Abe Darby off to a better start this year than last, although even as an own root rose, he hasn't been super vigorous in terms of growth like most others that grow him as a climber...must just be the horrible rocky clay soil. I think he will fill out the obelisk I made last year though.

"Mary Magdalene" opened on the 3rd I believe and opened fully on the 4th(May). She has opened up a lot more than these photos show so I will have to get some more pics. I was impressed because she has done well from when I got her as a Roses Unlimited plant last summer. Growth has been pretty good and the blooms are a lot bigger than I thought they would be. It also threw me for a loop when the blooms opened so pinkish in tone and with such a cupped bloom form, but it did finally open up into it's quarted rosette button eye with hues of yellow on the 5th. While not identical, it's definitely a "Mini Evelyn".

Abe Darby, newly planted pot of Munstead Wood, bareroot of L.D. Braithwaite, and Mary Magdalene

Bare root of "L.D. Braithwaite" leafing out nicely

Scabiosa beginning to bloom...don't know if it's "pink mist" or the blue version.

"Bishop's Castle" up front overrun by strawberries with "Graham Thomas" on each face of the porch trellis I made and "Dublin Bay" on the corner. "HF Young" is the clematis...still a lot of growing for this, but I think the one "Graham Thomas" will take off this year and get to 8ft or so.

"HF Young" clematis with one of those shades of color that makes you wonder if it's blue or violet.

The rest of the rose garden is obviously exploding in color...in about 2 weeks. I'm busy planting perennials...way too many perennials, but oh well...if they need moved, they can be moved.

I'm not one to typically fall on the sheep bandwagon of "cool looking plants" that bait you in at stores and don't exactly bloom long or are realistic for a particular garden, but I did in this case with "Campanula Medium 'Champion Blue'". It's such a neat and beautiful plant that I felt it was worth the risk in experimenting with it.

I had a bit of a disaster last year with this area mainly due to my own idiocy, but live and learn. I had multiple "Pat Austins" that I was looking forward to that died here so I went from 5 Pat Austins to 0. Not much has ever done much here and the only thing that did semi decent was annual Gerbera Daisies last year. Well after some digging around in it this spring, I noticed the 30 bags of new topsoil I put in it last spring was a terrible idea. The soil retained no water, held no nutrients, and had the consistency of sand. I went out and bought a bag of peat moss and 3 bag of composted manure and turned it over in the soil, so hopefully the extra peat and compost helps it retain water and nutrients better. It still needs mulched, but it is holding water a lot better and isn't grainy like it was before. I originally wanted to plant "Princess Alexandria of Kent" in the center...and still might, but for now I just put "Red Shift Tickseed" in the center then "Campanula Blue Clips", "Rudbeckia Goldsturm", "Rudbeckia Brandy Cherry", "Monarda Panorama", "Leucanthemum Snowcap", and "Salvia May Night"....and yes those are all the rose cuttings I currently have...I have a nasty obsession of propagating EVERY time I prune.

From the side driveway...some of last year's added perennials really took hold especially the Walker's Low Nepeta so I moved a few things. Left to Right is "Sharifa Asma", "Golden Celebration", "The Huntington Rose/Alan Titchmarch", and "Evelyn".

Digitalis Camelot Lavender has no issues blooming.

The "Walker's Low Nepeta" really took over this area. At first, I thought it was too much, but once it blooms and "Evelyn" blooms it all makes sense as perfect companions for each other. There was a small void between the 2 Nepetas so I threw in "Leucanthemum Banana Cream".

"Golden Celebration" with the plugs I planted last year of "Salvia Blue Queen" although they seem just as purple as May Night to me. I might plant "Veronica Red Fox between the salvias under Golden Celebration.

I love these little "Larkspur Summer Blues" as a companion in front of "Sharifa Asma's" pale pink color. I have a little "Verbena Homestead" on the side.

Dr. Huey is officially unkillable. I dug this up last year, overwintered it into this tiny pot outside with little soil, and never give it water or anything and it's still alive.

"Mary Magdalene" the day after when she opened more. Still not the quartered rosette form with more yellows that she is today.

There is still A LOT of work and growth to be had, but at least a few things are blooming now. I'll add more as it comes into effect...seems either "Golden Celebration" or what I am THINKING is "Baron Girod de L'Ain" is next.

By the way, great trellis and pillar! Your roses will look sensational growing on them.

