ordered a dwarf raspberry bush. I thought that since it can fit in a pot, we can protect them from the cold weather by putting them in the garage. But, I did order some other normal summer blooming raspberries that will tide me over if the raspberries I left outside in the trough don't survive. But I think they will survive. If they don't, then next winter, I'll order some of the dwarf ones. Everything will probably start shipping in the middle of April. Yes, SPRING!!!! I can't go for walks because of my foot; I'm going stir crazy being in the house all the time. Anastasia drinks from a bird bath. :) :) I bet she lets you know when there's no water there. :) Ten more roses left to prune. That's not too bad...unless they're huge like Diane's are. Yes, nodes are so exciting!! So fun to see spring growth!! Wow! You're going to buy and plant 100 more spring bulbs!! That'll brighten things up. Your weather is still pretty cool. Your new roses are all very pink and beautiful!!! I think that Perky Parasol may be my favorite...but they're all so beautiful!! :) :) The other 2 roses are unique with their proliferation in the middle. :)

SoCal - another Grey Pearl. :) :) Awesome!! Such a great color!!

Kitty - yes, when I propagate roses, I have them in the shade. Darn that your roses burned. I grow mine outside where they get dappled shade.

Socal, I was 19 when I wrote that poem, and I have no idea where it ended up, but I don't have it now. I went through a poetry stage, as a lot of teens do, and for a while, I majored in English Lit, then all kinds of other majors, but got serious as premed, which added more minors to the zoology major, at least four minors. You wanted to know all this-ha. Your Grey (gray with an E?) Pearl is indeed adorable. And I love Kitty's enlargement of the bloom......As far as blooms go, it's a dead heat between Munstead and Rougie. I grow two of each, and the blooms look quite different. As far as the plants go, Munstead is the Thorn Queen (actually Tamora is). Rouge R is a really large hybrid tea with a wide trumpet shape, not straight up at all. Rouge R is by far the better vase rose, with a very strong, lovely scent, and it lasts a long time in a vase. Munstead lasts well on the bush, but literally starts deteriorating over night in a vase. I grow them for very different purposes, and like them equally. That didn't help, did it? I'll post a few comparison photos later.

Kitty, that was nice of you to enlarge Little Grey Pearl. Loved it. And thanks for reposting Artist's Bouquet, which I had not noted enough. It's gorgeous. And your new order features some beautiful new roses for you, though I have to object to those proliferations on Charming Corneille. I just can't like them. It is funny that you're colder during the day but warmer at night than we currently are. The weather is crazy. Looks like wind is coming up, but it will be a while before I go outside--too cold. Diane

Ugh. Don just broke his arm walking our terrible Teddy. He's on the way to the hospital in a cab since I can't drive. Don't know what I going to do with the roses. I could take them in and out (half one day/half the other), but with my foot/toe? Sh*t. Poor guy has never broken anything before. I could take them out (maybe...see how the toe cooperates) and cover them with blankets during the night. Temps will get a bit below freezing by a degree or two. If I can manage them...that's what I'll do. It's a real struggle for me even when I'm uninjured.

Carol, So sorry to hear about Don's arm and your toe! I think the roses will be ok as long as it doesnt go too far under freezing. Remember it snowed here and then froze and got to 17F. I left some roses in 7 gal pots out because it was just too much to move them. Some weren't even covered and they are just fine. Many are climbers and they didnt freeze at all.

Carol, I am also so sorry to read about Don's arm. That is your main concern now. If the roses are in the garage, can't you just leave them there until you can talk more to Don. It's not going to hurt them to stay a week or two longer in the garage. You need a garden helper. Could you hire one as a temporary helper? Maybe a neighbor could help a time or two. Can Kedra come down for a day or two? Check want ads online or in paper for garden helpers, probably mostly mow and blow guys, but who knows? Don't hurt your toe more by doing too much. Check in again late to let us know how Don is doing. Take care, and I'm thinking of you with much concern. Diane

I am so sorry about Don breaking his arm, Carol. This is terrible timing. You will need a helper.

Carol -- I'm so sorry to hear about Don's arm. And I'm sure it's very stressful on top of your foot injury. I wish I lived close to you and could help you with your roses. But please make sure to take care of yourself above all else. I don't want you to hurt yourself!

