Bit by bit we are finding our way in to the garden. Saturday we woke to a bit of moisture, not much, just enough to dampen the dust. With plans to go to town, we decided to get some yard work done first. While the Head Gardener applied the pre-emergent weed barrier to the gardens and the graveled barn circle, I pruned the roses. Armed with newly sharpened clippers and my new gloves, I tackled the dormant roses.
I had quite a mess, which left me wondering why I don't prune the roses back in the fall, a little at least, so that they don't look so raggedy and sloppy. The clematis didn't get cut back at all last summer and she does tend to over take her corner. She must be pruned early in the spring--late winter--, really, to avoid cutting off shoots that are already showing green. I hate snipping off the green, but I did. She needed a good hair cut.
The front courtyard looks like carnage hit. The Christmas decor will come down and soon it will look presentable.
Here it is all neat and clean. I have been saving coffee grounds and egg shells to make a feed for them. I think I will skip the commercial stuff this year and see how they do.
RandomThoughts
One of my lovely Christmas gifts from the Head Gardener, Rose Gloves. They are heavy leather, high cuffed; perfect for working with the roses.
The fairies and gnomes have abandoned their homes. I am sure that they will show up somewhere. They will miss the tulips and daffodils this year.
Wrong time of year for frost on the pumpkin; instead, a thin layer of frost on the crystal mushroom. The frost covered pasture and lawn this morning glisten for a moment in the early morning sun.
My parting thought for the day: Happy Time of Change.
Have a fabulous week.
Thanks for visiting. I love reading your comments.
Linking with Maggie at Normandy Life to share my unimaginative, but informative mosaics.
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We woke up with a couple of inches of snow this morning, after our weeks of temps in the 70's the trees are budding and several blooming. But now the snow is melting. Crazy weather.
ReplyDeleteHello, spring is showing up all over Florida. You sounds busy getting your roses and garden ready. I hear my home state of Maryland may have a foot of snow after having a warm winter. We are heading home this weekend. I do enjoy the longer daylight. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!
ReplyDeleteRose pruning happened here this weekend, too. The forsythia is just barely beginning to bloom, but not much else is blooming. There are lots of things just beginning to show signs of life.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the new week.
Like Lorrie, I am seeing the first flowers on the Forsythia, also on the Apricot tree, which seems a bit early. Spring looks as though it is waking up, but we do have the rest of blowy misty March to get through. Time for cutting back, though I did my roses half way in the Autumn.
ReplyDeleteYou work so hard and I LOVE your rose gloves! Bill pulled up two old roses today because the Japanese beetles feasted on them last year. That bed is going to be entirely filled with zinnias this summer!
ReplyDeleteThe wind is cold, isn't it? Brrrrrr!
Take care, sweet Ann!
Very interesting photos and collages, Ann! The good work in the garden will pay off soon.
ReplyDeleteI really should find myself a pair of rose gloves. Here we are obviously not pruning roses yet, they are covered with snow... :)
Love the cute details in your garden. Have a happy week!
That first time we go out to start the after winter cleanup is always daunting but it's amazing how quickly things start to look better when the pruning and cutting back is done.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I refuse to accept that any blog post that includes a beautiful photograph of frost on a crystal mushroom (that I mistook for a Rene Lalique bowl)is unimaginative, so there!
Happy week!
After being cooped up inside all winter, puttering to do spring cleanup is therapeutic. My training as a horticulturist had me waiting until spring to cut back the clematises but a friend said she did hers in fall (out of necessity) and so I gave it a go. Mind you, all mine will flower on new growth and I've been pruning them back in the fall with great results. It helps to keep the taller ones in check to fit the trellis too.
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Great work. The mushroom is darling! I'm anew follower.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait until I can get out in the yard to do some winter clean up. I need to get new gloves for gardening, yours look nice.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to take so long to cleanup the winter mess, doesn't it? I started back in February when the whether was so pleasant, but it's been awful ever since then.
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