My friends in Alabama tell me that they've had the worse drought in a hundred years and so far there's no end in sight. The same goes for neighboring Georgia and other Southern states. Water restrictions have been in place for quite some time. Imagine not being able to water your garden or, even worse, if you're a farmer and you depend of it for your crops.
I should ask Phillip at Dirt Therapy how he's managed to keep his beautiful garden in Florence, Alabama alive.
In the meanwhile, please join me in saying a prayer for rain.
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Posted by Carolyn gail Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-01-05, 00:34:00
I cant answer that for you, but I do know that its not really a bamboo. So called Lucky Bamboo is actually a Dracaena (Dracaena sanderiana) and anyone whos grown...
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on Jan 3, 2008, 8:11PM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2008-01-05, 00:33:08
1. Turning on the tap and getting ice cold water. You don't get that too often down here.
2. My daughter's hair. When she wears her little pink Dora the Explorer hat and when she pulls it off, the static makes all of her hair stand on end. It makes us giggle every time.
3. All of my potted plants are now inside and my living room looks decidedly jungle-like.
4. It makes a hot grandecaffe mocha taste even better.
I love gazing balls, I know they are not really garden art but to me they are :). The past couple of years I have been buying the steel ones so they don't break, this past fall I grouped a few of them together and placed them outside the window by my computer, when December 1st rolled around I put some lights on them so I could see the snow reflecting in the balls along with the lights. . .
I've been longing for this moment ever since Deb carted our first ever REAL Christmas tree into the lounge. It's been a tormentuous affair watching this no-longer-live tree pine (pardon the pun) for my compost heap. . . .
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on Jan 3, 2008, 8:53PM
Posted by Stuart Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2008-01-05, 00:29:53
Krutika posted this question on the About Gardening Forum: "I live in, and have a south west facing sunny backyard. I love hostas, but is there any similar...
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on Jan 2, 2008, 8:11PM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2008-01-05, 00:28:48
Hey said the Blackbird Whats this white stuff falling down around me? His black feathers and Orange beak contrast nicely to the wind swept snow falling downwards. Its not the clearest photo but he was at the end of the garden on the fence! I love watching the birds,I guess its a novelty having a garden, and some feathered garden spirits to watch. The only flowers are the Viburnum, the Primulas, and the Heathers and they have been all photographed. I will go out in the morning with a blank memory card to photograph the plants that are growing without flowers... The Spring bulbs will bring an explosion of colours in the Wet January Soil. I hope to photograph the Hellebore Nigers soon too.
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Posted by snappy Reblogged by Old Roses to birds, weather on 2008-01-05, 00:28:38
While I've been enamored with all the new plant offerings coming to my house via garden catalogs, there are a few that fall into the category I call, "Been There, Done That." It consists of those "new" things that don't look much different to me than what's already out there.
Let's look at roses, for example. I know there's more to a rose than meets the eye (flowering habit, hardiness rating, disease resistance, etc.) and undoubtedly I'll have the rose afficionados pointing out why each of these is so much different from the other, but with some things I just shake my head in puzzlement. . .
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Posted by Kylee Reblogged by Old Roses to roses on 2008-01-05, 00:28:12
... Believe it or not... ... Record daily maximum snowfall set at Daytona Beach...
A few snow flurries were reported along the Volusia County coast from around 7 am to 930 am this morning. A brief flurry occurred at the offical climate site... the Daytona Beach international Airport. The result of this flurry is a record snowfall of a trace. This of course piled higher than the old record for this date of none. 2001.
New Year's Morning we were greeted by one of the prettiest snowfalls I've seen. It was a winter wonderland. This is my front yard. The mature trees look so beautiful in their white dresses.
This is a picture of my backyard. The yews and viburnum are covered with about 5 inches of snow.
After shovelling all the sidewalks I've suddenly had my fill of snow . I'm ready for Spring now. Yep, that's how much I like winter and snow. One, big, perfect pretty snow and then farewell ! I see by the forecast that it is going to be 54 degrees this weekend. Yippee !
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Posted by Carolyn gail Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-01-05, 00:27:32
Just past 7 PM here on the hill at Vermont Flower Farm. Gail just brought Karl the wonder dog in from his post supper relief. It was a short trip outside and a hasty retreat up the steps and back beside the wood stove. For the 99th time since yesterday morning I have heard Gail say "Boy is it cold!" If you heard her speak the words, you'd agree without challenge. You have no choice but to agree when the thermometer reads 13.9 degrees below zero and there's a light wind blowing. As pretty as the stars and the moon are shinning from above, no amount of beauty will keep anyone out there for long. . . .
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Posted by George Africa Reblogged by Old Roses to books on 2008-01-05, 00:27:22
Many folks who live in an urban or suburban setting dream of moving away and living in a more self-sufficient manner someday -- and I certainly count myself among them!...
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on Jan 3, 2008, 1:49AM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2008-01-05, 00:26:49
Perhaps you've heard about the fall foliage afforded by American sweetgum trees but have been put off by the messiness of their gumballs? Well, there are non-fruiting American sweetgum trees,...