My sympathies as well, Carol! I hope it’s not too complicated of a break and heals quickly! I too wish I was your neighbor and could help out over this time.

Oh no, Carol, what a darned nuisance. Ditto everyone else about getting a helper. The last thing you need is to injure yourself further.

So get this. lol Don says that the two of us can do the work. He'll tilt the dolly back (with one arm...they're really heavy) and I can wheel them down the driveway. He feels really bad that he broke his arm 3 days before the roses are to go outside. I told him not to be so silly. I'm looking on kijiji for someone who wants to do odd jobs. I have tons of blankets/sleeping bags, etc. to cover the roses with for night. I hate that he hurt himself, though he's so good natured about it. :)

Thanks everyone for having my back on this. :) :)

Sultry - really? -17F and your roses were okay? Wow! I'm surprised at that. Thanks, so much for your caring heart.

Thanks, Diane - yup, Don is casted now. They sedated him to redact (is that the right word?) his arm. The roses really need some water and they've been in the garage for a really long time, plus it will be a really long time before Don is okay to help. So, I'd just as soon get them out. Thanks for your care. :) :)

Sheila - so true...terrible timing...Don feels just terrible about it. He has a distal radius fracture. I had to be firm and say no to him and me moving the roses. Sheesh.

Thanks, Windowsill...it would be fun to have you live close to me. :)

Thanks, Judi...I know you would help if you could. Thanks so much!!

Trish - oh, for sure. I've got some feelers out for helpers. My eldest daughter (in B.C.) said, Oh, I wish I lived there...I would do it for you.

Don was saying that this is the Spring where we'll get so much done...nothing will get in our way. My Dad died one Spring, then my Mom the next, plus another one Don was busy with a huge work project and then another we had something going on. Now this. Tis to laugh.

You all have such kind hearts. Gardeners are the best!!

Carol, 17F not (negative) -17F lol..I dont think we could ever get into the negatives here.

Carol, I really hope you can find a short term garden helper. I know you're looking. Just my opinion, but I don't think you and Don should try moving those roses this Saturday. You've got to find a helper. I don't want you to have any re-injuries. Thinking of you, and sleep as well as possible. Diane

Carol, Don is the nicest man - as you well know! I hope you find someone soon to look after your roses for a while. I'm relieved to hear you're not going to attempt it. You both need lots of R & R.

Carol, oh no!!! i’m sorry to hear about his arm your foot. my goodness

Carol, glad it sounds like you can get some help. Don is a real trooper! I know what it's like to have a year where it feels like it's one setback after the next. But I know your good humor will get you through it.

Posting this bit of cheer this morning. My mom sent me this pic of her first bloom of the season -- Double Delight -- her favorite rose. DD struggled so much when she tried to grow in it in NJ. My dad nicknamed it Double Disappointment when she had to toss it on the compost heap one time. I used to call it Demanding Diva. But it does so well for her in California and is her top bloomer now.

Carol your hubby is the best! Can we trade 😉. Mine just put together my second Wayfair arbor this week and forgot his power drill outside, and someone stole it. Now he is rightfully upset. I feel bad

Did you find someone that can help? Are you part of a rose organization? Maybe they can have a rosarian come over and help.

Sultry - yeah, I knew it was 17F, don't know why I put the negative mark there. :) That's a pretty cold temperature for spring roses to live through after they've been pampered in the garage all winter.

Diane - I made my query on NextDoor website, and someone said they'll help us. I just have to give him a call. So that's a relief!! Plus, the snow on the driveway has to melt. I'm also going to get him to dig out the dead roses from the pot I left outside over winter (on purpose). I don't have the balance for doing that.

Trish - thanks...he is a keeper. He feels so bad that he let me down. Which, of course, he didn't. :) :)

Echo - thanks so much. :) :)

Windowsill - yes, Don is my hero. :) :) We'll get through this. So true. :) :) Oh my!!!! What a beautiful bloom of your mom's DD!!! That put some cheer in my soul. :) :) LOL on Double Disappointment and Demanding Diva. :)

SoCal - thanks!! Oh, rats about the power drill!! That's gotta hurt. And after he built another Wayfair arbor for you. That's not fair. Yes, I did find someone to help. I haven't called him yet, though. It's a relief to know that even when Don gets too old to move my roses, I can find help elsewhere.

