It has been a very wild and whacky fall/winter/spring around these parts and it has taken it's toll on my flora and fauna specimens. We had a wicked ice storm that nearly destroyed my 30 year old JMs along with untimely freezes and frosts. Nevertheless, the garden has been quite resilient and surprisingly vibrant and other than the loss of my clematis soul mate (White Eden), we just keep chugging along. I've added a number of new roses to spots with more full sun but all of the roses are just now budding with only a few having bloomed. My Abe's are absoluetly loaded !

Here's a peek, hope you enjoy and remember you were forewarned about the OT ;-)

Hansa

White Clematis

Japanese Maples after the wicked winter

Chestnut/Wisteria/Budded 'Lyda Rose'

'Sensation' lilac

America

'Tom Knutsen' camelia

Climbing hydrangea and fence art

A few misc rhodos and azaleas

Unique Marmalade

Homebush

Rocket

September Song

Gibraltar

Hansa

Our Spring started in March, two months early. Both Kate and I are experiencing super warm, recordbreaking warmth in Kansas. We had the hottest winter ever, like a zone 8! Her lovely roses have been putting show after show, whereas mine have been prolific Lopsidedness.

I love your Unique Marmalade, probably my favorite of your azaleas. But the rest are ahhhh, so splendid too. Hansa is looking GLORIOUS whereas my Amelie Gravereux rugosa is choking in Kansas heat-the only rose not doing well. For the first time we peaked at 92 degrees in April, can you believe this????

Love the sunlight pouring through the rhodies as well.

Boxo, I also love your America! What a great rose it is!

Hey, what was the first rose to bloom for you and when? How's the Lyda Rose doing? In April I was expecting to see her lovely presence on a Boxo thread. I also wrote that I really missed your Momma's bouquet! for Mother's Day. (being Mama to the ever-so delightful Starina and to your beloved nieces).... Well, please keep those fabulous photos going...

Eluane says hi to you too. Her Birthday was in May 7 and here are her birthday photos.
Eluane's Birthday Pics

Will write Jim to tell him you're BACK! Such awesome news seeing you again....

Kate

I took out most of our roses because of severe fungal diseases and I'm just not willing to spray harsh fungicides.
I have our own-root Mr Lincoln & two Sunrise at Heirlooms roses left which so far have not been effected by fungal diseases...
I put in some Spireas & a few knockout roses out back...
Lincoln & SAH's are out front.
I just ordered two DEJA BLU roses to try out front. (Minifloras)
Great to hear from you Boxo!!!! Jim

Seil, back at ya ;-)

K-girl, we have barely even had a spring and winter was disgusting. Add the bad economy and the fact that I totaled my wife's car in November....well you get the picture. I have been a sometimes lurker so I know that one person's "lopsided" is another's modesty. Your roses and canine yard art are beautiful in spite of your arguments to the contrary ;-)

Gee tanks DB, I thought of you when I was choosing 3 climbers for the back of the dahlia bed by the pond. I opted for DJ as a red climber over DB probably due to price and availability. It's going to be America and New Dawn on the ends and Don Juan in between :-)

Hey Jim, you know that's kind of the deal with gardening.....we have to make flying lead changes for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes it's a budget cut, sometimes it's a time constraint, sometimes its a health problem and sometimes it's just mother nature and climate wreaking havoc. We just plays the hand that's dealt us, right ?

Thanks bus, the acid lovers are one and doners and are a lot of work. Around these parts they fill that pre-rose-toric void ;-)

Well, your garden brings me so much happiness and I know that the FABULOUS Abe D. is gonna make his Splendid appearance..... It cheers me up so much knowing at least the family is doing great....

Hehe, Boxo, at least Kate did Kansas Proud, lol,hehe, and Kate's garden forces me to be "modest" haha! I"m about as shameles as the ENERGIZER BUNNY, always announcing my Lopsided Garden. Oh, cool Boxo, I've recently acquired a grafted DJ to replace my scentless Jules because Climbing Etoile d. E is just a baby and needs more time to fill that awkward spot.... But my DJ is just inching along, whereas the Climbing Okie, on the other hand, I'm so surprised how large it's getting and is so much better with its rebloom for 2012. It reblooms like a normal HT finally, or at least so far....keeping fingers crossed.

