Easy Care Roses

Roses. Something about them makes people swoon at the mere mention of the name. What is it about roses? The smell? The loveliness of the petals? The nostalgia they conjure?

Whatever the reason, I'm so happy to have them in my garden. And even better, I have roses that require little care on my part. I simply get to enjoy their beauty in looks and smell.

The Knockout Rose is one of the easiest roses to grow. It's very disease resistant and once established, needs little care. I prune mine every March to reshape and keep it from getting too big. But starting in June and going well into the fall, this rose bush keeps blooming beautiful deep pink blooms atop rich, blue-green leaves.

I love the color and texture combination of the wispy, chartreuse Lady's Mantle with the deep pink of the Knockout Rose:

The other roses I have are the Carpet Roses. Mine are a lovely light pink color with many petals, giving it a delicate texture.

I have a few Carpet Roses bunched together atop this rock wall in my backyard. They don't get too tall and bloom all summer long with a delicate, sweet scent.

I think all roses are spectacular - tea roses, climbing roses, miniature roses (just to name a few). But for me, the ease of these two, coupled with their beauty, makes me smile daily.

What sort of roses do you have or want to have in your garden? I'd love to hear from you!

What's Blooming This Month? August 2014

It's Garden Blogger Bloom Day! On the 15th of each month, we garden bloggers like to show off what's blooming and growing in our gardens. Here on Long Island, zone 7, things are blooming all over and I'm just letting most of the plants simply do their thing. 

Below are a few favorites from my August garden this month:

These black eyed Susans take center stage in August in my garden. They are so happy and free, I just let them bloom and fill in all over. It's like a sky full of yellow fireworks.

A new addition this year under the yellow Day Lily is Sedum 'Cherry Tart'. 

I love the purple foliage and pink blossoms.

The panicle hydrangea is in full bloom now and looking fantastic. 

Another new addition is Echinachea 'Hot Papaya'. I needed something tall in the back of the bed that would look lovely with the rudbeckias. These cone flowers have petals 

that point downward and look like little mini rockets to me. 

The Knockout Rose in in full bloom and looking so very happy these days. 

My containers in the shade are looking great now. Along the back fence, there is little soil and lots of shade. So instead of struggling to find something to grow there all season, I had my children paint a few stray branches with outdoor paint and voila!, instant garden art to brighten up a shady spot. 

My August garden is full of vibrant colors these days. What about yours? What's blooming where you are? Do you have any of the same plants? I'd love to hear from you!

Many thanks to Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for hosting this month's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! 

Spring Flower & Garden Show

Every year, Hicks Nurseries in Westbury, NY transforms their showroom to a gorgeous display of landscape plants and flowers right as old man winter is starting to release his grip. The annual Spring Flower and Garden show is the largest and most popular flower show on Long Island. For many local gardeners, this flower show is the official beginning of spring. 

Each year has a different theme and to be honest, I think some have been better than others. This year's theme is "Garden for Life: Discover Health and Wellness through the Joy of Gardening"  - how gardening can enhance your life, your neighborhood and the planet. I thought it was fantastic. 

There were four different garden displays: the Relaxation Garden, the Easy Garden, the Earth Friendly Garden and the Learning Garden.

The Relaxation Garden was like a tropical oasis in your own backyard:

Filled with Palms, Bromeliads, Croton, Gardenias, Orchids and other tropical plants, it was soothing just to look at it. An outdoor shower was on one end and a naturalistic seating area with a chiminea on the other. 

On the other side of the shower was a delightful and beautifully decorated fish pond, complete with water lillies, orchids and ferns:

I found myself imagining taking a rest on this love seat, breathing in the sweet scent of the nearby Heliotrope, and looking up at the magical colors of the stained class "ceiling" above:

The Easy Garden focused on planting the right plant in the right spot to make gardening easy for anyone. One half of the display showcased plants that enjoy and brighten up the shade:

Hostas, Coleus, Begonias, Ferns, Hellebores and Hydrangeas were among the many different colors and textures that enjoy a shady spot. 

The other half of the Easy Garden displayed plants that enjoy bright, sunny spots in your yard:

Knockout Roses, Salvia, Viburnum, Forsythia and Snapdragons were among some of the many plants displayed that enjoy a more sunny location.

The Earth Friendly Garden featured clever and innovative recycling ideas. Using sneakers as planters, an old dresser as a potting station and sunken tires as stepping stones, it enforced the idea that recycling and repurposing items into the garden can be fun and whimsical as well as economical.

My favorite was the artistic piece above the shed. At first I thought it was a clock, but then on closer inspection, I realized it was created using various colored gardening gloves with a bird house in the center. 

The Learning Garden was full of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables you can grow in your own backyard. The aim for this garden was to inspire families to get out into their gardens and plant their own food together. 

All in all, I thought it was a great show. I loved the theme and loved to see how different each of the gardens were. They provided a great many ideas, but even more so, it was a wonderful place to spend a few hours and daydream while the weather is still chilly outside.

Hicks Nurseries can be found at:
100 Jericho Turnpike, Westbury, NY 11590
www.hicksnurseries.com

The flower show is from March 7-23. Check it out!

