My Birthday Treats!

Well guess what? Today is my birthday. It kind of snuck up on me. I have not been a big fan of celebrating my birthday this last decade or so. I just kind of forget exactly how old I am, and try to ignore the years flying by. The funny thing is I usually over estimated how old I am. Then when I finally take note, I am relieved, not quite as bad as I thought. No kidding :] I even had my poor sister a year older this birthday. She thanked me kindly for that :0)

My husband informed me that we are going out on a date. Just the two of us, to a fancy restaurant in town, we have not been to before. It is a winery/restaurant called Tagaris. Looking forward to maybe a wine tasting too! Then we will head over to my daughters for some birthday cake and snuggles and kisses with Puddin Toes.

Well I thought I was going to spend the day in the garden, but when I got up the weather was still in high heat mode. We had record seasonal highs this weekend. It almost reached 100 degrees. We have also had record seasonal lows this month. My poor plants are very confused. Tuesday it is going back down to the 60’s. Go figure? It will be a much better day for planting. So I do hope to get some time finally in the dirt. I do have some roses blooming, and a gazillion about to burst. So pictures will be coming on that account.

For now though let me share about why I was doing the “Happy Rose Dance” (Note to non gardeners, you might want to skip this paragraph.) The night before our trip to Spokane, I did some research and found a rose nursery that sells “own root” roses. It was only 12 minutes from our destination. So we started out early and planned hitting Northland Rosarium, and then doing some shopping in downtown Spokane. Well….we meandered out into the country side down some lonely lanes, and pulled up to a home with several greenhouses on the side, and some lovely gardens getting under way. Everything was well laid out for me to shop till my hearts content. I drove up expecting a busy Sat. morning at the nursery and just having to fend for myself. As it turned out I was their only customer at the moment and I had the full attention of the owner/rosarian Carol. As soon as she understood we were talking the same language in seconds I was on the grand tour. I found it such a privilege and such a delight to have this woman’s time and attention. I am not sure exactly how long we were there. My husband would know? All I know is eight roses, and two English delphiniums later I was done and spent, in more ways than one. What I really enjoyed about this visit was that I was learning from an expert about some “new to me” types of roses and getting some really experienced growing advice from Carol. She knew exactly what my interests were and how those would be best suited. It is just so rare for me to find such kindred souls in the area of growing roses. I hate to say it but even at our local ARS rose club. The folks and I are not on the same page. They are mostly focus on growing old school Hybrid Teas, and showing them for blue ribbons. Nothing could be further from my interest in rose growing. I want the ambience of them in the garden, not on the show table, the scent of roses both inside and outside my home, ease of growing them, and the look of romance. Typical Hybrid Teas, tend to look like roses on a stick, with no scent and a lot of diseases. Not that a few of them don’t turn my head, just not my main event.

So let me get to my purchases...

Romantica Roses: Fredric Mistral

Romantica Rose: Classic Woman

Kordes: Icegirl Panarosa HT

This was the best picture I could find, I think this one is fairly new

Kordes: Cinderella/shrub rose

Florabunda: Julia Child

Grandaflora: Nicole Carol Miller


I did get one classic Hybrid Tea, but it looks nothing like your mother's roses.
Elle

and a miniture rose called Baby Boomer

I will share later about the Davenport, and perhaps about Tagaris

Note to all rosarians check out this great nusery, the plants look very healthy and bigger than most own root roses.

Thank you so much Carol Newcomb!