About Joanne

Got interested in photography at an early age. When my friends played with their Barbie Dolls I played fashion photographer. Now a wife and a mother of two grown children, I spend more time in the garden caring for my plants and photographing them at their best.

Melody Parfumee Update

Grandiflora

Melody Parfumee did more than survived the winter and cold damp spring.
This grandiflora also outperformed some of my Canadian bred roses.

Winter protection is the same as for the English roses.
Disease resistance turned out to be another plus.

To my surprise, only one nursery offered this rose in my area.
The double flowers with curled petals also have a strong fragrance.

I highly recommend this rose.

Hot Cocoa update

Floribunda

Hot Cocoa did not survive the cold, damp and windy spring.
The heavy rains made it impossible to leave one layer of protection longer.
Jute may have been a better choice for early spring.
Floribunda roses do need more coddling in my zone.

Funny Face update

Landscape Shrub

I lost Funny Face to bad planning.
This is a good vigorous landscape shrub, but it is no match for a Roseraie de l’Hay rugosa rose.
Wanting to save it, I moved it to a pot.
Then the heavy rains came, and that kept me out of the garden.
I realized too late that the pot had no drainage holes, and the rose drowned.
I lost several of my roses during this cold and damp period.

Rainbow Sorbet Update

Floribunda

I lost Rainbow Sorbet to extreme spring weather.
The heavy rains caused floods in nearby cities, and the last frost was later than usual.
The stress on the new spring growth was simply too much.

Given a chance, I would grow this rose again in a more sheltered spot.
Usually when I lose a rose to bad weather, I move on to other varieties.
However, Rainbow Sorbet impressed me enough to search for it again.
This floribunda rose is well worth the extra effort.

Cherry Parfait update

Grandiflora

My Cherry Parfait is exhausted.
It bloomed nearly non stop since late June.
I will add another layer of compost as mulch but no fertilizer.
I’ve started to let the roses prepare for the coming dormant season.
Cherry Parfait is hardy to zone 6, so it does need very good winter protection in my garden.

I’ve lost a few Floribundas and Hybrid Teas that were covered with the same protection.

Wenlock

English Rose

Given a choice between a floribunda, a hybrid tea and an English rose, the English rose would win every time.
‘Wenlock’ is one of the few survivors from last fall’s turkey attack followed by a wet, cold spring.
They do need winter protection in my zone but so do most roses.
They look and smell like old garden roses with the disease resistance and repeat of modern roses.

Pink Happy Thoughts

Butterfly leaf

The pelargoniums updates and moves are now complete.
Since I finished with Pink Happy Thoughts, I will start with the red version.
I also noticed today that I have never included the Vancouver Centennial.

Nights are getting cooler and the time to bring the tender pelargoniums back inside has arrived.
If I wait too long, the change in light and humidity will stress them.

The Summer Showers are almost ready to bloom.
I’d like to see them open before I bring them inside.