To Mike and Maverick…

zuzu said: He was a very special kitten, so much in tune with my own moods that he seemed almost magical. Because of that, I chose to invent a name with a fairytale sound. I originally called him Pepplegosling, but then he grew into a goose.

Here's the pretty face that's not showing in the other photo.

He was beautiful!!

vic said: Oh Zuzu - he's so beautiful I know you miss him - at our age, we have so many pets we've lost and I miss them all but there are some that hold extra special places in our hearts.

So true, Vicki. I miss every dog who's passed that I've been lucky enough to have.

This is the hard, most awful part of having our wonderful pets. We love them so.
I am so sorry you lost your lovely Maverick, Mike.

Today is "First Sunday of Advent" and "Candle Day".
The rose is:


The candlelight is for all our beloved pets who had to leave us.

I received a David Austin catalog with a one time code for 10% off that I am not going to use.

Code FWT2RX

I got a catalog as well but haven't looked through it yet.

That's interesting... my catalog arrived yesterday, and the 10% code is totally different! I guess assigning a random code allows them to keep it to a "one time use".

Today is "World Wildlife Conversation Day", the rose is:

Today is "Light up a Life Day", the rose is:

Great choice!

zuzu said: Here's a link to Menagerie Farm's bare-root rose collection for the 2024 season.

https://menagerieflower.com/co...

The roses that do best in my garden are Kordes and Ping Lim roses. I would like to add another rose to that list... Brad Jalbert's floribunda Gold and Great.
Golden yellow, apricot and peach coloring
Petal count 17 -25 - ruffled
I bought two of these bareroots from Menagerie Farm this past Spring. One was planted in total shade and the other in full sun. Both grew in leaps and bounds (3') and provided numerous moderate fragrant blooms up and until the end of November. Many of the long lasting blooms start off looking like a the shape of a hybrid tea rose about the size of Fragrant Cloud, eventually the petals appear curly. See attached photos. The flowers retain their color for a very long time. So, if you are looking for a disease resistant rose to brighten up a dark corner in your garden this rose might be the answer.

And your beautiful photo of this rose was one of the top three photos in the Rose category in this year's contest.

https://garden.org/apps/photoc...

Margie, your photos truly the capture the beauty of those roses.

zuzu said: And your beautiful photo of this rose was one of the top three photos in the Rose category in this year's contest.

https://garden.org/apps/photoc...

I was anxious to share this photo and info about this rose but had to wait till the contest was over. There aren't that many roses that are shade tolerant.
One other thing that I would like to point out in regards to "blue" roses. If you want to have a blue rose appear more of a blue color, site/plant that particular rose in partial shade. Look at my photos of Blue for You and Blueberry Hill compared to some of the others in the data base.

porkpal said: Margie, your photos truly the capture the beauty of those roses.

Thank you. Really, the people that deserve the most credit are all the hybridizers of these pretty roses. Over the years, I have dabbled in crossing irises and it has been a roller coaster ride with all it's ups and downs. I can't imagine testing hundreds and hundreds of roses. Here's "shout out" to all the rose hybridizers!

I agree!

Thanks for the tip on it's shade tolerance. I have bare spot in the new garden that I'm debating on whether to put a couple roses there or shade plants. It's a light shade but still enough to have me thinking. I'll look at it more this Spring when I'm finally there full time.

Margie, I love the veining in your first picture!

Today is "Lost and Found Day", the rose is: