A Mystery

It's close to 10 years ago when Husband bought me a Valentine's Day gift of a little "throw-away" rose that we found at a local nursery. It was so pretty that I put it under growth lights until I was able to plant it outside. It did quite well there so when we built the house, I took it with me knowing that I may never know the variety name should there be one. Once here, it again settled in and is now about 2½' tall and about as wide. My guess is that after 4 years here and 5 years at the other house, this is a mature plant. The leaves are a dark leathery green, very disease resistant and reminds me a lot of the leaves on Playboy but maybe not quite as big. Each spring it covers itself with these lovely orange and mauve 2" blooms. The buds are very ovate and a deep orange. My guess is, it is a miniature especially since that is what is so often cultivated for these special occasions; thus considered what I've heard termed as "throw-away" roses. It is possible that this rose has no variety name at all; just simply one of those cultivators that just didn't seem to have what it takes to be named and go into production. Since then a number of people tried to tell me it was Gold Medal but I drag my feet on this. I even had the nursery check for a variety name. They called the supplier who had no name for it. Yet, for me, this little rose has done better than some and each year it improves on itself. It's ashame that I don't know what the variety name is or even if it has one. This bush is so photogentic.

More Garden Shots

As you can tell, I've been busy outside. This is the look from the driveway to the back for the property.
















Romantic Evening tall bearded iris












The new patio and some furniture









Gypsy Dancer tall bearded iris



















Gnus Flash tall bearded iris

Fimbriata hybrid rugosa rose




















Blanc Double de Coupert hybrid rugosa rose

In Comparison

This is the house when we moved in July of 2002.

This is the house today! Only a slight difference.

One of the first plants to find a home was a tiny rose that I had ordered while the house was being built. I bought the miniflora for it's name. Sweet Dream. It is actually in the first picture on this post but it had taken a lot of abuse being moved from one location to another until it found it's way home.

This year it is looking quite glorious and now has a companion Sweet Dream as well. Oh, did I tell you that this little rose is blessed with a very sweet fragrance?

A Rose

Sally Holmes Shrub Rose. This bush has given me a number of award winning photographs. More to come later.

Above is the picture in it's entirty. This is a picture of just the stamens. I love this picture with just the stamens blown up like this. It also tells you the kind of sharpness I get out of my camera.

The Rock Garden

The Rock Garden










Total Recall bearded iris














Theresa Bougnet hybrid rugosa rose














Rimpo tree peony














Loving Touch miniature rose











Fimbriata hybrid rugosa rose

Blanc Double de Coupert hybrid rugosa rose

Deep Purple Rhododrendron

Mid Spring Garden Shots

The patio is now finished except for some curing of the cement edging show here with plastic over it to help it cure properly. That will be taken off in about 5 days. Sand will be applied between the cracks of the paver stones for the next 12 weeks or so until it is time to put a sealer on the entire thing. There is an arbor to angle over the curved edge where the urn is and a little bench will sit beneath it. The urn too just where it is. The arbor may not come until autumn. Right now, this project was very heavy, filthy and hard work. With the cement edge it finished to a 15'x21' patio. I swear I will never do this again.

Celestrial Dogwood










Cranesbill


Gilliard Rose ~ Azalea












Josee ~ Dwarf Lilac






Theresa Bugnet ~ Hybrid Rugosa, Rose





Liberty ~ Hosta





Theresa Bugnet bud ~ Rose











Viburnum

Yoshino Gawa ~ tree peony

Zurel tulips

What people think

When I'm outside, usually in the front near the road, people driving or walking by will often stop and tell me what an awesome garden I have. Often they will stop and ask about different plants I have in the garden and what the growing requirements are and how they do as a garden plant. I always answer the questions, discribing each plant and what or how it does for me.

Now when I work on my garden, I usually see it with different eyes than someone just walking by. This is probably due to the fact that I'm up close and personal with each plant, weeding it, pruning it or whatever.

It's nice to see how other people react to my garden. I guess the best compliment of all are the neighbors, all outside in the evenings working on their garden to keep it looking as nice as the Saurbaugh's. The neighbors across the street planted seven purple trees like mine.




I know. This will get old now, so I guess I'll stop. I hope you enjoy the snaps.

Muscles!

I got real close and personal with my muscles today! I can't tell you how much they ache. Today we put down most of the patio except for the decorative paver which still need to be set in. The patio finished out at the 14x20 area that we had designed and with just a few exceptions is pretty much laid out the way I had it drawn up and scaled.

We left two corner bricks out to make little raised flower beds that I will keep steppables in. The little plants thrive on being stepped on and will grow over the hardscape to soften it a little. We decided to go with two sets of decorative pavers instead of four. I think it is still enough to brake up the intense space of stone and still define the fire pit that will sit between them.

These are two of the decorative pavers trimmed and set into their area. So far this is all we have done of these. The pavers are made, but need some small adjustments to fit in the spot. For the next few days, or as long as we have good weather, we'll spend time sweeping sand into the cracks of the patio and washing it down every evening to set the stones.

