a new view

You may have noticed my new header. Well, I'm hoping to do some more sprucing up around here, but it will likely happen in bits and pieces as I find the time to figure things out; little improvements here and there - nothing drastic. Hopefully I won't mess it all up in the process;)

backyard cat season begins

I have a new friend. This big beautiful guy was hanging out with me all afternoon while I worked in the garden. He would lounge in the shade for a bit, then come over to visit me every once in a while, check out what I was up to, get a little attention, then lumber back to the shade. What a sweetheart. I hope he keeps coming around!

roses

(top two images from David Austin Roses, bottom two images ??)

This is my new plant obsession that I alluded to in a previous post: roses. I have long been dreaming of having climbing roses in my garden. It seemed like a small step towards achieving more of a Secret Garden vibe, rather than the junky-backyard look I'm rocking now. Once I started looking into rose options seriously this spring for the first time, I got totally sucked in. There are just so many amazing varieties. I chose 4 bare root roses from Pickering Nurseries. They are (clockwise from top left) Sombreuil, Comte de Champagne, Louisa Stone, and Leverkusen. The Sombreuil and Leverkusen are climbers. The other two are bushes. I love these big pouffy old fashioned types, and round cupped petals. Basically, I like roses that look like peonies. But unlike peonies, these roses should keep blooming throughout the summer! I have always thought of roses as tricky, labour intensive plants, but as I have been learning more about them, this really doesn't seem to be the case. All the research I have done lately has also taught me how to care for the couple of climbing roses that were already in the garden, so I've finally pruned and trellised them properly for the first time. Here is a photo my mom took of me when I was planting my new babies. I'll keep you posted on their progress!

Do any of you have experience growing roses? Any tips? Favourite varieties?

spring at last

It is finally spring for real in the garden. While the leaves on the trees are still barely more than buds, there is plenty of green (and pink and white and yellow...) happening at ground level. I spent a couple of beautiful, sunny afternoons working out back this weekend and it was heavenly. I also had my mom and brother here for our annual Mother's Day weekend visit. It was so nice! Of course, I didn't manage to take any photos, but I'm waiting for my mom to send some that she took. I think she got at least one shot of me posing in the garden with a shovel like a dork that I may decide to post if I don't look too ridiculous. We'll see...