Category: Rose Gardening Tips

Happy Fall, Y’all!

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Happy fall, y’all! I’ve been enjoying the fall temperatures and the praying mantises that live in my garden. These are likely the same babies that I discovered in May on my back porch. Also, the Montauk daisies that I planted last year finally bloomed. The large, foliage of Montauk daisies feels like wax. Montauk daisies, not to be confused with Shasta daisies, only bloom in the fall whereas Shastas are repeat bloomers. This fall, I had both types blooming at once! A few weeks ago, I planted additional ‘Sweet Drift’ roses to finish a pink hedge that borders my neighbor’s fence, and transplanted rosemary and hostas to new locations. I trimmed an overgrown tree that blocked an exterior light and mulched some beds. The garden is ready for winter now. Just in time for a first freeze tonight.

Sea Myrtle also known as Salt Myrtle produces fluffy white blooms, is loved by the bees, and blooms profusely in my area.

Busy, Worker Bee

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I’ve been so busy taking multiple college courses while working full-time as a paralegal that I not only haven’t posted in several weeks, but my everbloomingroses.com domain name registration lapsed and was snapped up by a mysterious organization – probably to sell it back to me for an exorbitant amount. Subsequently, I’ve launched a new and improved gardening site, Bee-Everblooming, with the domain name http://www.bee-everblooming.com. I suppose like nature, even domain names can be reincarnated or reborn as something new!

As you may or may not know, this site was and still is designed to encourage the gardener’s soul. Although I have not been able to post lately, thankfully, my hard work in obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies may be starting to pay off as I was recently invited to bee 😉 a member of the Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX), a national honor society for paralegal and legal studies students with a high GPA. I suppose there are advantages to finally finishing your degree in your forties – you not only have life experience to assist you, but you actually care about your grades! Ha! After I graduate next spring (2025), I anticipate sharing many more inspirational gardening tips. Nevertheless, I have been able to somewhat keep up with my ever-growing garden, but I confess the weeds are winning in some beds, and the blackspot, beetles, and borers are a thorn in my flesh. More on all that later! In the meantime, pray for me as I am discerning potential next steps to help me grow professionally, and personally.

Peonies – May 2024 – Gardening Zone 8a

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Within these last couple of weeks of May, my peonies have exploded in hues of pink and divine aroma! Peonies are once-blooming perennials, which seems like a juxtaposition. The luscious, fragrant blooms last a few weeks while the foliage remains a vibrant, shiny green until late fall when they need to be cut down so the plant will rebloom the following year. In my gardening zone of 8a here in Maryland, peonies bloom typically in May.

What can we learn from the peony? Our talents and giftings take time and maintenance to cultivate; moreover, they aren’t necessarily meant to be showcased all year long but rather in an appointed season.

Four-Legged Foes: Cats and Rats!

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Living in a classic Baltimore County, Maryland rowhome built in the early 1950s, it’s not unusual to coexist with cats and rats. As discussed in an earlier post, a neighborhood cat thinks my flower bed which hosts pink roses, is her personal litter box. Using her hind legs, she creates mounds of mulch to cover up her unclean presents, and thereby, exposes soil to germinate weeds. The cat is unintentionally creating more work for me by moving around the mulch. On the plus side, the neighborhood cats help keep away rats and mice from creating a nest or munching on my mulch and other plants. It could be worse. Some gardeners in more suburban or rural areas battle deer, groundhogs, moles, and voles. I hear those four-legged foes think roses are a tasty buffet!

With my four-legged foes in mind, on Friday, March 15, 2024, I took the day off from my office job in advance to weed and mulch ‘the pink patch’. I experimented by placing bamboo skewers throughout the bed to deter pests and pets from tromping through my flower bed. Should the visiting cat need to use the restroom, she may feel a little jab, and choose to defecate elsewhere. Likewise, a hungry rodent might decide to go grocery shopping anywhere but on my property! Overall, I think the project was a success as I don’t see redistributed mulch (no fresh mounds) thus far. I just have to remember they are there later in the season when I need to tidy up the bed. They are disguised so well within the mulch. Can you see the skewers in these photos? It’s like a game of Where’s Waldo.

