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davemidohio

Hello and Happy Valentine's Day

davemidohio
13 years ago

Hi everyone. I don't think I have posted here before. I have been hanging out in the Hosta and Hummingbird forums for about 8 years, but I visit here often to admire everyone's roses.

Organizing my computer and found some pics I thought were worthy to share, so here goes:

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Now if only hummingbirds fed on roses!

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Here is a link that might be useful: Album front page

Comments (13)

  • organicgardendreams
    13 years ago

    Welcome to this forum, Dave!

    Great pictures of well grown, beautiful roses! Would you like to tell us what the varieties are? My guess, rose number 3 from the top is Moonstone, is that right?

    Love the photo of the humming bird!

    Thanks for posting, and please come back!

    Christina

    Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Garden Dreams

  • mark_roeder 4B NE Iowa
    13 years ago

    Dave, what are the flying insects that look a bit like hummingbirds and come out at dusk? I have had them in my rose garden occasionally.

    I love your hummingbird picture even better than the rose pictures.

  • inga007
    13 years ago

    Love your fotos, the hummer is lovely.

  • bethnorcal9
    13 years ago

    Happy Valentines Day to you! Nice roses Dave. Do you know what the varieties' names are?

    Mark, those are called Sphinx moths. It's been awhile since I've seen any around here, but they sure are cool to see them flitting around the flower beds.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sphinx Moths

  • davemidohio
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks for the kind compliments!

    Top to bottom the varieties are:
    Crystalline
    Touch Of Class
    Moonstone (I had this one wrong - thanks Christina for helping me get that one straightened out)
    Gold Medal
    Ruby-throated :-)

    The thumbnails are clickable links to Webshots. There are a few more roses in that album

    Gemini
    {{gwi:1208189}}

    Moonstone with dew
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    and plenty of hummers:

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    {{gwi:1208195}}

    I am also currently building a dahlia album:
    Pam Howden
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    Embrace
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    Jomanda
    {{gwi:634078}}

    I lost my shade trees to a storm a couple years ago and have been trying to limp my hostas through. This year they are going and it's going to be a ton more roses, dahlias and hummer plants!

    I know a lot of people use photobucket, but I like using webshots because the pictures are easy to share and are downloadable to their free wallpaper manager. My kids "borrow" Dad's pics from there alot.

    Dave

  • organicgardendreams
    13 years ago

    Thanks for telling us the names of the rose varieties and also for posting more of your gorgeous roses and hummer pics.

    I planted some Black & Blue salvias this winter. I hope that they will attract more humming birds to my garden. Dave, you seemed to be into hummers, do you know by the way if they like to visit Black & Blue salvia flowers (maybe it is even a Black& Blue salvia on your pictures)? Are there any special salvia varieties that they prefer?

    Oooh, happy Valentine's Day to you, too!

    Christina

    Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Garden Dreams

  • davemidohio
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Christina,
    That is Black & Blue Salvia, and the hummers LOVE it. I also have pretty good luck with salvia Lady in Red, also pictured.

    The other plants I grow that get a lot of traffic are pentas, cupheas and agastaches.

    First year male on cuphea
    {{gwi:1208200}}

    How many kinds of hummers do you get? I am guessing at least Rufous and Anna's.

    Dave

  • hosenemesis
    13 years ago

    Love the hummers- the Great Backyard Bird Count is this weekend! We get Anna's, Costa's, Rufous and Allen's here.

    Your Gemini rose is making me rethink Hybrid Teas. What an exceptional rose.

  • organicgardendreams
    13 years ago

    Dave, thanks for answering my question. It really makes me happy that hummers like the Black & Blue salvia, since I planted a couple of them. I will check out the other plants that you have listed that attract humming birds.

    To my shame I have to say that I don't know what kind of hummingbirds are visiting our garden, except that we have at least two varieties coming. I will get out with a bird book and try to identify them asap. Sorry, that I can't give you more clear answer.

    The humming bird pic with the cuphea is amazing one!

    Christina

    Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Garden Dreams

  • carla17
    13 years ago

    Dave, there's nothing here I don't love. Hummers, dahlias, roses. Wonderful photos.
    I grew Winsome and Thomas Edison, among others.

    Carla

  • canadian_rose
    13 years ago

    Love your Gemini!!! I had that on my to order list, but then I changed my mind, because I wanted to get fragrant varieties. But....gee it looks wonderful!!

    Carol

  • mark_roeder 4B NE Iowa
    13 years ago

    Dave, I am taking a 2nd look at your h-bird pics. What camera are you using? Those photos are quite good.

  • davemidohio
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Mark,
    Thanks for the nice compliment on the hummer pics. I shoot with a Nikon D50 using a 70-300 lens with a macro. I use the macro setting, but I don't try to follow the hummers. I pick a likely looking flower and focus in it. When the hummer gets there the camera doesn't have to search very far to focus. It also helps that the hummers establish a pattern in there feeding, you can kinda stay ahead of them, but still, I spend a LOT of time NOT taking pictures.

    Carol, it is a shame that so many hybrid teas don't have much scent. We had a weird fall/winter, things were still growing way to late in the season then the temperatures dropped overnight. Anything I lost I am going to replace with old-fashion "smelly" types.

    Carla, I have only been growing dahlias about 5 years, and I am hooked. I have all this weird looking stuff I erected to shade my 100 or so different hostas. I had three big trees come down and was trying to keep the hostas happy, but this year those puppies are coming out and it's all roses, dahlias and plants for the hummers!

    Anybody like orchids?

    {{gwi:1208202}}

    Here is a link that might be useful: Online photos of roses and such