steph.A posted a photo:

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 19:51:33

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Who’s the lucky (we presume) recipient of 999 black roses this Valentine’s Day? As of Tuesday, this was the priciest order that Yongjia Flower Market in Shanghai had ever taken, costing some big spender 35,000 yuan ($4345 USD)...

You'll want to take a moment and read this before placing your order for Valentine flowers!

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to Japan, Russia, Spain on 2006-02-10, 19:49:29

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welshlady posted a photo:

The crocuses are yearning
To break through the ground.
The harbingers of Spring
Soon will be around.

Their fragile beauty
Is a delight to my eyes.
A warning for Winter
To be gone from our lives.

George J Carroll

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to crocus on 2006-02-10, 19:45:23

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Master Gardener Ciscoe Morris offers his weekly "to do" list, including a suggestion to visit the famed Heronswood Nursery for its annual celebration of hellebores.

A hellebore celebration! I love it!

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to hellebore, plumeria on 2006-02-10, 19:43:44

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Inspired by something you saw at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show? Or something cool in a gardening magazine? NW Gardens columnist Marty Wingate explains how to start turning inspiration into reality.

You'll want to put this one in your garden plans file!

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to design, landscape on 2006-02-10, 19:42:28

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A feature this year at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show is the Green Industry conference, with free seminars offered each day for industry professionals and show attendees.

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 19:41:12

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Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 19:40:51

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Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 19:40:32

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This Web site explains how to use your own garden trimmings to build a wattle fence.

Build your own fence!

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 19:39:42

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Here's how to find our booth at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, today and Sunday, Feb. 11-12, plus a schedule of the booth appearances by our garden writers.

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 19:38:51

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Here's the P-I's user-friendly list of seminars and workshops for the final two days 2006 Northwest Flower & Garden Show, today and Sunday.

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 19:38:42

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Master Gardener Marty Wingate explains what it means to coppice a plant or shrub -- and why it's done.

I love this idea!

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 19:38:32

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The simple spring flower of Trillium ovatum speaks volumes to Pacific Northwesterners, whether they hike or garden.

This is a great plant for a native plants or woodland garden.

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to trillium on 2006-02-10, 19:37:23

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Here's the public appearance schedule for our @home writing team, Feb. 11-19.

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 19:35:03

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This book, from our local "queen of the pruning shears," offers helpful -- and entertaining -- advice on pruning more than 160 species of trees, shrubs, ground covers, vines and other wayward plants.

Here's a great book that should be on every gardeners' shelf

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to books on 2006-02-10, 19:34:24

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These pots convincingly mimic the look and feel of lead, but with up to 80 percent less weight -- perfect for balconies or roof gardens.

Light weight pots. . .just what I need!

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to containers on 2006-02-10, 19:32:40

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Garden expert Ann Lovejoy expands on ways to evaluate a garden in winter, and the discoveries you may make.

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to design, landscape on 2006-02-10, 19:29:32

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Garden expert Marianne Binetti offers some suggestions for taming an out-of-control garden and how you can see examples at the Northwest Flower & Garden show.

Another fantastic article for your garden plans file!

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to design, landscape on 2006-02-10, 19:27:53

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acarb83 posted a photo:

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 13:50:52

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I guess I was an unusual child. I spent a lot of time reading books about houseplants, and memorising their Latin names. Strangely, I have never forgotten those tongue twisting titles and I'm prone to blurting them out at embarrassing moments: when someone shows me a new plant they've bought I'll say oh, that's a lovely Dracaena marginata triclour! It can be rather disconcerting, I know, but it does serve a purpose. When Lynda Penlington emailed me a picture of a houseplant she wanted me to identify, I couldn't quite place it. Then, a few minutes later while doing...

Posted by Jane Perrone Reblogged by Old Roses to ferns on 2006-02-10, 13:49:24

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It's heartbreaking. I am down to my last pumpkin ... but what to do with it? Should I make another pumpkin pie, some pumpkin, chilli and coconut soup, or just roast it in olive oil. I have to savour this one as it's my last homegrown squash for at least eight months!...

Any suggestions?

Posted by Jane Perrone Reblogged by Old Roses to pumpkin on 2006-02-10, 13:46:33

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I would like to know what annual flowers the Japanese beetle will not eat. (the answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to insects on 2006-02-10, 13:43:51

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The garden is starting to come alive with all the springtime bulbs. They are relatively small so far this year, but that's to be expected during their first couple seasons.

I hope she's right about the groundhog being wrong!

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to anemone, bulbs, daffodils, spring, tulips on 2006-02-10, 13:42:18

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"A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows" -Greenville Master Gardener's Newsletter.

"Any plant whose virtues have not been discovered" - Emerson

"A plant that grows where it's not wanted" - a convential wisdom, as listed on Wikipedia

"Any plant that is not valued by the human society" - National Park Service

"A plant out of place" - Diane Relf, Extension Specialist

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to weeds on 2006-02-10, 13:38:25

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Cut flowers look so beautiful in their wrapping that they can be intimidating. I'm sure we've all had rose buds that drooped the day after we put them into water. Sometimes you can fault the flowers themselves, but that doesn't...

Wonderful info on choosing and caring for cut flowers.

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to cut flowers on 2006-02-10, 13:36:47

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It's a good thing that pressure-treated lumber for residential use was phased out in 2003.  A new scientific study concludes that arsenic from lumber treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) will continue to leach into soil and landfills for decades to come. 

Very scary stuff!

Posted by Jane Berger Reblogged by Old Roses to decks on 2006-02-10, 13:34:25

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All around the DC Metro area, there have been cherry blossom sightings for the past couple weeks. Which, to a region in love with our Spring Cherry Blossom Festival, this was a troubling sign. Doubly so to gardeners who know what cold does to plants that start early, only to get hit by a late cold snap. Very troubling.

Whew! I was afraid our weird winter weather spelled trouble for the cherry blossoms in DC

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to cherry tree on 2006-02-10, 13:30:53

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As the snowflakes fly, I've been doodling through my picture files from last spring, and have been ensnared again by the deciduous azaleas. I already have a fair number of them (a term I use when I'm embarassed to tell people just how many I really DO have). Also, planting rhodys and azaleas is no small undertaking here; our woods has heavy, alkaline clay, and is filled with roots, so I either have to make a raised bed, or completely dig out the present soil and roots, and fill the hole with loose, acidic soil. Still, a couple of more azaleas wouldn't hurt anything. 

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 13:26:38

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Something I never thought about before: double bloodroot flowers look an awfully lot like Magnolia stellata flowers. Hmmm. I wonder if I could cross them... of course pruning the tree would be pretty gruesome.

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 13:25:32

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Fiskars is offering grants that include more than $2,000 in tools, seeds, plants and supplies for community garden projects. Apply by Feb. 17.

Attention community gardeners! You won't want to miss this opportunity.

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to plants, seeds, tools on 2006-02-10, 13:21:39

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First of all, I apologize for the dearth of posts. I don’t usually make excuses for, or even comment on, my absences, but in this case I want to share good news. I’m changing jobs (for the better) and the transition is keeping me busier, happier, and more fulfilled than usual. As spring approaches, though, it’s time to return my focus to the important things in life – like gardening!

This is a great project!

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to on 2006-02-10, 13:18:31

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Garden Voices got off to a great start its first week. I've gotten lots of positive feedback from gardeners and bloggers alike. And I've enjoyed the thoughtful comments that readers have left on various posts. Updates to the page will be late today. I will be at my Master Gardener class this morning. You can check out my blog where I post from time to time about what we are doing in class. You can also follow along with Takoma Gardener, another blogger who has started Master Gardener classes in Washington, DC. It will be fun for me to see the similarities and differences compared to my classes here in New Jersey.

If you are not familiar with the Master Gardener program, New Jersey defines it as:"New Jersey Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who assist Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension in its mission to deliver horticulture programs and information to the general public. Anyone with an interest in gardening and a commitment to volunteer service can become a Master Gardener. No previous education or training in horticulture is required." The training Master Gardeners receive consists of classroom and practical experience in greenhouses and actual gardens.

There are Master Gardener programs in every state. There is even a Master Gardener Forum here on GardenWeb if you would like to learn more about it.

So please drop by again this afternoon for new articles and blog posts. And keep those cards and letters coming!

Posted by Old Roses to Master_Gardener on 2006-02-10, 03:07:09

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