No that anyone asked, but I don't like roses. Well, I don't like scentless hothouse roses that always seem to die in a day or two. I like to walk down an alley in late Spring or early Summer and come across the scent of roses. I like other's people's roses, but I'm not a big fan of flowers that have special needs. I have dogs with special needs. I have special needs myself. So if it's not hardy and capable of blooming in a less that ideal environment, if it's prone to attracting pests like mites and aphids, I'm not such a fan. The Vinca or Periwincle and bulbs do well here with no encouragement at all. The forsythia and mock orange do well with little fuss. I have one good spot for Halls Honeysuckel right outside my door; it always blooms.
Some years the fruit trees don't bear fruit, some years the Wisteria doesn't bloom. These are usually the years Spring comes early, and just as all the fruit trees are budding, or have just bloomed, it freezes.
It is beginning to feel as if this might be one of those years of early thaw. Or maybe it's just me thawing.
14 comments:
When I first started my garden on the big balcony of the apartment I still miss, I grew miniature roses. Since this is Portland, miniature roses are like the normal sized ones I knew back east. They lasted one summer before the aphids, mites and blight got to them. So I planted fuchsia for the hummingbirds instead and sniffed the roses growing in profusion in other people's gardens.
We are two of a kind, Susan.
Actually, one wouldn't think so but here in the pretty dry ("exeptionally so")Central Texas Austin, certain antique roses do quite well. Apparently, you can water them on occasion and almost ignore them once settled. Plus..'apparently', growing garlic with roses help them against spider mites. Rue will deter the Japanese beetle. Parsley protects it against rose beetles. (what the hell are those Japanese beetles doing? hmmm)
anyhow..but that wasn't the point of the post was it? In essence, I'm with you; don't plant things that are not native nor water wise according to the region you're in. We just had our first neighbourhood garden club meeting and we're all like that; no fuss no muss and it can still be pretty.
phoo, I need to go to bed, it was a too busy day..I'll come back to catch up later Utah...it's been nutzoid..
hugs
Ingrid
ps Utah..here is a 'death toll in Gaza' widget for your blog, if you're interested;
http://www.aljazeeranewera.com/widget/widget.html
Ingrid
i thought i knew.... but now i know that rose trees never grow in New York City....
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
I tried roses once. Actually it was my mother-in-law who planted them without asking me & then thought I should take an interest. Took me about 5-yrs but I finally killed them & then we moved. Love the blooms, hate the maintenance.
Never tried actual roses again, but I get a TON of blooms from purple sage & mountain laurel in my yard. Last year I planted something called a compact bushrose which looks like it is another victim of winterkill right now.
I think it might be an early thaw down here too. Overnight temps have not dipped below freezing for a few days.
I used to be a real rose person - when we first bought our house I planted a whole bunch of them in the back yard. For the first few years they did great, a combination of the fact that no one had planted anything in the soil (which was very dark and rich) for about 70 years, and the fact that I faithfully sprayed them for all of those pests every week and fertilized them constantly.
Gradually I got lazy and stopped spraying; and even though I kept fertilizing, it wasn't enough. They gradually died off one by one. Now I only have a couple of rose bushes and a lot of less needy things. Hydrangeas, for instance. You don't have to do a thing to them!
I am so with you. Plants, if you can't thrive on neglect, you don't belong in my garden!
Utah, you're as bad as me. We can't get enough of the blog, man! But, breaks are needed when you're writing (that's what I'm doing now).
As far as flowers, I love no blooms more than two weeds: California poppies and lupine. Shall we go for a walk in the blooming desert in spring? Then, we can bend down to look at the flowers close up.
Yes, these flowers are truly as vibrant as you see. I had a similar experience going to a meeting last week. Usually, these flowers don't come out until Spring: but by the sidewalk, I saw one lone poppy that was all the more beautiful for its singularity.
I'm finally done with my 6 random things.... I'm a procrastinator and a perfectionist....(my poor family!) Hope you learn someting new about me....tee-hee! (And I hope I don't disappoint too badly.....)
Nicely done, Ms Giggles.
Stella, that is one of my favorite sights. I will try again with the California poppies this year. I have saved both images and may use it to plan my next fever of spring planting. If I can broadcast seed and have some of it take, I'm happy. I have become the world's laziest gardner. I did backbreaking work for years and now my back won't take the work necessary for this place to be really lovely.
I don't like scentless roses and/or tasteless hot house tomatoes. But, thanks to lovely you I did my meme homework today and it is all about flowers. Come on over. I promise there are no flowers with special needs.
Alas, this person owns a "black" thumb, so trying to raise flowers is an impossibility for me. I guess the aphids and mites win out. I do admire those who have the talent and patience to tend to the flora.
Cal started a blog. This makes it possible for me to introduce "the boy" of my wild and willful adolesence to you.
Post a Comment