Autumn Rose And Autumn Leaf Of The Day #33

 

"The tints of autumn... a mighty flower garden

 blossoming under the spell of the enchanter frost."

 

~John Greenleaf Whittier

 

 

A little beauty, for a coolish autumn day. I grew that rose, well, me and all that the natural world has endured this year. It has really been a metaphor for what I have been through. The Covid left me with deep depression, and an almost complete lack of creativity and the ability to concentrate. It's called Brain Fog, and it apparently affects those over 60 who suffered from the original Omicron variant. It has been a difficult time, but things seem to be getting better. I am beginning to handle stresses better, and I think I have a better outlook for the feature, and as you might have noticed, I am embracing joy again, not fearing it. I don't know how much credit I can take for my rose, they are such hardy plants, but I did know how to care for it. And I know how to care for myself, I just needed to remember what to do.

Hot Cocoa Rose

Berkeley, Ca Autumn 2012 

 

I really miss that garden in the Bay Area. It broke my heart to learn Sandy L. had tore it, and my Japanese Maple tree, out of the garden, out of nothing more then old fashioned spite. But that is her problem. I cared for my roses and that tree, but all she did was make her property worth less money. It's okay. I am not going to spend time thinking about it, because there is nothing I can do about it, but I have the knowledge that I know how to grow a beautiful, strong, spicy rose, and I will always have that happiness inside me. This yellow rose smells like a baked sweet potato with extra clove, cinnamon and honey. Next year, if we find ourselves extending our contract for the condo, I might consider adding another rose or two to the front porch rose garden. Maybe a brand new color I haven't tried before, like Pumpkin Patch or maybe Sterling, but I really loved the Hot Cocoa rose I grew when we lived in the studio. In any case, I want them to look pretty in autumn.

 

~Me

In The Last Days Of Spring...

Julia Child Rose
June 17th, 2014
My Rose Garden.

"It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside."

~Maud Hart Lovelace, Betsy-Tacy and Tib

 
Hot Cocoa Rose
June 17th, 2014 
My Rose Garden

I am officially back in the garden! Alan and I spent a good part of Tuesday planning things out, and next week is when most of the prepping and planning, and planting will take place. It's time to get a move on if I am going to have any fresh flowers and vegetables  for the autumn and winter! My Japanese Maple, Paul, is looking yummy! His leaves are beginning to transition to a lovely copper color, and I am going to try to start a new maple from him.

Son of Paul. LOL. That's an idea! I would love to plant several more around the yard. It is amazing to have that burst of autumn color as the long hot days drag on. It would be a year before I would see the new leaves, but well worth the wait! Summer... a necessary evil to get to autumn! But oh how delicious the summer fruits and veggies are! Only 3 more months to go until autumn, and then hello delicious meals of heirloom tomatoes and eggplant. Fresh salsa and tea sandwiches. When it's from your own garden, there is nothing like it!

Life is good!

Mood: Hopeful

~Me :)

 

Carly's Garden Digest 2013: Day One... March 25th, 2013

"When one of my plants dies, I die a little inside too."

~Linda Solegato

 

Mumpfh. It's spring now, and sick or not, it is time to get the garden ready for vegetables and flowers. You know... the stuff good living is all about! The yard itself is lush and green, and that's the good news. There is a lot of healthy going on! Just look at the lavender, isn't it gorgeous? I have big plans for my lavender this year, lots of herbal remedies and a sachets for better sleeping! There is nothing like tucking some dried lavender in a light cloth pocket under a pillow. Lavender is amazing for clearing the mind of noise and clouds. Awwww. That's the stuff dreams are made of!

Unfortunately, the rose garden is in a bit of peril. It seems the aphids did a very good job of overwintering, and came back to my rose garden in force! Blech! When I did a once around of the garden yesterday, I found that they had attached themselves in great numbers to half the rose plants, but that left about half in decent shape, with NO signs of damage to them. No black fungus damage or frostbite from that quick chill we had. So, I am counting my blessings, and spending the day preparing for some deep gardening later this week.

I am making a DIY spray to rid the garden of the nastiness. A small amount of cutting back comes next, then I will sprinkle a generous helping of ground cinnamon at the base of each rose, then place some foil on top of the cinnamon, secure the foil with bricks, and sprinkle a little more around the outside for good measure. Once that is done, it will be time to plant between 8 and 12 small mint plants in the ground between the rose plants, and perhaps one or two new, healthy roses (perhaps mini roses) to encourage new growth. Lastly, I am going to plant (3) 5lb pots of lavender against the fence and let it run along the back. It's work, but I have Alan to help me, and it's going to be amazing a couple months from now.

You'll see!

Here We The Before View...


If All Else Fails, I Will Do What I Did A Few Years Back... Buy Ladybugs!


Pretty Soon... Hello Beauty! :)



"Gardening is cheaper than therapy, and you get tomatoes."

~Unknown

Mood: Happy but Determined

~Me :)

Frozen Hot Cocoa

"Withstanding the cold develops vigor for the relaxing days of spring and summer. Besides, in this matter as in many others, it is evident that nature abhors a quitter."

~Arthur C. Crandall, New England Joke Lore: The Tonic Of Yankee Humor

I went out to the rose garden yesterday, to see how my roses have been faring in this unusually cold winter that the Bay Area has been experiencing. I knew that there would be at least a little damage, and of course, there was, but it broke my heart, just a little, to see what would have been some lovely new Hot Cocoa roses, almost open completely, but instead blackened and dead from the frost damage. The leaves have some black spotty fungus, which is easily taken care of. The key to all of it is letting nature take it's course. The current freeze damage is just a matter of ignoring it, as the dead parts of the rose stems protects the plant from further damage, and as for the fungus, a simple removal of the affected leaves in early in spring, along applying with a healthy dose of plant food, and a heavy dose of cinnamon at the base of each plant, will promote new, slow growth starting about a month or so after the first application.

All and all I have high hopes for the garden this year. :)

 

The key is to NOT PANIC! Believe me, thats easier said than done!

;)

~Mood: Hopeful :)

~Me :)