Monday, November 25, 2013

Will Roses Die or Burn in a Freeze?

Forgive me for my absence from the last week...& for the next few days which I suspect everyone else is probably in my boat with family commitments..  But OF Course! it will freeze the night before Thanksgiving when I have 20 people over & everything looks freshly burned but in the spring I planted bare root roses & it froze that night & they did  fine.  Here is that post...click HERE.  I know the question sounds a silly question but what effect will freezes have on a blooming rose?  I cannot find much on the subject except HERE.  But I see others who have had freezes in the past & still have roses...I bet the answer is, it depends.,  What is everyone else's experiences?

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Journal Notes..UFOs, Rye Grass & Mexican Heather

Sorry for my delay..I have learned not to eat raw things in restaurants between November and February.  After eating out, I was sitting on my back porch...it was nighttime & dark...  I saw something come out of the sky and land in a 30 ft tree.  I rushed back in to get a flashlight.  My husband asked what was wrong..I said you wouldn't believe me if I told you.  
Well...I wasn't going crazy...there was something in the tree but I had to wait until the morning to see what it was.

I thought  it was a balloon but morning showe it to be a parachute.

I noticed a box hanging from the end of the cord.


It was from a weather balloon.  I guess when the balloon pops, a parachute is launched.  It was a sensor by NOAA. For more information, click HERE. It's called a radiosonde.

Once found they want you to mail it back...which I will, but I want to look at it a little more.

It's fuzzy but it says Harmless Weather Instrument.


Just happy I wasn't seeing things.

I was going to use Mexican Heather for my peacock tail this winter but I have come to my senses.  I do not want to dig it up now...why would I want to do it every year.
Will use lower maintenance stuff...my gardens are getting large & maintenance requirements will become more at a premium.


It is suppose to be an annual but people say it comes back so I guess I will leave the tops burned?
The grass is looking dead.  I underestimate the rye grass from last year...I thought it was still the regular grass that was showing but I am mistaken.  Last year I seeded in the middle of October.  This time in the earlier part of November & I see the difference.  Next year, I will plant it in October.

Friday, November 15, 2013

November Bloom Day

It's November Bloom Day.  If you aren't familiar with it.  It's from May Dreams Gardens.  It's where garden blogger's post what is blooming in the garden in the middle of the month.   Well, we had our first freeze last night.  The roses fared well.  


 Back Rose Garden

Pinata Rose

Bottlebrush

Green Ice Rose

Ch-Ching Rose

 Peach drift rose
Banana Trees burned

Europena Rose

East Rose Garden

 Cassia
Probably shouldn't have shot at noon.

Because of the freeze, I had to put everything in the greenhouse that was in containers.


 My newly purchase Baldo Villegas Rose but I will call it Mima.
Ferns, begonias, etc

Bougainvilleas

I left the greenhouse close by accident. 

Camellias are starting bloom.

Coleus burned

Front of the house.

Encore azaleas bloom every month but May & June.


Heather here seem fine

Hydrangeas 


 Memphis Music Rose


Impatient Rose

Alabama Beauty Camellias have been blooming since October.






Belinda's dream...I think

Knockouts



Front field wildflowers have fared well.

Zinnia

 Sulphur Comos

Sumac is turning red

Celosis



More wildflowers 

 Marigolds

Mexican Petunias



Zinnias




All in all things handled the first freeze well...this hydrangea however burned