What's Blooming this Month? November 2013

Not too much is blooming this month, to be honest. After all, it is November. But also, it's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and so, along with other fellow garden bloggers, I'm here to show you what is going on in my garden this month.

Just two weeks ago, my garden and surrounding landscape was a mass of autumn vibrant colors (take a look here). Then a cold snap happened earlier this week and we actually got a dusting of snow. Now everything tender has died back and the leaves are almost all gone. Still, there is beauty if you look for it.

The pink carpet rose is still going strong with a few blossoms and buds here and there. Never thought I'd enjoy the color pink in November as much as I do now.

Speaking of pink, the first blossoms of my Anenome 'Queen Charlotte' plants are starting to fade, but they still have a few more buds on them and we are due for a warm weekend...maybe they will surprise me with one last hurrah.

 The variegated Liriope is still looking great, especially against the pink rose hips from the carpet roses.

Ever lovely pansy is still showing is autumnal-hued face. I love how this variety compliments the colors of the season.

Likewise, these marigolds are still looking great with the orange and red colors. They are not too happy about the recent cold, but are holding on in my vegetable garden which has otherwise been put to bed.

The Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora) still looks beautiful and green. They were planted just this year, so they are not yet to their true size.

 Another rose still blooming - the Knockout Rose. I just love this deep red color.

And it wouldn't be late fall without the emergence of the berries and seed pods. On the Crape Myrtle (above), the berries take center stage now that most of the leaves have dropped. On the variegated Holly (below), the bright red berries really stand out amongst the green and white leaves.

Poor little daffodils have been tricked into thinking it's spring with the weather we have been having. Sadly, though, I think they are a rude awakening rather soon...

And finally, not really a bloom, but we have huge, old oak tree in our backyard. And the amount of acorns it drops on daily, if not hourly, basis is astounding. You can't walk outside without hearing their crunch under your feet and you must wear a helmet or risk getting pelted on your head by a falling acorn!

What's blooming at your house? Have a look over at May Dreams Garden blog where she hosts the monthly gathering of blogs around the world to show off what's blooming.

Thanks for visiting!

What's Blooming This Month? September 2013

Today is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! Here's a look at what's growing and blooming in my Long Island garden this month.

The variegated Liriope is now in full bloom. The lovely purple spikes of flowers are a welcome splash of color in the garden. 

I love the contrast of the pink flowers against the lush green leaves of this begonia and the entire plant form in front of the garden wall.

Beyond the Liriope, the pink carpet roses continue to bloom and are truly maintenance free. What a joy to have in the garden.

The hot colors of the Lantana remind me that summer is not over yet, as they continue to bloom in the warm September sun.

My latest addition to the border - Callicarpa acuminata 'Woodlanders'. Similar in form to the more common beautyberry shrub, but these have larger, deeper purple colored berries. The berries just started turning color so I'm anxious to see how it looks when it's full of them!

Dragon Wing Begonias...every time I pass this spot, I have to stop and marvel at their beauty. The dark pointed leaf with the striking red flower and how it gently flops over the top of my rock wall is simply lovely.

When the Sedum 'Autumn Joy' begin to bloom, you know it must be September on Long Island. They start with a light pink hue and gradually get darker as the weeks progress.

And of course, the mums are coming into bloom. This one is an orange/brown shade. I love how they compliment the changing of the leaves this time of year.

Salvia 'Black and Blue' is an annual here, but I couldn't resist enjoying it for a few more weeks until it gets too cold. Next year, I'll have to buy this one earlier in the season so as to enjoy it longer.

 The Knockout Roses are still going strong and look pretty next to the yellow Rubeckia.

And look what I found - this one lone bloom on my azalea bush! Go back to sleep little one, see you in the spring!

And that's what's going on in my part of the world! Be sure to check out what else is growing around the country over at May Dreams Gardens "Garden Blogger Bloom Day" list.

What's Blooming: July 2013

It's been hot and humid for the past few weeks here on Long Island. Between the heat and the mosquitos, tending the garden has been a challenge. Thankfully there are lots of carefree heat-lovers in bloom making everything look lovely. Here's what's blooming in my garden this month:

This is such a beautifully colored daylily. I love the yellow center and it's magenta petals.

The purple coneflower (Echinachea) is a nice compliment to the yellow Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia). Behind them is the wispy, purple Russian Sage.

 I planted this Knockout Rose only two months ago. It is coming along nicely and I just love the color of the blooms.

On the left is Rudbeckia "Cherry Brandy" and on the right are more Black-eyed Susans. 

This Hosta is just coming into bloom. The stems are nice and erect with a lovely purple blossom. To the right, is Yarrow and more Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy'.

 The Crape Myrtle is starting to bloom!

Hot pink Hydrangea is in full bloom by the front door.

Nestled between the boulders in the backyard are various succulents (above and below)

Begonia "Dragon Wing Red" is nestled among the variegated Liriope by the back fence and flanked by Annabelle Hydrangeas. 

My vegetable garden is in full swing! Lots of green tomatoes, ripe cucumbers, carrots, beets and string beans.

So that's what's going on in my part of the world. Be sure to check out what else is growing around the country over at May Dreams Gardens "Garden Blogger Bloom Day" list.