While weeding, mulching, and realizing I’m another year older, I transplanted a small lavender plant, as well as a mound of Lamb’s Ear into their new homes in a different bed. Earlier this month, I ordered ‘Magic Show Pink Potion’ Veronica Speedwells, ‘Fruit Punch Sweetie Pie’ pink dianthus, and more ‘Sweet Romance’ lavender from Proven Winners to add to other beds. I look forward to their arrival and seeing mounds of purple and pink in full bloom! I have a color theme of pink, purple, white, and yellow in my various beds.

My gardening goals this year are to experiment with more perennials to compliment my roses and to invite two-legged guests to tour my ever-blooming garden. Cats and rats are not allowed! Okay, so a cat can visit, just not redistribute mulch!

Happy growing, rose buds!

It’s OK To Not Always Be Ever-Blooming ~ Spring Always Arrives

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Although this website is designed to encourage the gardener’s soul to be “ever-blooming”, it’s okay to not always be “ever-blooming”. It’s okay to feel wilted, physically, mentally, and or spiritually. It’s okay to hibernate in dormancy to rest, replenish, and process all that’s happened up to this point. We all have days, weeks, seasons, or even years when the elements of this world seem to drown us in “atmospheric rivers” as gardeners in California may be experiencing this week. Should you find yourself in a challenging proverbial winter, just remember spring always arrives. For the gardeners in the Northern Hemisphere, we have just six weeks to wait. New beginnings will bloom… new life will spring forth… as will you and I.

~ The Blooming Blessings of Snow ~ 7 Weeks

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~ my water view ~ the frozen river

Within the month of January, my garden located in Maryland’s gardening zone 8a experienced some wild weather – including a few inches of snow, and minor coastal flooding from relentless rain (Note: My garden was previously zoned as 7b – I just discovered it was upgraded to 8a in 2023 due to climate change). The cold, white flakes arrived after a two-year snow drought, and I delighted in the beauty. I recently learned snow nourishes soil because falling snowflakes capture nitrogen in the atmosphere (as does rain), and deposits the nitrogen into the soil. Nitrogen is required for healthy leaves and abundant blooms. As an added bonus, the layer of snow also insulates the roots of our rose bushes from frigid temperatures, ironically, similar to how mulch insulates our beloved plants. I’ll take those blooming blessings!

Since the snowfall and a brief warm-up, which melted all the snow, I’ve noticed daffodils or crocuses have already broken ground. Clearly, they are just as eager for spring as I am. Have you noticed the sun lingers more and more in the evening, winter sky? In just seven weeks, it will be officially spring! With the added benefit of the snow this winter, may our gardens burst with luscious, vibrant blooms!

‘New Zealand’, a fragrant pink Hybrid Tea Rose.

Complementary Clematis

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Despite the oppressive August heat, along fences and trellises throughout my new garden located in Maryland 7b, three different clematis vines bloom. Next year, they, along with my roses, lavender, and other flowers, should pop with vibrant complementary colors!

Here’s a peak…

Jackmanii
Nestled between the purple and pink clematis is Summer Romance, a pink floribunda rose.
Dr. Ruppel
Niobe
The gold in the center of this Niobe will go nicely with the gold of Eternal Flame, a hybrid tea rose.

As the plants prosper and acclimate, there should be plenty of photo opportunities to capture the clematis and roses highlighting each other’s beauty like good friends or perhaps like a summer romance or eternal flame often do. 😉

Bring out the best in others! Highlight beautiful character in those planted near you. Be complementary! Be ever-blooming.

Ebb Tide

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After living on a sailboat for a few years, I thought it appropriate to plant a floribunda rose marketed as ‘Ebb Tide’. She’s only been growing a few weeks in my garden located in Maryland Zone 7b, but already she profusely blooms in clusters of evolving purple. Surrounded by mini nuggets of pine bark, her petals exude a lovely fragrance and she fends off disease with ease. ‘Ebb Tide’ is a stunning, simple choice for your garden.

Follow for more rose photography and gardening content. In the meantime, may we all choose to be ‘ever-blooming’.

Carrie Renee Turner