My Antique Roses

Bayes Purple a single repeating rose, very hardy and thorny planted 2003.

I love to collect antique roses. I have 28 different kinds. I should have more than that but some roses just do not make it thru the winter. Some are carefree and others need more attention.

I really need to get outside today and care for my roses. I bought 4 bags of mulch yesterday and hope to weed and clear out some competing Iris and day lilies to give the roses more space. . They are a joy to have but do take a little more time to keep them looking good. I like the old fashion cottage garden varieties. I also like thornless roses and ones that are nearly thornless. I have a couple thorny ones that I am trying to get rid of. It seems the thorny ones area very healthy and need constant pruning to keep them from getting too big.

I love yellow roses, Golden Showers is a modern climbing rose. I also have 5 other yellow roses. Morning Has Broken and Golden Wings are climbing roses. Jayne Austin, Charlot and Enchanted Autumn are grandifloral planted in 2003 and still struggling for life. I thought I lost Jane and Charlot last winter but they are sending up new shoots and seem to be doing better. The moles have tunneled under these roses. I am not sure what they do. Eat the roots? Or just deprive them of water? Anyways I have been trying to dig around the roots to fill in the tunnels. I also leave Black Beauty my little black mole killer cat out in the morning. She has given me 5 moles so far this summer.
The soft pink rose below is New Dawn from Two Sister Roses. A modern climber it was wonderful this year. I have blue clamatis growing with it and hope someday they will grow together and bloom at the same time. Maybe next year.

Bonica a modern shrub rose. I love this rose it blooms all summer. It has pointed buds with long stems and is wonderful to cut and bring in for the table. I only wish the Japanese beetles did not like it so much. They eat the buds.

Veilchenblau, Germany 1909 also known as the the Blue rambler. Color is a pink to light purple with white eyes. Lasts a long time as a cut flower too.
Classic Old fashion Rose Veilchenblau, a classic rambler, bloom is small semi double, wonderful apple blossom fragrance, almost thornless, blooms only once but its spectacular.

I planted this rose in the spring of 2008. This year was the first year that this rose really did what I hoped it would. Eventually I want it to cover my garden fence facing east. Stop by and see my roses mid June before the beetles get at them.

Debbie Bliss visits Wolf Creek Yarns in Grove City PA

Debbie Bliss Knitting for Children
Yesterday I attended a delightful event in Grove City hosted by Wolf Creek Yarns. Debbie Bliss a famous knit wear designer came and gave a lecture, fashion show, book signing event held in the beautiful Alumni Building at Grove City College. Thank You! Wolf Creek for providing the wonderful refreshments and for bringing Debbie to Grove City. I have posted a few pictures in a slide show on line to give you a feel of the event. These are not great photos but you can get a feel for the experience.

Growing a garden, knitting on hold

The lettuce is spectacular this year. I have more lettuce than I can use. I have been giving it to my neighbor. I pulled up one big box of plants and half of another to planted potatoes under straw where the lettuce was removed. I will let some of each variety of lettuce go to seed so it can self seed the boxes for next spring. I keep thinning out the lettuce and in a couple days you cannot see where I pulled up the plants. I will add some pole beans to grow up the post in one of the boxes.


Strawberries all over the garden floor. I get about this many every day, its more than we can eat so they will go in the freezer for smoothies. I planted ever-bearing strawberries as ground cover around my beds and containers in my veggie garden and flower beds. It works really well. Sweet woodruff is growing with the strawberries and roses in the border of my veggie garden. The strawberries are hidden under the Sweet woodruff. They are hard to see but they grow well and bug free this way.