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on Jan 2, 2008, 1:58AM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2008-01-05, 00:26:42
There are lots of ways to classify primroses; in my experience, they can all be grouped as follows: those which don't like our cold winters, those that don't like our hot summers, and the largest group... those that don't like either one. I must confess to being irked to no end by the fact that the Juneau chapter of the American Primrose Society, is one of the largest and most active, though admittedly we're talking south coastal Alaska here. Still, I tend to get very whiny when considering that gardeners in Alaska have to take a hoe to primroses the size of cabbages to keep them from taking over their gardens, while here in Iowa (the farm state), most primulas look like recent escapees from a herbicide test plot. . . .
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Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to primroses on 2008-01-05, 00:26:21
For many years now a large flock of wild turkeys has lived up in the back fields. They can be viewed from day to day in different fields foraging for food. A few of these fields are right beside the main road into town and many vehicles pull over to snap photos. Today I did the touristy thing and took some photos too.
It was bitterly cold overnight, in fact it reached a low of -22 Celsius around 5 am this morning. The sun was out today but that didn't stop my fingers from freezing as I attempted to take some photos from the van window on my way into town this morning.
I do have some photos taken several years ago when the turkeys ventured into our back garden, got scared by the neighbour's dog and flew up into the tree. These photos were taken in the days before we had digital cameras so they are fairly small, but you can still see those wild turkeys.
Read about some of the other birds in our gardens.
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Posted by Crafty Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to birds on 2008-01-05, 00:25:37
Here is a tasty soup that I made recently. I love to come up with recipes in the winter that use the food I have grown in my garden and put up for winter use. If you aren't dairy free like I am - this soup would be really tasty with shredded cheese.
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Posted by Kathi Reblogged by Old Roses to recipes, tomatoes on 2008-01-05, 00:24:19
I haven't been doing a lot of gardening lately other than ogling my lemons, watching birds, and watching my potted amaryllis grow several inches a day on the kitchen windowsill. Its plump buds are just beginning to open. It was an 'Apple Blossom', plucked from the bottom of a nearly empty bin in the plumbing aisle at Emigh Hardware. . . .
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on Jan 3, 2008, 3:30PM
Posted by Angela Reblogged by Old Roses to fruit on 2008-01-05, 00:24:00
This is the plant I was most sorry to see freeze. My poinsettias did so well this year, blooming early in December. At least I got to enjoy them through Christmas.
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Posted by Susan Reblogged by Old Roses to poinsettia on 2008-01-05, 00:23:17
Temperatures were close to 32 degrees at 10:30 last night and this morning they were a bone-chilling 30 degrees. So, as expected many tender tropicals were cooked. Fortunately, the winds kept any frost from settling on the grass so it is still green. The angel trumpet leaves look like wilted greens. . . .
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Posted by Susan Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-01-05, 00:23:05
Old Man Winter is dropping by for a visit, so we've been busy brining in orchids and other tender plants, and bundling up a few others that are too big to bring indoors.
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Posted by Susan Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-01-05, 00:22:46
Here is the online link to this week's The List: Top Home & Garden Events on page 22 of today's print edition in the Washington Examiner.
BTW if you are considering whether or not to go to the Seed Exchangebased on whether you have seeds or not -- no worries! Seeds are not required. Neither is previous knowledge of gardening! We have plenty of both to share and pass along to you. That is the purpose of our event!. . .
I know a lot of you in the world are used to cold weather but this Bristol morning’s wicked cold temps felt remarkable to me! And just to prove it, I took my camera to the water for a couple of shots of the harbor boil, rimy ice on the rocks and the wind that made me send my nose and faceparts scarfward. brrrrrr!!!! It was a fast, frozen fingers, fogged glasses walk back to the potting shed, I’m telling you!. . .
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on Jan 3, 2008, 4:20PM
Posted by Kris Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-01-05, 00:19:27
One nice thing about the GWA Symposium is that most of the meals are donated by various member businesses. But we all know there’s no such thing as a free lunch, or a free breakfast, for that...
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on Jan 3, 2008, 3:08PM
Posted by Kathy Purdy Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs on 2008-01-05, 00:19:01
The new issue of the UGJ won't be out until mid-month, so I'm posting this calendar item here:
Bonsai Clinic Pitcher Hill Community Church 605 Bailey Road, North Syracuse 13212. 7:00 PM, Wednesday, January 9 Bring a bonsai that you received for a holiday gift (or any other bonsai you have a question about). Our experienced members will show you how to style & care for it. Tropical bonsai can be carried in a picnic cooler. For more information, call 315-243-0212 or 315/461-9226 or e-mail iriscohen AT aol DOT com. Registration required. Sponsored by the Bonsai Club of Central New York
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Posted by Jane M. Reblogged by Old Roses to bonsai on 2008-01-05, 00:17:11
It's snowing!!! but i can't help thinking it is 10 days late for that elusive traditional white Christmas as depicted on most of the cards of the season.
There isn't much happening in my garden at the minute but covered in a thick blanket of white felt, it looks beautiful. The sky still looks like they may be more snow to come so I will be snapping away with my camera.
via Snappy's Gardens Blog on 1969-12-31, 19:00:00
Here is the 
