Sun and Blooms

After a full week of rain and weather so cold we had a fire in the woodstove every day, the sun is shining. You can see the big rose bushes are weighed down with rain. I can hardly tell where Rachel’s rose, Celestial and Ispahan begin and end.

Rachel's Rose

However burdened they are, rain soaked roses are very beautiful. I have written about Rachel’s rose before. Click here for her full history.

Pink Grootendorst

I planted Pink Grootendorst on the new Rose Bank last spring and she is doing very well. Lots of buds.  She is a rugosa and should grow to a good size. I love the little carnation-like pinked petals.

Mount Blanc

Pink Grootendorst has little very frilly petals; Mount Blanc has large and more elegant petals. I love this rugosa which is so big and hardy. Fragrant too.

Mock Orange

It is because of fragrance that I planted this Mock Orange right at the corner of the Cottage Ornee where we can enjoy it inside, as well as outside. It is now a substantial bush, more than six feet tall, and just loaded with fragrant flowers.

Peonies

Many of the peonies are fragrant as well. Because the Annual Rose Viewing is always the last Sunday in June I have many late varieties so that there will still be peonies as well as roses on that day. They are such showy flowers. Most of them are shades of pink or white, but I have a couple of deep red ones, and this spring I planted Coral Charm.  Ten peonies of the 30 or so are in bloom right now. I think I will have to wait another year for Coral Charm.

Green Lotus

Green Lotus is the one ‘odd’ peony in my Peony Hedge, but I just love it.  I showed Summer Carnival in Kathy Puckett’s garden and I am going to try and get one this fall. It has a similar flower form, but in pink and white stripes. You knew I wouldn’t be able to resist pink and white stripes, didn’t you?

This is a summer blooming azalea that is planted in the Lawn Bed. It is three years old now and has not grown very much so far, but it certainly does know how to bloom.

Of course there are many other flowers in bloom right now including daisies and buttercups in the field, but here is a list: AdditionalRoses – Queen of Denmark, Scabrosa, Mabel, Double Red Knockout, Hawkeye Belle, Buckland Rose, Mrs. Doreen Pike, Darts Dash, Leda, John Cabot, Belle Poitvine, Apart, Alba Semi-Plena, Rugosa alba, Rosa glauca, de la Grifferai, Ghislane de Feligonde, Harrison’s Yellow and the  mystery rose.  The rose I have been calling the Apothecary rose is also blooming and running out into the field, but I no longer think I have the correct identification.

The white, and the purple Siberian irises are still blooming, but are almost done. Joan Elliot campanula, salvias, dianthus and pink coral bells are also blooming. Often amid the weeds. Weeding is on the schedule today.

Carol, thank you so much for hosting this wonderful Bloom Day. I love seeing what else is blooming across the country.

Winning Hamentaschen

Hamentaschen

I won a box of hamentaschen from Kosher.com.  I made a comment on one of my favorite blogs, Our Grandmother’s Kitchens, and this is my reward.

Hamentaschen are a treat served at the feast of Purim when the beautiful Queen Esther saved her Jewish people from the machinations of the wicken Hamen. I am ready to celebrate all holidays that are commemorated with sweet treats like this.

My Award

I’ve never gotten an award before so I was delighted to wake up to this award bestowed by Tinky of Our Grandmother’s Kitchens. Thank you Tinky! She did say there were seven things the award givers want to know about me, before I pass the award along to seven other favorite bloggers.

She also said if I was too shy I didn’t have to tell all – but I can certainly think of seven things to share. Some may have been self-evident to readers of my blog.

You all must know that I love roses and have a collection of over 60 roses. These are not fussy hybrid teas, but hardy roses that can take our Heathan winters and winds. Many are fragrant as well as beautiful. And the last Sunday in June we always have our version of Garden Open Today at The Annual Rose Viewing.  Lemonade and Cookies.

I’m a reader. I like many kinds of books, mysteries, novels, poetry, ‘lit-ra-chuh’, cookbooks and, of course, garden books. When I was a librarian I loved being a ‘reader’s advisor’ helping my patrons find a book to delight and inform. So I will pass on a couple of suggestions. I love the Mary Russell mystery novels by Laurie R. King beginning with The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, and Penelope Lively whose latest is Family Album. I’ve also just finished Letters from Yellowstone by Diane Smith. A national park in 1898, botany, a feminist, a raven and much much more. I highly recommed it.

I’m a cook, and I love baking. I baked this apple tart for a ‘meeting’ of the Heath Gourmet Club. We have been meeting and eating once a month since September 1981. That’s 28 years of serving ourselves. I’m famous for choosing France as a theme, but we’ve had picnics, winter brunches, English tea parties, Russian Easters, Indian curries, and dim sum. Our President’s Meal is coming up in February. I haven’t chosen my dish yet.

