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By Mom Unplugged, November 15, 2007 9:14 pm

I am grateful for this poor rose that hangs in there cheerfully despite the cold night time frosts.

This rose is my idol.

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By Mom Unplugged, August 26, 2007 10:23 am

So many wonderful things are happening in my garden right now. While gardens in other parts of the country begin to tire at this time of year, gardens in the Southwestern US take off. Monsoon rains bring the much-needed “real” water to the garden. Hose water simply does not produce the same results.

Here are some pictures:

A Hollyhock

Wave Petunias in a flower box…and Pipsqueak

My mixed border finally takes off

Sexy Rexy roses by the front door (surrounded by scented geranium foliage)

California Poppies

The weeds are loving life too

At least many of the weeds are actually lovely wildflowers such as this wild penstemon!

This post is part of The Sunday Garden Tour at A Wrung Sponge.

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By Mom Unplugged, August 5, 2007 7:51 am

Here it is, the garden of my dreams. A difficult garden for Arizona, even in the more temperate area where I live.

This is the garden bordering the path to my step-sister’s Upstate New York home.

Look at those happy flowers!! Look at all that lush GREEN!!!!!!

Her complaints are 1) Flowers so happy that they are taking over and need dividing, and 2) A huge infestation of Japanese Beetles dining on her roses. I would suffer with problem number one any day (she can keep number two though).
She doesn’t want to use pesticides on her lawn. Does anyone have any natural solutions for combating Japanese Beetles? I read somewhere that planting garlic keeps them away. My step-sister is of Italian descent and is a great cook, but I don’t think even she wants a lawn full of garlic!
Please share any ideas you may have. Thanks!

This post is part of The Sunday Garden Tour at A Wrung Sponge.

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By Mom Unplugged, July 1, 2007 9:20 am

This foxglove made it through the cold winter and returned from the dead. It always seems a miracle to me that flowers can actually survive the winter (even though they are “perennials” and are supposed to). When I survey the dried and dead remains early each spring, I always expect the worst. However, usually the flowers amaze me with their resilience, such as this foxglove, one of three I planted last summer. Two are in flower, and one is almost there.

This is a Flax flower. It was one of this year’s impulse purchases at the nursery because I thought the little blue flowers were so pretty. At this point, my garden is one giant experiment, so we’ll see how it does!

I have always loved California Poppies. They are so lovely, yet so tough. In my last house I had them wild in the front yard. Here, I decided to plant many of them in a dry front flower bed. This is a first bloom.

CONTEST:
Finally: news of a photography contest! David Austin Roses is hosting a Garden Rose Photography Competition. Submit a photo, either a close-up, or a whole plant or garden picture, and possibly win a $100 or $150 David Austin gift certificate. The rose must be a David Austin English rose (which you might have without even realizing it - check their website to see the varieties). Photos will be judged on beauty and originality. Deadline is September 30th so you have all summer to find that perfect rose. Good luck!

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This post is part of The Sunday Garden Tour at A Wrung Sponge. Head over there to find more participants, or to add your own garden-related post. Happy Sunday!

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By Mom Unplugged, June 24, 2007 9:54 am

I saw this sign in a store shortly after planting my hopeless looking bare root roses one month ago. I had to buy it!

Well, the bare root roses are actually getting leaves. They look ALIVE! Here is a before and after picture of one of them:

Graham Thomas on May 28th:

Graham Thomas this morning (June 24):

Only one still looks a bit iffy, but the others are doing very well. Roseraie de l’Hay is really going crazy!

Happy Roseraie:

Some of my older roses are flowering right now. My three year-old Climbing Iceberg has several sweet-smelling white flowers and many buds.

Climbing Iceberg

This lovely red rose is a leftover from the previous owner. I am afraid I have quite neglected it, but it still puts on a pretty show in early summer each year. I am not sure what it is.

Mystery rose with a volunteer aspen in the middle:

This post is part of The Sunday Garden Tour at A Wrung Sponge. Head over there to find more participants, or to add your own garden-related post. Happy Sunday!