Yes. I can feel it around the bend too. But it's going to be cold tonight.

Can't wait to see the redbuds bloom!

Are you adjusting well to Tupelo?

Feels like spring to me too, and I'm ready and eager for it. Lots of Japanese magnolias in bloom around town today, and my snowflakes are starting to bloom well. Sure hope it doesn't do like last year and have a heavy frost right after things get a good start growing!

I am adjusting to Tupelo, still a bit too cold for me, January is the worst month for me to get depressed, but Feb starts to brighten me up.

I hope we've seen the last hard freeze. I've been busy cleaning up freeze-damaged perennials. Lots of things are budding and blooming ... Japanese Magnolias, Paperwhites, Azaleas, Taiwan Flowering Cherry, etc.

It is a gorgeous day today.....this (and fall) are my favorite times of the year. I hate to sweat (ha) but that's inevitable here, isn't it?

Laurie, I'm just the opposite. I have never grown roses before, and was wondering what kind are easy to plant and take care of, bloom the most, etc. for the Miss. Gulf Coast? Is now the time to plant them (I told you I was clueless.) I really would like to start a small rose garden. Last year I planted a knockout rose bush for my mother in Jackson, MS and it has its moments, but then can look awfully scraggly.

Wodka, who's Laurie?

I've never grown roses either, but I'm hoping to try a climber later this year when we put an arbor in the new veggie garden. If you decide to try roses check out Countryside Roses. They're in your neighborhood.

Here is a link that might be useful: Countryside Roses

natal, funny! Laurie is louisianagal, who is now living in Tupelo and learning how to grow "Tupelo" stuff. I had read her post on another thread and answered on the wrong one. I was hoping nobody would see my ignorance - you caught me!

Thanks for the tip on Countryside Roses. I will definitely check them out. Our yard is so sterile looking right now. We moved in our house in November, and have the necessary perennials and all. I planted some pansies and snapdragons, but they haven't bloomed as much as I wanted them to. I've got two camellia bushes that have tons of buds, but no blooms yet. So, in the meantime, I thought I'd try roses....good luck with yours.

Wodka, lol ... I finally figured that out when I saw the roses thread.

wodka, hope you catch this on this thread, maybe i'll post on rose thread.
in south la. i grew climbing pinkie on a very large arbor. it was glorious. i also grew climbing blaze, climbing joseph's coat, and cl. don juan.
also knockout. if you can, keep deadheading it, you don't have to officially prune it, just cut off the spent blooms, also grew old blush, and the fairy, and belinda's dream.

I understand the 'Old Garden Roses' are good here. Not the Hybrid Teas my dad was addicted to (in another climate!)
But about spring sprunging (!) the paper said today that the Yellow Tops were blooming. That's supposed to be a very good sign I've been told.

Yesterday was such a perfect day. Worked on yard cleanup, pruned roses. My mayhaw trees were blooming, homestead verbena, and paperwhites. Really felt like spring. For those of you who are thinking roses, the old teas, chinas, and noisettes are the perfect roses for the south. My garden is no spray, and these are the roses that flourish for us. I had roses at Christmas this year. I've always been told that when the pecan trees start budding, that's the end of cold weather. Checked mine yesterday and they aren't budding yet. So I'll hold off on bedding plants.

Laurie, Pinkie is on my list along with Mme. Alfred Carriere. Could I grow both on the same arbor?

Sure, as long as you like the color combination, what color is Mme Alfred Carriere? One other consideration : if you are doing alot of training of the rose onto the arbor, tying etc, it is good to have a no/low thorn rose.
Laurie

Laurie, it's white flushed with pink and from what I've read is nearly thornless like Pinkie. What's the best time of year for planting? I won't be erecting the arbor until mid summer. Can I transplant in the fall/winter or will I need to wait till next spring?

You can plant in fall/winter or early spring but not in the heat of summer, of course. My husband built either our arbor or pergola in St. Bernard in August. That was a killer. One summer we dug out and then erected an above ground pool in July or August for my mother-in-law. That almost killed us too. That time of year is just brutal. Unless you do the work in early morning (too humid though) or from 6-8 pm which is the best time in summer. Good luck. It should be beautiful.

It is a beautiful day today, so I think I'm going to head out to the local nursery with my "roses" list that y'all have so kindly provided, and see what damage I can do - ha.

Hope everyone has a good day. I'll let you know what roses I find.

No luck on roses. Countryside deals more with mail orders, but Lisa said she would meet with me on a weekend. So I then went to a nearby nursery, who just had a few knockout roses, her shipment hasn't arrived yet. She did give me a catalog to show what she had ordered, so that will help. On the way home, I passed a nursery that I didn't know was even there, so will be checking them out.

So, instead of roses, I bought several Confederate Jasmines to trail on my wrought iron fence, near the gate at the front of the yard, and a large azalea bush, loaded with buds, to go in the back in an empty space.