Boxo, how I wish I had your Hansa. NOoooo own root nursery carried it in 2011. Every time I revisit your thread I keep drooling over it....! And definitely none in Kansas :(

Hansa

Westerland

Midnight Blue

Joseph's Coat

White Rain

Hurrray, AD is making his EVER-FOREVER FABULOSA DEBUT! hip-hip hooooray! He is looking SPECTACULAR! Time for me to amp my Whoo-hoos to maximum Boomblaster Decibels.....

and I'm again always so impressed by Hansa's perfect colors and beautiful foliage. He is such the Dream Rugosa, constantly giving rebloom like a Superstar. And his colors never fade or bleach out either. What an Oscar Winner, in my book! I'm having such a hard time with my Amelie Gravereux rugosa. Fragile hybrid rugosas like mine hate Kansas heat...I can't put any boosters in it either.... It will only tolerate coffee and tea leaves but anything else it immediately turns chlorotic, and if you don't put in that coffee or tea every week, it starts to yellow too! Screwed if you fertilize it in any other way, and screwed if you don't fertilize it. WHATEVER!!!

Anyway what a joy it is to see Hansa and AD making Magic again.....

Westerland is looking great too! Love that orange. And Midnight Blue reminds me a lot of Rhapsody in Blue which the British are crazy about...Joseph's Coat is showing the rainbows, just like his namesake, and White Rain Reigns! lol...

P.S. As the duty of the ever vigilant Stalker, I am hopeful that this year you'll have some more fabulous Memorial Day barbecue photos for us with the delicious Sockeye glazed salmon, hee-hee.... and definitely for July 4th for sure!

Hugs, Serena

AD is really loaded right now but the weather has turned ugly again. Don't know how much of this flush will make it unslimed. The neighbor's wife made him get rid of all the red roses along his driveway so I being the nearest possible recipient, transplanted them into AD's bed. Later this season, that should be a site/sight to see ;-)

Rugosas hate any kind of nutrient or anything on their foliage. When mine were really young I was spraying Miracle Grow on some small perennials so I sprayed them. I thought they were going to croak. Haven't done that again. I just use a timed release on them now and they thrive. Their foliage is to die for since I don't spray.

Today's weather sucks but our youngest niece is coming over to work on baby shower announcements for her sister. It's a big deal because we have no children and the two girls are the only two in the family. The shower will be in the garden in July so you can imagine my focus :-) I used the occasion to add a few new roses, some to replace ones I've lost, others to put in new places. My new ones are a new Brandy my niece gave me for my birthday, Don Juan, Queen Elizabeth, Double Delight, Chrysler Imperial, Chicago Peace, America, and New Dawn.

Anyway, we are having a Korean recipe for marinated flank steak (the Copper River Salmon has now finally arrived in stores but has not yet become reasonably priced. We wait till it hits 5.99/lb for sockeye and then load up :-)

Anyways.................Have a great day !!!!!!

Box

Anyway, I only have a few nice blooms going because my baby roses are hating the heat and won't open up properly in the actual blooming stage. Your Don Juan will have to help keep me from going insane with my DJ, haha! But Climbing Okie has taught me to sit down and stop my Belly-Achin' haha!

I am enjoying DJ's fragrance but geeee I hate our blasting suns roasting the blooms. We are having drought and heat sooooo early (2 months ahead of schedule) but I'm sure you'll get some nice weather once your niece's baby shower begins! The Garden will be SPECTACULAR! Be sure to post your favorites so we can celebrate at our Gallery and many congratulations to both sisters! One for being a Mom, the other for being an Aunt! Yes, Boxo, I do remember you not having children, but what a Blessing you've been for your nieces- your "daughters", really and truly! Many Hugs and will talk soon. I'm so thrilled to be back STALKING AD, and he still has fabulous timing! I will never forget what a gorgeous bouquet he made on my Birthday too, haha! That year was a real bad year for me gardenwise and you really helped cheer me up with AD!!! So I know for sure he will indeed go full blast and make a Gorgeous Present for your nieces on the Baby Shower Event too! And yes, I can't wait to see the red companion roses going with AD! :D

Oh, so yummy, on the Korean barbecue...James also loooves Korean barbecue ribs. Eluane wants the cartilege ends! and is wagging her tail at the very thought!