I’m a Granny and we love having grandchildren visit. They pick berries in the raspberry patch, in the blueberry fields across town, feed the worms, catch newts in the Frog Pond, hike in the woods, play cards in the Cottage Ornee, visit Mass MoCA to see weird and wonderful art exhibits, and Read Aloud. I’m a great granny, now too. Isabella and Lola live in Florida. We are looking forward to Lola’s first visit.

I have a lot of trouble controlling paper. I might need that article, that scribbled note, that address on a napkin.  I’m not a collector, except books and plants, but paper is something else. However, this year, we are Reviewing and Renewing. there is a chance I will at least cut down in a radical way.

That’s five things about me.  I can also tell you I love Netflix. We live 25 miles from the nearest movie theater, and its the ride home that is always the killer. I’d rather watch on our new digital TV. We watch all kinds of movies, but we love old classic comedies. And musicals. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly! Last night we downloaded Greenfingers. Prisons plus gardens equal redemption!

Tinky mentioned her crushes. Have I ever had a crush on a movie star? I suppose so, but so long ago. Still, there is Tommy Tune. So tall. A drawl. And those dancing feet. Sigh!

Now I’d like to pass along this award to 7 other of my favorite bloggers:

Sue at A Corner Garden

Rose at Prairie Rose’s Garden

Rose at Ramble on Rose

Dr. Mom at Back Quarter Acre

Daphne at Daphne’s Dandelions

JP at Artful Greens

Nan at Letters from a Hill Farm

Sam at Red Worms – a fairly new blog

Sue is excited about her kitchen these days, and Nan is always excited about books, and Sam has a new blog about vermiculture which I am very excited about, but everyone else is busy thinking about their gardens while they wait for spring. It comes earlier to some than others. I hope you’ll stop by and visit and meet some interesting people with interesting projects and thoughts.

Garden Bloggers Convene

Garden Bloggers from all over this great USA, from California to Massachusetts, and from Michigan to Texas and Louisiana AND Canada, are all meeting up in Buffalo, home of the famed Buffalo Garden Walk for the Third Annual Garden Bloggers meet-up from July 8-11.

I will be here to compare notes with Kathy Purdy about cold climates, with Carol about dreaming in the garden, with Frances about faire gardens, and with Susan Harris about how sustainably our gardens grow.  Actually I’ll be comparing notes with dozens of bloggers, sharing  information, funny stories, and getting to visit lots of gardens in and around Buffalo. I’ll be bringing back photos and ideas to share with all of you.  I can’t wait.

My Blogaversary Giveaway

Now that Thanksgiving has been celebrated in riotous style (23 for dinner!) it is time to move on to the next celebration.

On December 6, 2007 I asked myself the question, as posed by another blog, whether I was too old to blog. The only way to find out was to begin the commonweeder.com, and I guess the answer is no, because I am still standing. Or kneeling, bending, stretching, digging, weeding, in the garden and sitting at the computer.

To help me celebrate this blogoversary two companies are giving YOU a present.  My very premiere post, coming during a very wintery season, was about a book, Green Thoughts by Eleanor Perenyi. The particular section was about the approach of two very different gardeners, E.F. Benson and Henry James to the same garden. I have written about many books since then including excellent volumes by Storey Publications who has given me The Perennial Care Manual, the newest book by our sister blogger Nan Ondra to Giveaway. I challenge you to come up with a question that Nan doesn’t answer in this useful and beautiful book with photos by Rob Cardillo.

CowPots

IN ADDITION! Liquid Fence is giving away two sets of CowPots. There is a box of 3 inch CowPots, and a box of 4 inch Cowpots that will give an extra boost to seed starting in the spring.  You see the number two is key in all these gifts. CowPots are a way to get our plants off to a good start, and avoid transplant shock because the seedling in its CowPot goes right into the garden where it will continue to nourish the seedling with its composted cow manure. Unlike peat pots, CowPots are made from an ever renewable resource!

Just leave a comment here and tell me what garden book you have most enjoyed or found especially useful OR the best seed starting tip you ever got.  On my blogoversary, December 6, I will draw the winning name. Once I have the winner’s home address I will put the book and CowPots in the mail. Then I will also announce a second Giveaway for the following week. A different book, and more CowPots.

Surfing Surprise

4-H exhibit at the Big E

You never know what you’ll run into as you surf the garden blogs. Or where. Yolanda, in the Netherlands, on her beautiful blog Bliss is celebrating vegetables with a Beach Boys serenade. Check it out.