Take more notes; we're all interested!

At the beginning of the month my local Wal-mart put out bagged roses. I was in shock to see them so soon and still am. I've looked at them, been tempted but grafted can be a real pain around here plus it's just too early for planting anything except some bulbs if you are desperate.

Mustbenuts, yes, they are daffs and corcus bulb. I also saw some snowdrops in a front bed earlier but they are snow covered again. The ones in the photo are in the back bed and the snow always melts there first because it's on the south side.

Mustbnuts - thanks for your sharing your Master Gardener wisdom. Congrats on getting into the program!

Lola - lovely blooms! Always enjoy seeing DA roses!

Here's an Abraham Darby collage I did today. Abe can vary a bit in the pink to apricot range but he's always a pretty and fragrant rose. Can't wait to see him again this spring!


Ann

Excellent collage.
Does your Abe Darby get rust and if so, how badly ?

Seil - wow!! You have new growth!!??!!! We just got a dump of snow and we're expecting more. Weather is warming up, though...we're getting to -10C/14F. Waaaay better than before. It's lovely to see the crocuses?? peeking out of the soil in your picture!

Mustbnuts - oh! I had no idea it would get that hot in a garage. Sheesh!! That's beyond my experience. And having fresh fruit from trees is incredible!! Figs! I can't imagine. Maybe you could get a dwarf variety of fig tree...if there's such a thing. Well, it looks like you've got lots of options. I liked reading your info on worms...I probably kept mine too wet.

Amanda - really? Roses already. I am sooo envious!

Ann - I found that when I tried to grow Abe many years ago...that the canes draped and never stood up. I couldn't stand that. But yours has nice upright canes! I'm impressed! And the collage has such gorgeous, gorgeous photos!! That made my day!

It is a wonderful sight, Carol, but I fear they will be lost long before the season really starts. But they do give me hope!

Yes, we all need hope! Green will come back into our lives.

I'm probably jinxing myself for saying this, but I haven't had a possum in the garden for a few weeks now. Most of my roses have blooms or buds so I am very happy.
Ambridge
Ambridge
Jubilee Celebration
Jubilee Celebration
Sharifa Asma
Windermere (my first ever cutting)
Belle Story (falling apart beautifully)

Beautiful! The possums don't know what they're missing.

Lola your blooms are just beautiful! They are a wonderful sight for us deprived of blooms eyes. Glad your critters have stopped eating them and I hope they continue to stay away. So so pretty! Thank you for posting them.

I am strangely enjoying blooms that are overblown. Not the brown dead ones, just the elegantly aging (like me).

Have a couple more.

Lovely, Lola, thank you!

Lola. you have an artist's eye.

Lola - glad the possums are leaving you alone. Finally! Your roses are wonderful...and I agree...you present the aging blooms so artistically that they look so romantic. I especially love your Ambridge rose pics. And the open blooms under the vase picture.
Thank you!!!
We have snow banks on our driveway that are 3 feet tall...and we're expecting more snow. But, because of the snow/clouds...we're not getting the really cold weather -40C and below with wind chill. Brrrr!!

Windermere.



It is the first day of Autumn and we desperately need rain. In the background of the last photo you can see my neighbour's bright green irrigated pasture. My place is uniformly straw coloured.

The last day of February means we are that much closer to this.

Lola - I wish we could send you some rain. My friend posted a pic on Facebook of his water gauge showing he got 8 inches of rain in 30 hours this week which gives you some idea of how much rain has generally fallen on the San Francisco Bay Area.

My area has only got about 5-6 inches since Monday but that's a lot for use. I believe the Bay Area gets on average about 20-25 inches (if we're lucky) during our rainy season which is between October and April and the only time we get rain. We appreciate our rain because we've lived through a number of very difficult droughts so I feel for you!

Your Windemere roses are so pretty! The color reminds me a little of Jude the Obscure. They are so perfectly formed!
Ann

Lola - yeah, that's the color of unirrigated grass here too. We're sort of desert-like. When we went to England and then came back...we couldn't believe how brown/yellow things are here...and so few trees. England was a paradise in comparison. I love your Windemere!!!

Ken - Such lovely rose pictures!!! I can hardly wait for spring!!