Journal Notes...Greenhouse Construction Continues, Polar Vortex, Colors of Fall

Well, my husband continues to work on the greenhouse.  It looks like a house!  He makes it seem so easy!  Next week the news is reporting a polar vortex.  I will be honest, when, I  feel reports on the news are highly overdramatized (to be polite) and my internal monologue thinks, you are telling me things to make me watch commercials....the more horrible, the more inclined you feel people are to watch.  I actually didn't watch the news, my mother told me of it.  I get my information online.  All that being said, it will get cold next week.

The polycarbonate is very "wavy".  I asked what will be done about the "cracks."  He said is putting a ridge cap.

I will still need to recover the floors at the least but at this juncture I will be in the way...at least, this weekend I will be.

I wanted to take a good look at the flowers before I do not see color for 3 months.  I opted not to put rye grass down this year...but I feel some has reseeded from previous years.

These camellias are to bloom in the spring, I thought.......

I think roses really like the cold.

First Prize

Don Juan

Blue Girl

Weeds are dying away, maybe that is why it looks better.

I believe this Belinda's Dream, but I am not real sure.

Granada

Black Bacarra is unusually large from what I am used to seeing.

 The leaves of trees are starting to change.

The above were taken yesterday. The ones below were taken this morning.

My peacock is named after a dear friend who died a year ago today.  Joe.  I cut some of the flowers and visited him today....miss him still.

Wordless Wednesday

Rose of the Week...First Prize

The rose of the week is called First Prize.  This is a new rose in my garden & I bought it potted from the Elberta Co-op.  This an beautiful rose.  Now, I do get a bit tired of pink roses, sometimes, but a pretty rose is a pretty rose.  That being said, First Prize is outstanding and worthy of it's name.  

First Prize is a hybrid tea rose.  Its blooms can be as large as 6 inches!  It is an AARS rose winner in 1970.    When it blooms it blooms in mass.  It is moderately fragrant.    As mentioned, mine is a baby but they can get large (according to the web).  It states they can get 5 to 10 feet high and 5 feet wide.  

It prefers warmer climates.  What I read, it likes zone 6b or higher.   I keep reading that it's thorny...I have roses that are much worse.  For example...JFK rose' canes can be used as weapons.

Needless to say, it makes a great cut flower.  

It does have issues with black spot...but overall great rose...

For more information, click HERE.

Irrigation is a Beautiful Thing!

 

I, once, read that in the Deep South, our July is most people's December.  I beg to differ.  It's August.  July was fabulous but August epitomizes the "dog days of summer."  The heat index has been over 100 degrees and though rain is often, it isn't often enough.  I knew that was signal to finish the last phase of my incredibly long project.

 With thousands of square feet in this particular garden, mostly roses (roughly 95) they are very thirsty.  Today, even the established trees were whimpering.  I knew it was time to do this...or regret not.  I am very glad I included irrigation as part of my plan.  If you are going to have a large garden with high maintenance plants (i.e. roses) I highly, highly recommend irrigation.  Today, we ran the first zone of the irrigation.  I am using drip irrigation for several reasons.  Roses do not like their leaves sprayed, more efficient, not watering weeds, etc.   In previous posts, I go into more detail how to install...but it's rather simple.

I first laid out the 1/2 inch tubing coming from the manifold.  This has been wired to the back porch for my convenience...thanks to my awesome husband!

Not related, but First Prize is a truly beautiful rose.

Here is the manifold.  This will irrigate the roses.

I have several other plants in my garden but for the moment, I am only irrigating roses.  If I find other plants need irrigation, I will address it but roses are by far the thirsty...with the exception of the Pussy Willow which is also, on the line.

They look like a weird black skeleton across the massive rose garden but unless you want to water for hours in the unrelenting heat,....irrigation is a god send.

Yeah, one down..five to go.