Joanne McKinnon Garden Photography

Archive for April, 2010

Maiden's Blush

Received roses from Richers Herbs today: Leda (painted damask), Rosa Mundi (gallica versicocolor Linnaeus) and Maiden’s Blush small (alba). They don’t look like much right now, but I know from experience that they will be in bloom in two months.

Last year, the Rose de Rescht took a long time to start leafing and thought I had lost it. I lift the plant and placed it in a pot and waited. A few weeks later I noticed the new growth and replanted it in a different flower bed. It bloomed in late summer.

Mme Hardy (damask) and Maxima (alba) survived the winter, with protection. They suffered very little winter kill.

Apologies to all legitimate comments. I haven’t been able to configure the anti spam plugin not to consider every comment a spam. According to the log, most of them really were. But before I can check for false positives, they are blocked. I will find a solution.

So far, I’ve uploaded two photos to the Garden Collection on Flickr. Description and location will be added with each photos. I visit the Ottawa Experimental Farm and Arboretum, several times a year. A few photos of the Mackenzie King Estate in Chelsea, Quebec, will also be added to the same collection.

Molineux English Rose

Molineux English rose survived the winter with protection. It needed very little pruning, the plant barely suffered  winter kill. Compost and lime will be added in the next few weeks. The lower branches will be removed and then a mulch will be added when the soil is warmer.

The English Roses: Classic Favorites and New Selections

Blue Mirror

Blue Mirror survived another winter with only snow for protection. The raised bed will be top dressed with compost in the next week or so. The dead wood and weeds have been removed. It rained over the week-end, soil is evenly moist.

Rainbow Sorbet early spring

Rainbow Sorbet survived a first winter in my zone 4b garden. Last August, pruning and fertilizing stopped letting the rose prepare for the dormant period. In September, I mounded soil over the bud union, watered when needed and checked for signs of disease. I placed the rose cone only after the ground was frozen. When placed earlier, small rodents take up residence and feed on bark to survive.

Best Rose Guide: A Comprehensive Selection

Like most gardeners, I keep a journal. For years, I used the Organic Gardening Country Calender & Planning Guide by Heidi Stonehill. In the past few years, I’ve tried several software applications and none were exactly what I needed. Now I’m trying one called Plantjotter. It’s online and includes lots of tips and options. The trial is for 30 days. If I like, I’ll sign on.

You can now access a video from the top menu. The short video was shot with a Olympus FE-210.  It shows the turkeys  at the base of the feeder. Every morning at dawn, popcorn and toast is spread along with ground feeder seeds.