Each of the flat stones are 24"x24" and weight approximately 84 pounds each. There were a couple of them that I ended up carrying myself. Believe me, they didn't go far! I had no idea I could even lift anything that heavy! My muscles are telling me now that maybe I shouldn't have either.

We started this morning bright and early at 7:00 am and finally finished for the day around 6:30 pm. We were tired, thirsty and covered in cement dust. Who wanted to eat? Not me. I was to tired to cook or even try and not hungry anyway. We ended up running out to the local grocery store to throw together a light salad about an hour or so after we finished putting things away and sweeping in the first round of sand. Afterward we sat on the little bench at the Tulip poplar and looked over our work before finally heading out.

Oh, that plant on the arbor is a two year old New Dawn Rose. That is such an amazing plant.

Garden shots

Lilac ~ Beauty of Moscow

Daffodil ~ Tahiti

Prim Rose ~ Alpine Primala

The Work Begins

As I sit here it almost sounds as if the toads are right at the my office window. They must be close as the window is closed.

Today we started the patio. We had spent our time healing and gathering the materials we were going to need to do this project. We got a total of 5 1/2 tons of 1" stone to finish the 6 tons that was put in the hole last year when we had it dug. We got the 24"x24" pavers delivered as well as enough sand to do this project. All this had been waiting for at least a week. We spent the past two to three weeks laying out the patio and making a form. When the materials came, we spent the past week putting in the stone, leveling it and getting it ready for the next step. Today Husband rented a compactor and we compacted the stone into a nice solid base. Tomorrow we start with the sand and the laying of the pavers.

Also today, as we were finished with the compactor and had returned it to the rental place, I noticed a bunch of cars in the driveway of the vacant house next door. I had heard some time ago that it was under contract but there were issues. The builders considered the property sold and it was totally vacated. There was one car and two SUVs crowded with people. One man, as he got out of one of the SUVs saw me watching and waved. I returned his wave. After a bit, he was outside with a handful of flags, so I introduced myself asking if he was the new owner. He was a pleasant fellow by the name of Frank; tall, lean athletic built; early 30ish. He introduced me to his lovely wife; lean, athletic and redhead. We chatted for a bit, both Husband who joined me when he heard me chatting and I were trying to get away so they could finish their inspection. It was hard though, since we seemed to have so much in common with these people. We work in the same field; we have passions for the same interests and conversation flowed. The entire family got involved and a party started. This young couple will come the end of May with their two Huskies. I gave them some hints and questions to ask at the settlement table. These were questions that they shouldn't have to ask but no information was ever given to them. I had watched this house being built and knew where the drainfield was, the well, the septics. All this is important if you have a passion for planting as they said they did.

It was a good day. Rain isn't expected until Wednesday so we have until then to get this patio together.

A Rose Society meeting

Pearl Palace ~ Listed as a miniflora but probably more like a floribunda in size and shape. It is disease prone and the blooms have a tendency to burn in the sun, but it is a strong rose and does well for me.

Today was the meeting of the rose society that I belong to. I had been asked in February if Husband and I would do a presentation on photographing roses for the club. Between me being sick, Husband getting his hand caught in the press at work and later sick as I was (I gave him the viruses) and trying to put together the materials and money to start the patio, it was hard to get a presentation together. But one day we actually did sit down to discuss what we would talk about and I put it together in it's final stages last night during a slow period at work. I think I threw Husband a little when I started talking today because at the last minute I had gotten the latest issue of the American Rose and broke into the presentation with a discussion of the pictures in that magazine. I prompted Husband to jump right in and the presentation turned into a question and answers on photographing gardens and roses/flowers. I had taken along two of my cameras to demonstrate the differences in the cameras and which type of camera we would recommend. I didn't realize that there was a professional photographer in the group but he only backed up everything we were saying. It was a very fast hour with everyone getting involved. There wasn't one yawn in the entire group as well as the discussion going on far longer than I could have hoped. It went very well.

Later, the president approached us and asked us if we would consider giving a hands-on class at the meeting at his house in July. Everyone who attends is to bring their camera and we will all practice taking pictures of his roses so folks can get a better understanding of what is a good shot and a bad one and how to get the good ones. This leads to the next thing that was asked of us. We are to put together a photo contest for the York Area Rose Society, getting a plan for categories and rose classes for the year 2007.

Today was a good meeting to do all this because it's been rainy here and there was a large attendance. Husband said to me later, "I thought there would only be about eight." My response was, "That's about the usual number of folks who attend." It was a good day.

However, when I got home, I was disappointed that the rose I was to get Friday hadn't come yet. On the UPS website they have it marked as being delivered 2:25 pm Friday. At that time I did see the UPS truck out front, but the driveway was blocked with the delivery for the patio and UPS just seemed to drive by. I remember looking at the clock when I saw the UPS truck out front. I never got my rose. So, my guess is that I will have to call the company I ordered it from and tell them the situation. They will follow up with UPS to locate it. This rose is Sharifa Asma, the favorite rose of a close friend who passed away this February. I ordered it in his memory so I am quite upset that UPS screwed up this order.

