The Stylish Gardener

A blog post that somehow got lost between then and now….

Once again the towering Silver Maple is ready for a new season…..and so am I.

Leaving the grounds for my early evening walk on Saturday….I looked up the towering Silver Maple and ask…will your leaves even fall this season?  Within the blink of my eyes…one gorgeous silver leaf came floating down and landed at my feet…somehow I felt instructed to leave it be…..I did document it with a photo…just to remind myself and perhaps you…all things happen in their own designated time…for a reason….Mother Nature and God never fails to instruct me, scold me and assure me….who is in charge and how wasteful we are to doubt.

Not every tree has silver leaves, but every cloud has a silver lining….

Autumn has arrived…embrace it…just as is!

This is the last of the Rose series….you can revisit anytime by book-marking   www.sagehillgardens.com and click into the Stylish Gardener blog.

Rouge Ardeur (Red Passion)
Heirloom…French ?

This rose is so deep, almost black, the scent is light, yet almost spicy?

The red rose represents the passionate love that one brings to the loved one. There is romance in the bouquet of red roses but also the fervor and a strong ardor: it is the crazy love, which will not be stung by the thorns, a love that just is…

Gallicas are the oldest of the old garden roses, having been grown by the Greeks and Romans and later bred by the Dutch and French as many of the names indicate. Gallicas have been involved in the development of all four other classes of old garden roses and have influenced, at least to some small degree, nearly all garden roses to the present. Their great colors range from shades of pink, reds, and purples to crimson red with stripes. The single, double, or semi-double blooms are held either singly or in groups of three. The bushes are easily recognized as low suckering shrubs with foliage that is oval, pointed and has a rough texture that is typically dark green…can be kept as a low shrub or allowed it will grow as tall as 5 to 7 feet…..supposedly…I keep it low and shrub form.

Mine was a gift cutting from an herbalist friend, who dates hers to the great-great grandfather’s era (brought from France to Virginia to Tennessee..I doubt it can be found in the open market place…

Julia Child…..Just before our wonderful American icon left us, she selected this exceptional rose to bear her name. Julia loved the even butter gold color & the licorice candy fragrance. Yet it wasn’t just the old-fashioned blooms that inspired the recipe. The perfectly rounded habit, super glossy leaves & great disease resistance finish off the dish. An awesome AARS award winner—a right & proper honor for a dear friend. Consistent, hardy & floriferous in all climates. Very disease resistant.

This has been in my Rose Garden for about 10 years…no issues!

The Pavement rose is really a ‘Rugosa’…whether seedlings, named varieties, or hybrids, all have a strong but delicate fragrance.

Rugosa’s usually have the look of wild roses, with single petals that can be pinkish, purplish or white. They can be semi double or double in the bloom.

The flowers are followed by fruits, called hips, that can be an inch or more across. The hips make delicious jams, tangy tea, and are rich in vitamin C.

Rugosa’s are covered in small spines and the  leaves are dark and leathery.

You can count on blooms all summer, in fact mine starts blooming in the spring and is the last of the roses to fade away in the fall.

They must be kept pruned if you don’t wish to allow it to fill out its full potential…keep it pruned to 3 feet or let it grow to 6. The spread can be 4 to 6 feet also. ( this you can also control with pruning )

These beautiful roses are also disease resistant-a good thing !
They will flourish in zones 2-8 with full sun and well drained soil.

When you buy a Rugosa in the pot…make sure it is no more than twice as high as the container. Examine it well for any negatives -dark spots, leaves with holes or brown tips…it will either look really healthy or it will look sick…no in-between.

Each year( late winter )after all danger of freezing is past- cut the oldest stems down to the ground to make room for the new ones. Shorten any very long stems also.

In the spring, once established,  it is wise to add some granular rose fertilizer-just once. Never ever over feed them.

Late summer, if you plan to use the hips-harvest them just after the leaves lose their dark green color.  Dry them well and process accordingly to the purpose . You can eat them fresh if you like…allow them to stay on the shrub until they turn bright orange…remember they are loaded in vitamin C.

If you only have space for one rose…I would make it a Pavement-Rugosa Rose.

Yes….Southern girls know…it’s OK to wear a rose in the hair!!
It’s akin to mistletoe at Christmas time. (wink)

Bea’s Buzz…must be Monday

Day’s Of Rain And Roses~

Doesn’t quite bring the urge to dance as the old and lovely song of   “Day’s Of Wine And Roses.” That’s for another day 🙂

Roses can be simple and uncomplicated or, they can be a royal pain in the gardeners upkeep log.

I have learned a few tricks ( facts ) that will lessen the risk of unwanted issues.

If you mulch around your roses during the winter months, and you get a lot of rain…it is a good idea from time to time to pull back the mulch and allow the soil to breathe and dry out a bit.

Mulch can and does invite insects and critters to set up a warm and cozy retreat during the colder time of year.

Too much wet mulch can cause mildew and rot…so keep a close watch on your rose gardens during the winter, and especially during rainy months.

This is the time to bone up on rose gardening do’s and donts …we often forget that each species may and often times do, require different types of care.

Know your roses and your success will flourish.

And yes, roses are in the herb family. Nothing as good as a cup of Rose Hip Tea.

Stay tuned…I’ll be doing a series of “Rose Articles” through the remaining month of January.  We have plenty of time to study, share, and learn…**do nothing for, or to, your roses until April….**

Hope to see you right here for the “Rose Stroll”…I’ll be posting Monday’s and Thursday’s-chime in anytime, ask questions, offer your ideas and practices…it’s free, educational and fun~

If you follow me on Pinterest you know I have a Board titled Doors and Windows that get my attention…

They both have fascinated me since childhood…..

I see them as gateways to wherever I wish to go or be.

I wish everyone could have a magic door that opens up to joy, peace and love…..actually, everyone does…..because of this most magical holiday that began so long ago…..

Ask and it shall be given…
Seek and ye shall find…….
KNOCK and the door shall open…..

Marry Christmas

THE Season OF White~

Christmas is the time of year when decorating rules simply do not apply!
Well, at least in my world….

The look has to be something….why not Striking
The mood has to be something..why not inviting
The color has to be something…why not white

Breakfast at Sage Hill House ….wish YOU were here

Something I wrote in 2012

The Joy of Christmas…let me count them one by one…so many, you’ll be sleeping before I’m done.
There’s holly and cedar, rosemary and Red Birds…
Paper Whites and Poinsettias , Red Roses and Tartan skirts…
Stockings of red, green and beyond….bows and bells….oh my, what great fun…
Candles in the windows, sleighs by the stoop, hot coco and mama’s homemade soup….
Snowflakes and snow-balls for some there will be…alas, just rain and wind I see…
Chestnuts by the fire…cranberries strung above…and a toast to the one you love…
Pretty paper, pretty ribbon, pretty cards from far and near…
Silent night and happy dreams for those you hold dear…
Chocolate, red velvet, coconut and caramel tarts…
Snickerdoodles and Thumbprints, all tugging at our hearts…
Memories and flashbacks, from days carved in stone…
History indeed, but never really gone…
Carols for the neighbor…prayers for our Troops…
Christmas trees of all description-Presents all around-everything Merry and Bright…not like in Bethlehem…
Look into your heart-and find the tiny spark-turn up the flame and light the way….for yet another Christmas Day.

God Bless and may we keep the spirit of Christmas always in our hearts.

BRK~