Roses bring so much joy to my life, and I love to share that joy with company! All year, I give presentations to lots of different groups. I have been invited by garden clubs, church groups, libraries, historical societies, mens’ groups, ladies’ groups…basically everyone is interested in roses! I feel it’s my job to de-mystify rose growing to anyone who is ready to begin this rewarding hobby.

This gives me the opportunity to meet wonderful people who love gardening just as I do! At the end of my programs, as a thank-you to the group, I suggest a visit to my home and gardens. I offer them a day of their choice in June. They’ll bring a picnic lunch, and join me for a house and garden tour. Not everyone takes me up on my invitation. However, for the last 2.5 weeks, I have had visits from a number of very happy company with their garden clubs, sometimes two in a day!

Nesting

Having this much company is a big incentive to polish the house and gardens, so I’m thankful that the pollen finally quit blowing inside, leaving its green and yellow hues all over everything! One of my adventures before my ladies began to arrive was to get two new gardens planted and fertilized. My husband, Bob, used a little mantis to till up the soil. He edged the new beds with pressure-treated lumber. He then installed my new arbor which had been patiently waiting since last summer. I was thrilled to see it stand proud between the two gardens! I was excited about getting started. As I happily stuck my shovel into the ground, I was not really surprised to hit something solid.

The area in which we live is called ‘Stony Hill,’ and I’m very used to striking rocks every time I dig…there is a gigantic pile of rocks and stones behind the garage that have been dug out of my gardens over the years. My grandson, Chris, came over to help and said, ‘Gram, there is a pile of bricks here!’ Bob came over with a shovel and did some excavating, and it seems we had discovered the original 1920 cesspool!

It was made out of brick and mortar and gracefully curved right through the larger of the two gardens. Bob asked me if I wanted him to smash it out, but I decided I’d just plant around it. That was a very busy day! I got all seventeen of my potted roses planted and then I mulched all the beds and watered them down. I think I fell asleep in my chair at 8:00 that night!

Success!

My company started coming on June 11th and the last group came on June 20th. My roses are always excited about visitors coming and performed beautifully!! This June has offered the longest first flush that I have ever experienced in all my years of rose growing. The ladies were impressed by the colors and fragrances and all the different types of roses that grow and thrive here. Many of them are ready to grow some roses in their gardens at home, which makes me very happy.

It has also been rose show season! I was honored to judge the Rhode Island Rose Society show and the New England Rose Society show. At the Connecticut Rose Society show, I brought roses to exhibit and I won some very nice awards. I took King of Show, Princess of Show, Best Single Floribunda, and Princess of Floribunda Sprays as well as some blue ribbons.

Now that all the hoopra is over, it’s time to get to work! We’ve spread four yards of mulch around and we need to heave at least a couple more yards. It’s time to deadhead, and lots of my beauties are regrowing and setting buds for the second flush in July…

I hope your month of June has been as nice as mine has! I’m looking forward to the rest of the summer in the garden. Keep your watering wand handy!