I am so anxious to plant my flowers! I cannot wait to plant the yellow shrimp plants. I had such good luck with them at my pre-Katrina house, and hoping I'll have the same luck here. They are so striking and so easy to grow. The yellow are by far the prettiest, in my opinion.

The landscaper (when we built the house) planted some Stella d'Oro daylilies, but I can't tell if they're alive or dead. Their foliage looks rather puny. I'm hoping they still have life in them and will bloom when spring finally arrives.

Hi Wodka,

if you're on the MS Gulf Coast, you're in Zone 8... you'd have to get south of 30'latitude before you'd be zone 9. for Z9, think south of Houston, or south of New Orleans (Grand Isle is Z9) NOLA itself is a 'heat island' and could be considered z9

You may want to rethink your gardening choices. F'rinstance, shrimp plants won't survive the fall or winter...

Tami, the Mississippi coast is considered Zone 8b. While a hard freeze will kill shrimp plants to the ground they will bounce back with new growth in the spring.

Zone 8, to me, is the perfect zone. I'm now in 7b (too cold), and used to be in 9b (too humid), so there's always zone envy no matter what! I used to grow the pink/orange shrimp plants, that was the easiest to propagate, just break a piece off and stick in the mud!
laurie

Tami - thanks - I never thought I was zone 9, but when I set up my GW profile and put in my zip code for Pass Christian, it pops up "9" for some reason. I have changed it to 8b....

Anyhow, I realize that the yellow shrimp plants are more of an annual here, but I love their look so much for the summer, they are worth it to me, even if they just last for a season. Hummingbirds love them, too, and they are such a bright addition to a garden.

Laurie, I've never tried the other colors, but might give them a shot, too.

It's a little chilly here this morning, even for "8b!" Maybe it will kill some of these gnats - I was attacked last week while outside planting, even my face (and I had bug spray on!)

I just had to fire a lawn care guy - he only lasted one trip (broke 4 sprinkler heads that cost us $168 to repair.) He offered to reimburse us, but I thought it would be easier to let him go if we just paid for it. Still, I was uncomfortable doing so - I hate confrontation - ha.

Wodka. I've heard Pass Christian was a 9 a long time ago. Then was moved to an 8b after a series of cold winters. And then moved back to a 9 after a series of warmer winters. If we have a series of cold winters you'll be back in an 8.

Though people argue with me about it. I've heard a number of old time coast gardners swear it's a 9. Especially as you approach the beach or if you're below one of the bays. Some claim I-10 as the dividing line between 8 and 9.

I live up in Diamondhead. Above I-10. And I think in a few places where you enter zip codes I get classified either 8/9 or an 8. It depends on the site.

My normal winter lows are mid and upper 20's. About one out of 3 or 4 it'll get down into the lower 20's. And in 15 years I think it got down into the teens one winter. You're probably warmer as you're south of the bay and closer to the sound.

We're cooler than a more solid 9 like New Orleans or Houston. But by definition zone 9 has winter lows 20-30.

To me it's an interesting issue of discussion.
Maybe because I heard so many conflicting things.

danbo, thanks for the clarification.

We live very close to the I-10, right off of Menge. While I have your interest, do you mind me asking what nursery do you use? Are there any nearby worth going to? I've used one in Long Beach quite often, but wondered if I could find one closer.

I know about the mail order rose place (Countryside?) but more interested in a good garden nursery.

It sure hasn't felt like spring the last few days, has it??

Hi. Neighbor. Then we have about the same climate.

Locally my preference is the one in Long Beach. (I assume you mean the one on Beatline.) It has one of the best local selections.

There's another small place on the Kiln/Waveland road who's name I can't recall. It looks like someones yard, and easy to miss. And to be honest, I haven't been there since they reopened after Katrina. (It took a while they had a lot of damage.) It's on the right as you drive down toward Waveland about a mile from US 90. On the right. Pre Katrina it was one of my favorites. They specialized in tropicals. Which I like.

Pine Hills is also good. Of the Kiln/De Lilse rd. Just N of I-10. Though not as extensive as Long Beach.

There was an interesting place a good ways north of I-10 from you. I always got lost going there. It specialized in day lilies. But as far as I know they never reopened.

We have a weekend place NE of Pensacola. They've recovered a lot more from Ivan than we have from Katrina. Last summer I did a bit of purchasing there and bringing stuff back. So I'm not a lot of help right now on local nurseries.

Is the antique rose place on Mengue down from you opening?

Hi, to you.

Yes, I really like Beatline Nursery - the owner is the kindest person, and they are all helpful there.

I called the antique roses place a few weeks ago, because several people here online recommended them. She was very nice, but said most of her business was done through mail order, and at the time I called her garden/nursery was still kind of a mess. She did offer to meet with me on an available weekend to help me make some rose selections. I haven't had time to take her up on it yet.