Carol, I'm so glad you've got a helper. What a relief, and I hope this person works out well. Now you tell Don that Diane said he didn't let you down. He's a wonderful husband, and accidents happen to everyone, even to the best of good people. I think Don is terrific--you can tell him that, too.

Socal, so sorry about your husband's power drill. There are some weird people out there, prowling through back yards late at night. Here, in this close community, some weirdo easily got into our back yard and must have been carrying a big knife. He proceeded to slice off about half the branches of my purple smokebush, and left the sliced canes/branches all over the place. My family suggested it might have been an animal, but I showed them the clean, sharp slices, one smooth cut. These were tough straight branches. My poor shrub is going to look like heck this spring. It's not doing much right now. Diane

Diane some people are so nasty. I had them constantly break my sacred sage on the curbside. I hope you plant springs back.

Today I finally replanted the passion vine my previous tenants killed. And saw some vain birdies 🪞🐦

Socal, thank you. I hope the smokebush pulls through, and I hope your next tenants don't destroy your passion vine, but maybe you replanted it where you can watch over it. Is the last photo of the passion vine? And I'm sorry about your sacred sage. I have never heard of this kind of sage. Tell us about it. Do you have photos? We have native sagebrush all over the place. It's very resinous and the pioneers called it greasewood and used it to make fires. A huge mass of sagebrush just below us at the bottom of the slope to the gully is a home to a covey of quail. There's a cavelike entrance to the big sagebrush home. The entrance has grown larger, and I think the number of quail in that "home" has increased. My kitty Finn won't go into it, so the quail are at least safe from him, not that he bothers them. How masses of California Quail ended up in my back yard is a mystery to me. They like it that the little birdies are such slobs, dropping sunflower seed all over below the feeder, and the quail have only a few feet to walk up the slope and compete for the dropped seed and do they ever. Diane

I've shown this before. The entrance has grown larger, as has the mass of sagebrush. Quail live inside the sage cave.

Crazy Love Song centers

Diane - I had to google purple smokebush...so pretty!! What a shame that some smuck came and did that. Is one of your neighbors mad at you? I hope this doesn't hurt the bush too badly. Rats. Thanks about the helper. I haven't chosen the person yet. There's a few of them. :) I'll copy what you wrote and email it to Don. That's going to make him feel good. He's still talking like that today...that he's supposed to be my strong guy who takes care of me. You've got even more quail now? Did you put up a sign saying Welcome Quail, make yourselves at home? lol And their cave is even bigger! My goodness!! Your Love Song blooms are amazing!!! The last one is my fave!! That color!! The 2nd pic with those centers...quirky!

SoCal - Have you ever gotten fruit from a passionfruit? I love all the teal doors/shutters, etc you have.

Join us at the Spring Seasonal Thread

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6490394/spring-seasonal-thread

Carol, thanks for starting a new spring thread. My smokebush is a smaller type from Proven Winners that I've grown for a number of years. It's called Winecraft Black, I believe. It was having enough problems with the shade from the tree we removed, and had only a couple of years to really get going when this weird person invaded our yard. No, no problems with neighbors. And all my roses are fine. Several years ago, someone did something similar to son in law's weeping pussywillow. The new or same person took off a few small whips from the pussywillow this year, too, but did the real damage to the smokebush.....Thanks about Love Song whose blooms have the most elaborate centers. So fun to see. And I'm glad you have some options for a rose helper. Yes, please send Don my compliments. I hope he's feeling OK, but he's got some healing to do, poor man. Diane

Wow I'm up this late too. After this comment I'm going to try and go to bed. Researching beds for dahlias and bird houses.

I called it sacred sage because it's sacred to Native Americans. It's white sage, the one you burn for "cleansing". That smoke bush is gorgeous. I had to Google it too. It appears they were jealous and wanted a piece of it.

That last pic is Beaumontia grandiflora vine.

Carol thank you, I think the teal and the bouganvilia make you feel like you live in a small villa by the Mediterranean. I used to eat my passion fruit. My last harvest I had 500 fruits. Delicious sweet and tart, perfect for juice and pastries.

The passion in all its glory.

Carol,

I am so glad to hear you are getting help. So sorryvaboutvDon. He us so kind aftercsuch a unfotunate mishap. it takes a little while gor an arm to heal. God bless you both! I pray your helper will becable to assist with all your rose transits. you both deserve a ton of blessings!

