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ingrid_vc

Slim Pickings

Yesterday I went out determined to find something, anything, worthy of photographing, just to see if it could be done. It was a discouraging process. How I long for winter rains and spring flowers!



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This primarily green area is very restful.


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Newly planted Duchesse de Brabant.


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Marie Pavie is bravely putting out new growth despite its proximity to a large and hot concrete parking area.


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La France, one of my very favorite roses.


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Souvenir de la Malmaison has begun blooming since it cooled down.


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Le Vesuve has also perked up in the last few days. Just recently it didn't have a single flower.

Ingrid

This post was edited by ingrid_vc on Sat, Oct 18, 14 at 14:17

Comments (24)

  • jerijen
    9 years ago

    I know the feeling Ingrid. DH was down on the hillside today, chopping off dead canes. Most of the roses will live, but they surely are smaller!

    The salvation, where it can be done, is more and more water ... but these days, that's easier said than done. Some things got a good watering this morning, though, after I washed fresh vegetables from the Farmer's Market.

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Jeri, we always have a large, flat-bottomed plastic bowl in one of the sinks for washing fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, last rinse on the dishes, washing our hands, etc. When the bowl is full, which is several times a day, a lucky rose gets a good drink.

    Ingrid

  • Kippy
    9 years ago

    Ingrid, I was thinking the other day (odd I know)

    What about trying an experiment with one rose and use some type of sealed container like a 1g water or milk jug filled with used water, capped and a small hole at the bottom to allow for a slow drip. It would give you an idea of the slower water sticks around in your soil better than hose water. You would probably need to tie or weight the jug down so the wind did not blow it away, but it would be interesting to see if that would make a difference in how your garden is doing.

  • Michaela (Zone 5b - Iowa)
    9 years ago

    Your garden is still very peaceful, even with the lack of blooms. Le France is gorgeous.

  • cath41
    9 years ago

    Ingrid,

    Your green garden has its own special beauty.

    Cath

  • annesfbay
    9 years ago

    I think it looks lovely.

    Anne

  • rosefolly
    9 years ago

    I agree. And while the roses are indeed lovely, it is actually the first picture that pleases me most.

    Rosefolly

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you for the nice comments, everyone. This area gets more shade; I was careful not to take pictures of the desiccated plants in full sun against the hillside in the front!

    Kippy, I'm doing something similar by putting the three hoses I have on very low volume and putting them under the individual rose bushes for several hours and sometimes even overnight for the larger bushes. I've definitely seen that the roses like it and have improved. I'll put plastic bottles under some of the bigger rose bushes where they won't be noticed so much. I might also do that in the evening so I can remove them by morning. Good idea! Thanks

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    9 years ago

    More mulch!

  • jerijen
    9 years ago

    I agree with Folly, you know . . . Sometimes, a "quiet" area is a great thing in the garden.

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm on it, Gail, more mulch!

  • subk3
    9 years ago

    We've done the same slow drip, but instead of milk cartons used 5 gallon buckets--the cheapo ones for a couple bucks from a big box store. We put 2 or three around newly planted trees to get them through a dry summer. We don't have any public water issues so had the option of using the hose, but we found that the trees on the drip did better than the ones we used the hose on.

  • mustbnuts zone 9 sunset 9
    9 years ago

    As always, your garden is absolutely beautiful!!! Such a joy to look at.

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm becoming very convinced that drip irrigation is the best method, even if it is the home-made kind. My garden is now small enough that I can use bottles or buckets, or even hoses turned on just slightly, to do the majority of watering.

    mustbnuts, you are so kind. I have the hope that, since it's now cooler, the garden will improve quite a bit, especially once it rains.

    Ingrid

  • titian1 10b Sydney
    9 years ago

    Ingrid, your photo of La France made me more disappointed than ever that it wasn't included in my order - sold out, which was very annoying as I put my order in months previously. Still, I will try again. So glad the cooler weather is causing the garden to perk up.

    Trish.

  • mendocino_rose
    9 years ago

    It's that time of year. I embrace the change. Soon enough the leaves will fall. Then I can rest for a short time until I start pruning.

  • toolbelt68
    9 years ago

    I installed a 1/2 inch feeder hose around the perimeter of the property then used 1/4 inch hose to feed each plant. I just pinned the 1/4â hose down as it went across the lawn, then connected the dripper end to a post to keep it up out of the dirt. By the end of the summer the hose was buried in the grass out of sight. One 1/2â feeder hose can handle up to 600 plants so you may want to consider using a drip system. One timer handles it allâ¦..

    Toolbelt

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Trish, I'm sorry you didn't get La France. If you ordered months ago and they confirmed the order it should have been set aside for you. She's definitely one of my top five roses.

    Pam, when I think about pruning your roses I can barely go there. I'm astounded that you can do it year after year.

    Toolbelt, you make it sound easy, especially since I have only one twelfth as many roses as you. I think I will talk to my hubby about this.

    Ingrid

  • toolbelt68
    9 years ago

    This site has a lot of info on drip systems.
    http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/

    Toolbelt

  • Kippy
    9 years ago

    Cell phone. Anna Yung

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    After seeing your picture, Kippy, I had to look up Anna Jung on HMF and it's a lovely rose. I especially love the different shadings and color changes. If I had more room and more water this rose would be a strong contender for a place in my garden.

    Ingrid

  • Kippy
    9 years ago

    Anna Jung and Jesse Hildreth today

    Filthy hands. Been picking persimmons and removing a fig tree

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Kippy, I'll take one of each please. How old are those two rose bushes? For me JH is THE white rose to have, although for now I'm quite happy with how my young Mlle. de Sombreuil is progressing. She handles the heat amazingly well.

    Those are working hands. You can't be a real gardener without getting your hands dirty. I'm forever picking dirt out from under my fingernails.

    Ingrid

  • Kippy
    9 years ago

    Ingrid, both are babies. Anna Jung came from RU so bigger. But just planted. Jesse is still in a 2g pot

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