I think it's going to take a long time for this area to recover from Katrina. We were in Long Beach and lost it all, so have just moved into our Pass Christian house in November. I have missed working in the yard so much, and seeing things bloom and grow, so I'm rushing springtime as much as I can - ha.

How nice that you have an escape place near Pensacola. The Thanksgiving after Katrina hit, we were desperate to get away, out of the camper, so splurged and booked a condo with my sister's family in Perdido (Windemere?) They had a great holiday rate offered, so it wasn't a bad price at all. It was the most beautiful condo we've ever stayed in, but Ivan's wrath was still very apparent all around us. The highlight of the trip was taking a bath in the soaker tub (first bath in a real bathtub since Katrina!) and I was in heaven! (It's the little things - ha!)

Thanks so much for your input!

From the looks of it. Long Beach got the eastern eye wall. My heart goes out to you.

We were lucky. We were above high tide by 2 houses. Needed a new roof, had a hole in the pool, lost the trees, garden and the fence. We were very lucky.

Being Diamondhead was probably one of the most intact community in the area I think they got us back on line for power quick.

I understand. We had to get away that first Thanksgiving also. We went to Crystal River florida to swim with the manatees and dive. Just to not see storm damage. Swimming with the manatees is highly recommended. It's a thrill swimming with those gentel giants.

My understanding was the antique rose place opened a few days a week during the main planting season. And I was hoping they had resumed that.

Take care of yourself.

danbo, I promise I'll stop bugging you, but....

Swimming with the manatees! I have a good friend who now lives in Colorado, who went to Crystal River and swam with the manatees and had the same thrilling experience as you did. It must be just unbelievable - they are so gigantic, yet so graceful.

You said: "Needed a new roof, had a hole in the pool, lost the trees, garden and the fence. We were very lucky." In a non-Katrina world, most people would read this and say what's so lucky about that? But I agree with you - you were blessed to have escaped any major loss,and that is wonderful and yes, lucky. Even losing everything, I actually feel lucky, too and it left me with a new outlook on life. I NEVER sweat the small stuff any more - ha.

I'll keep checking on the rose place and if I find out anything different, I'll let you know.

Wodka. If you ever get the chance, swim with them. We also dive. And have dove sting ray city. That's another great trip. Swam with a school of eagle rays. The most graceful things I've ever seen. Still haven't had the chance to swim with whale sharks or mantas (High on my list). But the manatees. So gentle so friendly. They swim up to you and roll over so you can rub their bellies.

You lived in Long Beach. You understand. There's not enough time to write about all the things we saw, experienced and lost. Yes. we were very lucky. We survived. And I was lucky because I didn't lose everything.

I'm thinking of heading over to Beatline tomorrow. After a long winter I'm slowly pulling the garden back. Time to start planting again. Then there's also the Garden Gate in Gulf Breeze.

Talk later neighbor.

I love Pine Hills on Kiln-Delilse Road. Their selection is pretty average but their plants are healthy. I have never lost a plant from there (except for the one's Katrina's salt water killed). Their hanging baskets are beautiful and reasonably priced. Stay away from Green Thumb in Gulfport (Still there? Off Pass Road) -- I have never had luck with their plants -- brought home diseases. As for the place on HWY 603, I have been there once and she seemed to have lots of traditional stuff like Angel Trumpets, Daylillies, etc.

As for Katrina. I live in Bay St. Louis and lost it all. We rebuilt, re-landscaped, and this is the first year that I am starting to smile when I look at (parts) of my yard --still need more trees. I am Planting a vegetable garden for the first time this year! I finally feel like things are coming together but I still have a long way to go!!! Go Spring! Here comes the SUN!!!

launa, thanks for the tip on Pine Hills - I have not been there yet, but would love to check them out.

Pre-Katrina, I went to Green Thumb once or twice, but did not care for them, for whatever reason. Not sure if they're still in business or not.

I'm sorry that you lost everything, too. It was a horrible time for a lot of us.

But, like you said, here comes the SUN. I've got tiny little buds on my daylilies and am getting ready to go out and check on them and pull a few weeds. Loving every minute of it.

Good luck with your vegetables!

launa, I'm in BSL also and just got back from a visit to the nursery on Hwy 603 (Red & Glenda's place). They have sooo many beautiful things, I really had to control myself! I'm afraid to plant too much until about April 1st or so, but I did buy a banana shrub, a star jasmine and some pots of the sweet potato vines....couldn't resist!
Anyway, HELLO neighbor!

launa, I made my first visit to Pine Hills nursery yesterday. If I had a bigger car, I would still be there!! Their prices are so much better than other local nurseries. I bought two Althea shrubs, a Knock Out rose, and 6 pentas for $89, which is I thought was very reasonable.

My only tiny complaint would be that they don't have a lot of their plants labeled well, as far as name of plant and/or care. Which is not that big of a deal, I'll just bring my plant book with me next time.