Kate

It has progressed a long way though given that the soil was in such horrific shape when I started. When I moved here from Columbus, it was just a bunch of potted roses and cuttings I had, and they needed somewhere to be placed. Without giving it much thought, I just dug some holes on the vacant infertile clay stone pit and plopped in some roses. If I would have realized then what I know now, I would have made the space larger, rented a bobcat and scraped off the first 1.5ft of soil and amended it with better soil, but I think everybody does that to some extent. The soil was SOOOO bad when I started and it's still a rocky clay mess, but after digging some holes, I can see that the soil is starting to improve about a foot down and the worms are churning up the rest. Then again, I've probably dug enough holes and filled them in with garden/top soil, that it's about the equivalent of me amending it all. haha

This was what it was right after I plopped the roses in the ground in the fall of 2010...not a whole lot to write about and I still cringe at how bad the soil is/was.

Seeing that tree really busts me up. I can tell it greatly appreciates the newer soil and the removal of the mulch bags that held water and nutrients back. I had to go out there this spring and cut out a lot of the branches on it simply because it has grown so much.

The soil on the bottom right is a pretty clear illustration of how poor the soil was. Just rocks and clay and it was separated by old mulch bags underneath so not organic material or much water was making it way down further underneath. There used to be a garage here years ago and they buried some of the concrete here. I dug out some good 60lb chunks of concrete.

Everything looks absolutely LOVELY and flourishing, Nick. And it's always so fun to read your commentaries on how things are changing and progressing. I also loooove your Mary Magdelene. So Beautiful! It totally does justice to the name of the rose....I know Evelyn is your favorite. But mine is your Mary Magdelene. Winchester is looking great too.

The companions are also very lush! Outstanding new additions!

The mother's "garden" is kind of tossed together and I'm just making the best of it now since it wasn't exactly planned out. It's nice for what it is. It will be nicer in the next year or two when every thing is mature including the perennials.

I did discover today that the rose that I thought was "Baron Girod de L'Ain" is in fact not Baron Girod. Now I have to hit the rewind button and go back 2 years to Columbus when I took cuttings at the Park of Roses and remember which ones I had and which one I could have mislabled and match it up. The scent is very familiar and very strong though. It could possibly be "Marchioness of Lorne" although I doubt it...probably another rose.

Today was mostly a dig out loads of scrap plants and "Lily of the Valley". I did manage to plant:
4-Rondo Penstemon
4-Husker Red Penstemon
1-Grand Marshall Monarda
1-Blue Centaurea Montana
2-Veronica Red Fox

Still need to find spots for Gaura Ballerina Blush and Violetta Verbascum. Should be pretty much finished on the rose side. I will add in buddleia and stuff around Crown Princess Margareta once I figure out the hose rearrangement situation.

Some more things are opening tomorrow, so I will get some pics. I was busy with stuff and it rained today so Mary Magdalene flopped over with all the blooms on young growth. Abe Darby, Unknown rose, and possibly Golden Celebration will open. The Winchester Cathedrals along the garage are openings and possibly even William Shakespeare 2000. Quite the guessing game. I'll update as they come along.

Hehe, I've had it with my lame a** self BTW....That's why you need to come to Kansas City, and repair all the damage I've created...I tell you, your Mom and I make a perfect pair, lol! Someone needs to keep the shovel away from me, just like they need to keep the clippers away from her, because I keep making things worse and worse.... Idiot me was distracted by a huge Global Warming debate and I ended up planting the wrong rose. I was supposed to plant Purple Beauty in the front yard because it is VERY THORNY, that way I would need minimal protective mesh netting....My anti-rabbit netting is a huge but unavoidable eyesore. But instead I saw Corona bloom this huge cheery flamingo pink rose that would not coordinate as well in my back lot pink section (need better contrast than that- and Corona is supposed to be more hot violet, but wasn't lol).... But then I thought that bright pink would look real good with the red stripey Broceliande and placed it there in the front yard, completely forgetting the rabbit issue. Then I realized CRAP, *%$#@!!!! GAAAAAAA! now I have to put this ugly *** mesh fence in the front yard now until things grow out...And yes, Corona has very little thorns too (facepalm)

I am truly hopeless Jeff! I don't want to redig up Corona...It is too stressful for a young plant, plus part of me does not know where else to put Corona...Colorwise there just isn't the ideal option it seems....So I'm stuck again at square one, waiting for the perennials to camouflage the nasty netting.

Penstemon! Would love to see that growing Nick. People at PB loooove this perennial.