Thank you for the new spring thread.. i appreciarecare your loving comments about my garden and new A&A rosrs coming. I am excited to hear your irders stsrt coming in April! Sounds like you will have many many rasoberries with your new & older raspberry vines! Woohoo! 10 small rosrs for me to orune…. Hee, hee!

Thanks for the propogation tips. You di it outside in soring dabbled shade-goidgood! I like to do that, but I havecrains possibly … may need to do inside. Considering in or out? Maybe kitchen coubter us best-I have a window-they like windows that are not too sunny.

Diane,

We both have been staying indoirs from the up/down weather. And for me-hiding from it. Winds & rain-not too fond! Soon we can do a little more…. it has been drying since heavey rain a day ago. Yesterday was damp but 70F, but I hadca lot if business. Today 51F but looks sunny. More business to do. I’ll garden again when warm. Lol! Ch Corneille, has an intetesting proliferation, possibly often. I di love her bi-colors. Simply unique and antique appearing.

SoCal,

Charming garden & who’s birthday? Your birthday! Happy Birthday 95th to the Amazing Gardener! 🌺🥀.

Kitty, it's Socal's little house's 95th birthday! You really beat us in daytime highs yesterday, though it was pretty nice here. I had a routine doc appointment and got groceries, so I took yet another day off from pruning, cleanup, and dealing with a return of some blasted weeds. High 50s today, and it will be a couple of days before we hit 70F. Then it bounces up and down. I don't trust the weather or the weather forecasters who change predictions hourly. That's Idaho spring. Getting ready for your trip West? Hope all goes smoothly for you.

Socal, I love the 1920s California casitas, and your little house, too. It's also called Spanish or Mission revival, and was so popular in the 1920s in a lot of places, including here. We have a gorgeous, and well known, Spanish/Mission Revival train depot with beautiful surrounding gardens. It's now owned by the city of Boise. And in solidarity with you, we have had two teal doors for about 8-9 years. They are inside front and inside back. I'll post some Rouge Royale and Munstead photos later today on the new thread. I'm behind schedule. Love your casita photos. Diane

Diane - Don asked me to thank you. :) :) I googled Winecraft Black Smokebush...the blooms do look like smoke has settled on the bush. How cool! Weird that someone would come and do this. Glad he/she didn't attack the roses.

SoCal - FIVE HUNDRED fruits?!!!!! My mind is boggled!!! I can't imagine. I can't even get one. lol The teal door really draws the eye in the last picture! And those red blooms!!! My heavens!! :) :) Is the 1st picture something that you created or is it from the internet? If you did it...I'm gobsmacked!!! EXQUISITE!!

Kitty - thanks so very much, Kitty. :) :) Have you finished your pruning yet? Yes, the kitchen counter sounds like a good idea.

Don, you're welcome. Carol means a lot to me *and to you). You both be careful now.......I pruned a little while ago in the miserable wind, and gave a good whacking to my largest Evelyn, and finished a major cut down on the Ascot in back. Cut down the big canes to go in the big leaf bags, and by golly, that's all I could do. I'll be posting on the new spring thread from now on. Diane

@KittyNY6

I don't think I got to answer your question, so here it is with delay: that fuschia color is actually Plum Perfect - dusty mauve in reality, but I may have messed with the filters, I don't remember for sure. Unfortunately, I lost Plum to RRD last year.

@rosecanadian

This is belated but I hope Don feels much better now. Very sorry to hear.

Everyone has delightful roses.

@Z10Socal

That outdoors arrangement is absolutely dreamy. Is it going on now or it is a picture from another season? SoCal weather seems to be God's climate in Heaven.

No AI here. I did it in the heat too because the Casita and I both celebrate our birthdays in July. Thank you Artist FKA

Oh, those two adorable pups! Did you set them up there for the picture? They seem so compliant! That's just a perfect image! :)

Diane - don't bother answering...stay on the other thread...just wanted to say back at you!! You mean a great deal to me too. :)

Artist - thanks about Don. :) :) He's taking his pain medication now...so that's helping.

SoCal - no way!!! You did that? You should be an influencer...that's incredible!!! And you even put flower crowns on your dogs!! You could SO easily make a career out of this.