Pavement Roses

The image above show the bee enjoying my Purple Pavement rose. This hardy rose (zone 3) actually survived the 2009/2010 winter. Because of a warmer than usual fall and a slight snow cover, my Morden roses along with many perennials forgot to settle in for a long winter's nap. Ergo, they did not emerge in the spring.

My 2 Pavement roses, the Purple and the Foxi not only survived, but are blooming in great numbers. This is one tough rose shrub. If you want colour and fragrance along a driveway or walkway...even if you throw salt to melt the snow, this shrub will arrive the following spring.

And yes, they are both very fragrant. Even working a few feet from the shrubs, I can still smell the sweet fragrance. The Purple is a single bloom, while the Foxi is a double deep pink bloom. I purchased them last year at the end of the season and I must say they did not look very healthy. As usual, I figured I could nurse them back to health and indeed I did.

The draw back to the Pavement rose are the very thorny (wear thick gloves) stems and the inside leaves have a tendency to turn yellow early on. I check on my Pavement roses regularly and snip off the yellowing leaves. Don't forget to feed your roses (once every 2 to 3 weeks) and deadhead the spent blooms to keep the rose blooming. Stop feeding and deadheading at the end of August and allow the shrub to form the beautiful huge rosehips. Hopefully by not feeding and not deadheading, the rose shrub understands that it must now get ready for their winter sleep. This doesn't mean that the rose stops blooming. At the end of August there will still be plenty of buds on the shrub to bloom all the way through September. Last year my Pavement roses bloomed into October. Besides, the huge bright red rosehips are very attractive all by themselves.

Creating a Wooden Retaining Wall

Both Jim and I enjoy looking out our back window and seeing a bit of a rolling landscape. Since buying our property 3 years ago, we have made many changes in the landscape to include 2 ponds, a waterfall, several flower gardens and have given some height relief to a very low lying flat backyard area.

To achieve this we have bermed the land in several areas. In the image to the left Jim has completed the wooden retaining wall built from preserved wood. This wall will hold back all of the dirt piled up against it to create the new berm. The wall was necessary as the side yard fencing is wire.

The image to the left shows the wall at an angle view. Jim dug holes 1 ft. deep for the posts and used 2x6 preserved wood slats. We chose a triangle design...the wall slats become longer as the wall reaches the ground level. We will be pushing the dirt up against the wall and we do not want the wood showing.

Once the dirt is in place, we will add top soil and then we will sod the area. To view the entire process please visit my web page: http://www.my-gardening-and-landscaping-makeover.com/wooden-retaining-wall.html

The Greatest...PaperPots

PaperPots: I bet your wondering, "Pots made out of paper?" Well...yes and no. These pots are made from unbleached natural kraft paper laminated to a strong woven-mesh polyethylene inner lining. This results in a strong, light grow pot.

Perhaps this post sounds more like an ad for this pot, but I have tried this Paperpot for growing tomatoes and it works. I can only imagine how well this pot would be for apartment dwellers who can only garden on their balconies.

Actually, anything can be grown in a Paperpot...tomatoes, flowers, bulbs.

Are you moving? What a great way to move your precious perennials from location to location. And what about 'heeling' in your plants for a short period of time prior to permanent planting? There are so many ways to use this pot.

By the way, this Paperpot is recyclable , slug resistant and offers great drainage. More great reasons to try this pot. I love sharing new and great innovative garden products...oh yes, this is a Canadian West Coast company. Please visit their web site info@paperpots.com

My Weeping Pussy Willow

Just before Easter, as I trudged through our local grocery store, a pot of hanging pussy willows caught my eye. I had never seen or heard of the grafted weeping variety...and ergo I needed to know more.

The young lady behind the counter really had very little knowledge on the plant other than to read the attached card that came with the plant.

Turns out this plant is called the Salix Caprea Pendula or The Weeping Pussy Willow. Beautiful. The fluffy silvery white catkins turn a golden yellow and once bloomed, the plant becomes covered in dark green leaves. It is winter hardy to my zone 3 and enjoys a drink more than not.

It has been said to cut the plant stems back to within two inches of the main stem once the bloom period is over, but I am going to wait awhile as I am enjoying the plant as is.

There is a bit of folklore to the Weeping Pussy Willow: Legend has it that the willow is bestowed with magical power capable of fulfilling wishes. For a wish to be granted, ask permission of the willow explaining your desire. Select a pliable shoot and tie a loose knot in it expressing your wish. When your wish is fulfilled, return and until the knot. They say to remember to thank the willow for your gift.

My Flower Carpet Roses

In my mind I knew exactly what I wanted for my middle flower garden...a perfect groundcover...a little bit green...a little bit of colour. I did plant several varieties of Lamiums, however this perennial does have a tendency to wander and I really wanted more colour. Ergo, I planted two varieties of the wonderful Flower Carpet Rose Series.

In the summer of 2009 I planted the Amber Series, pictured to the right (the image was taken from my garden on August 4th), and the Scarlett Series. Both varieties grew extremely well in my Zone 3 garden. In fact, under my watchful eye and care (I use MYKE's growth supplement), these groundcover shrubs, grew to well beyond the height and width expected. The leaves remained a glossy, deep green and this groundcover rose bloomed well into September even though I stopped deadheading in mid August.

As October drew near I cut the ever-growing shrub to 1/3 of its size...just enough so that I could fit the entire plant under the styrofoam cap. Our winter snow cover protected the plants and thankfully our region did not experience a January thaw as in most years. I find winter thaws and re-freezing really tough on my roses.

As April comes near and the sun warms the ground, I am anxious and maybe a bit nervous as to how these lovely groundcovers survived our Zone 3 winter!