It has been raining pretty steady all day here. I spent the rest of the day resting and catching up on sleep, reading and taking it easy. Even dinner was the wonderful turkey dinner the fire hall serves up this time of year. The fire hall has three dinners like this throughout the summer. The turkey, today, then later there will be a ham dinner and a roast beef dinner. Comfort food all the way around!! I don't think we've missed one yet. If you eat at the fire hall, it's all you can eat. If you get take-home, there's enough in each meal container to feed about 2 1/2 people. They feed you well. The local cub scout troop is there to make sure you get your order and it's fun to watch the kids trying so diligently to make sure you are satified.

It was a good, quiet day.

Thoughts of Spring

Flowering Almond

Alpine Prim Roses

Cold hardy Camellia

Crabapple tree, Flame

Some Things...

...are just worth waiting for. This little woodland wildflower was planted in this spot four years ago. I just wandered outside yesterday to see what was going on in the front flower bed on the other side of the magnolia. In front of the house there I have a number of wildflower cultivars, mostly started from root stock such as this little bloodroot. I hadn't seen this little plant in years and feared it's demise, but there it was with not just one flower, but two! Not only that, but there were three other young shoots coming up close to the mother plant. I almost missed it's pretty flowers. This particular plant is a native of the area but I've never seen one in the wild. They seem even less rare than the Virginia bluebells which I also have growing in the same bed. They aren't in bloom yet but are pushing buds nicely. When both these plants are done with their flowering, they will quietly go back into dormancy until next year. The Virginia bluebells are also spreading with the same slowness as the bloodroot. I just have more of them.


A picture of the magnolia through the screened window. Also in this picture is a pretty Warbling Vireo, a bird I'd never encountered until we moved here. He and his mate have a nest just above the front door of my home and he sits in this tree as a sentry over the family. This bird is extremely shy and will fly away at any movement, so to get this shot took time and effort. I will address the fussiness with the RAW photo that I have in the computer and see if I can't bring him up any more than this.

There is a beautiful breeze blowing in from the open window by my computer. The sun is shinning and the day calls me outside.

Weather and Work

Today seems like an early April day. It's a bit more blustery than I'd like to see it but the temps and rainy conditions are appropriate. The early plants that should be in bloom are. Spring is here in all of it's glory.

Though not fully recovered from my illness, I was able to get outside over the weekend and enjoy the unusually warm weather. I must say, we got a lot done considering all the problems we've had in the past two weeks. We got the mulch put around the garden where it was needed. I got all the roses out of the garden and into permanent homes in the new bed which was finally ready for them. I started pruning the roses and got most of the front ones done, the OGRs were also done. I need to fertilize these soon. Hopefully I will get outside to shape and prune the new ones I just planted and get those fertilized. I'm also hoping to get the garden tilled and the compost in it to prepare it for the summer's produce. I have onions, peas, carrots and lettuce that need to be gotten planted. The compost bins need to have the red wrigglers set aside, emptied and the old brushy stuff mulched and put back in the bins with the worms on top. By autumn, the new stuff will be ready to top dress the beds for winter. Oh, BTW, I didn't purposely put those red wigglers in the compost bin. You know what they say, "You build it, they will come." And I have tons of the wigglers in the compost bin.

Yesterday was my first day of classes for the new software we will be using at work. And we're supposed to be able to operate it with a six hour seminar. Oh, yeah, like that's going to happen easily. There are a number of coworkers on my shift who are familiar with Photoshop, including myself. Armed with this knowledge, we have a better chance of figuring out the new InDesign software we are getting. What makes matters worse, however, are the new computers, the Mac Tigers that we're also getting. The operating system is very different from the OS9s we're used to using.

It's funny. When we got the G3s and G4s about 10 years ago, everyone complained about them. Yes, they were different from the old Harris system we had been using and many of the people couldn't see the ease that these new computers and software would make job. Everyone thought I was weird when I tried to explain how these computers would work compared to the old system. Eventually, people became comfortable with them. This time, however, things seemed different. Sitting at the back of the room, as was not necessarily my want, but that I had been one of the last people in, I could hear everyone as the instructor began to talk. There were tons of questions for the tech folks as he explained the different software formats that were compatible with this new system. It didn't take long at all before people began to see how easy this new software could make the job. A lot more room for creativity. It's just going to be tough without formal training to get used to these new Tigers and the new software; to get used to feeling our way around the new system and get the work done at the same time. Right now it looks like we're all getting the new Adobe Creative Suite 2. That would be a dream come true! I used a lot of the software that is featured in this new suite as it is but to be able to tweak my own photos in a pinch and send stuff to Illustrator for adjustments would be heaven! Especially for specialty text formats that I can't do now. The computers also feature a new dashboard for our convenience. I have big plans for this dashboard!! I used the Internet a good bit for stuff we need to do the job and I'll be able to set up the dashboard to make getting these things easier.

Now, if things just fall together....