Final blooms of the year

             
             God gave us our memories so we might have roses in December. J. M. Barrie  However God gave man the knowledge to invent the camera so I can show you my Roses, that are blooming in December.  Elsie Juanita Avant Sheffield



Dream Come True



The last blooms before the dead of winter.  I know of nothing more gloomy than looking out of my reading room window and seeing dead sticks.  My garden is almost gone but here are the final heartbeats of summer.  Our Dream Come True was not without a bloom all summer,aGrandaflora about six feet tall.

This is All American Beauty and Mr Lincoln. We decided to cut them because Mr.Lincoln looks a little frost bitten on the outside petals.  When we brought it in it was very cold, so I got the water just a little warm, cut the stem off under water.  I think it will open, when I cut flowers I fill a pan with water and place the end in it and cut under the water.  When you  cut a rose from the bush air goes up into the stem.  when you get inside cut the stem under the water you will see tiny bubbles that is the water forcing the air out.  Your flowers will live longer if you do this every day when you change the water.   Almost all of our Gerber Daises are blooming, notice the red one that has 2 blooms on one stem.



The fabulous Va Voom is still blooming.  a florabunda but does not bloom in clusters, however it blooms back quickly.  When you dead head most roses you cut them at a five leaf branch, Va Voom will bloom back at a three leaf branch.

Carrel's house next door to us, he has kept and maintain.  Last year Carrel added another eight feet of flower bed.  He has about seventy feet of roses.  I am going to show Carrel's that are blooming now.  We met in October of 2006.  We became close friends and he brought me Mr. Lincoln.  In fact the Mr Lincoln  I have shown you was his, Carrel moved it to my back yard so it would get more sun.  I know that the Tea Rose, is thought to be the most beautiful.  I like Florabunds or Grandafloras, because you have more color.



Easy Going



Carrel has easy going and gold metal





Gold Metal



Gold Metal







All the roses that I have shown are Forabundas or Grandaflores except Mr.Lincoln (Tea Rose) and  All American Beauty (Bush rose) and has bloomed beautifully.   Hope you have enjoyed watching my garden grow and enlarge this year.  Hope you will grow one of your own. Happy gardening to you from me.  Juanita



12/13/11



12/13/11

 I wanted to show how Mr. Lincoln and All American Beauty open since 12/11/11.  I cut just about one half inch off the bottom in a pan of water and change the water in the vase and be sure to wash the vase because it can have bacteria in it.  My next blog will be "Taking care of your Poinsettia"