Among Friends

[JustJazzmom]

Get this book which was written by one of the former curators of the New York Botanical Rose Garden (The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden) -- Roses W/O Chemicals: 150 Disease Free Varieties That Will Change the Way You Grow Roses by Peter Kukielski

"Spray no more! Roses have a reputation for being finicky garden plants that require chemicals and fertilizers to stay healthy and disease free. Fortunately, recent breeding efforts have produced disease-resistant varieties that perform beautifully in all kinds of conditions. Peter E. Kukielski, former curator of the award-winning rose garden at the New York Botanical Garden, highlights 150 of these tough, new varieties, rating them for disease resistance, flowering, and fragrance.  He also tells which perform best in each region and teaches simple cultivation techniques that will result in gorgeous, easy-care gardens filled with healthy roses."--Review from Amazon

I received it as a birthday gift last summer and I recommend it-- it rates roses on disease resistance, fragrance and repeat flowering characteristics rated with all three equaling up to 100. The higher the score. the better the rose.

[dulwich]

JustJazzmom - Thanks for the help I will definitely check out this book also and looking forward to a Rose garden this year - hopefully.

[JustJazzmom]

@dulwich

I recommend looking for own root roses if possible and order online at Chamblee Nursery, Roses Unlimited & Heirloom Roses. Remember if it doesn't say 'own root' in the description or on the website, assume the roses are grafted to a common root stock.

I plan on ordering my 3 roses in February for late April shipment by me. You can also request when you want plants shipped (within reason) to online companies. Most companies will ship when it is safe to plant in your area as they want their plants to have the best advantage possible. 

[dulwich]

Thanks JustJazzmom - now I have a place to start.  Have got to get the builder here to take out cactus roots - they have to use pick-up truck and chains - very sad.  Our cactus were there for over 20 years then they bloom and die.  We have some babies though at sides of original root but cannot get to them yet.

The stress of gardening lol!

[JustJazzmom]

@dulwich

If you have very sandy soil, you will need to add compost to the existing soil before doing any planting. The compost will aid in moisture retention to the soil and not allow the water to percolate rapidly through the soil (causing you to water more to achieve the same amount of water than with soil without a lot of sand in it).

Another own root rose company: http://www.highcountryroses.com/

[Noel7]

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@dulwich wrote:

Happy Jan 2nd to all - very cold here more snow and rain forecast for next week.  Went to aerobics this a.m. really enjoyed it feel good after some exercise.

What good events are you looking forward to this year Ladies?  DH and I went to dinner at really nice restaurant New Year's Eve and I realized as we were talking I have some good events coming up:

Our first great grandchild arriving March we know it is a boy  very exciting.  So we will be off to California then.

DH and I 50th wedding anniversary also in March.  We were both 17 y.o. when we got married and they said it wouldn't last!  Planning party at really good restaurant here, hiring band, going to have all our friends - the whole town here are asking about it.  In small towns this is what happens.

Going home to London Sept. for reunion with my 3 oldest friends - will be gone a month.  Really looking forward to seeing them. We are still all very close and just have so much fun together.

Some time we are expected to move back to CA - our kids demanding this as they  "need you guys here with us".

Enough already got a busy year ahead I think.

What are you Ladies planning?

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@dulwich

What an exciting time for you, and a dinner party with a band!  What fun

I'm glad you will be moving back to where your children are, I think that's wonderful!

[Noel7]

It's dark, cold and raining here.  Three different storms are expected throughout the coming week days.

PG&E continues to warn us about blackouts.  I'm ready with lanterns and flameless candles, I should think of food that doesn't have to be cooked.

I hope everyone is doing well, and where is our MGM?

[Moonchilde]

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@Noel7 wrote:

It's dark, cold and raining here.  Three different storms are expected throughout the coming week days.

PG&E continues to warn us about blackouts.  I'm ready with lanterns and flameless candles, I should think of food that doesn't have to be cooked.

I hope everyone is doing well, and where is our MGM?

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I'm so bummed. We haven't had a drop where I live/work, it's sunny and the sky is cloudless.

[Noel7]

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@Moonchilde wrote:

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@Noel7 wrote:

It's dark, cold and raining here.  Three different storms are expected throughout the coming week days.

PG&E continues to warn us about blackouts.  I'm ready with lanterns and flameless candles, I should think of food that doesn't have to be cooked.

I hope everyone is doing well, and where is our MGM?

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I'm so bummed. We haven't had a drop where I live/work, it's sunny and the sky is cloudless.

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Maybe the bigger storms coming will reach the southern part of the state. 

We had rain a couple of times over the weekend, also.  I'm glad the temp is up to 51, ten points higher than much of it has been. 

Here's our rain prediction, which we all know is subject to change:

[Moonchilde]

@Noel7 We have a lot of micro-climates. My live/work area is often rain-cheated. Here is my forecast.