In article ,
says...

lms wrote:
... Fire Meidelland. That oughta do me.

Fire Engine Red, some people say. You just got me started on this one
now. The Star Roses sites has a rather dark picture, but all the
descriptions sound pretty neat. Hmmm ...

I liked the name, of course, and just want to believe. I have Pearl Meidiland,
it's not there yet, but might get there. Pink Meidiland, what a great rose,
though==coral pink, white eye, very orderly, not a wild thing, no dieback.



From where are you getting this?

And also, why aren't you getting Fuschia Meidiland? It is darn pretty -
and since it is mauve, you can call it a coffee rose, no?

Fuschia now, it does sound interesting. maybe next year, I have a firm
handle on the insanity. have plenty to look at. heh.


I want them both, I think. Better than growing miniatures ...

miniatures--planted so many, have so few. tough life around here.

m

In article ,
says...

In article , lms
wrote:

a renewed spirit. heheh. Am waiting for another Dr. Brownell,

Didja kill the first one? I'm about to lay good money on the line for
that one for someone who's listened to you, so if it croaked on its
own, we need to know so we can buy something better.

oh no, it didn't croak, it's immense and symmetrical, absolutely unfazed by
winter and truly stunning in blum. I've tried to take a pic of it naked but
the true impact of it is never there. Definitely the happiest HT around here
although some queenbitches have better form. I'll take the mass of
color any day, it just blasts it.


another Sunsprite,

and likewise this one and McCartney. had a wild hair this time, I'm going
with a few I 'know' won't disappoint--although a dozen years ago I planted
a second Sunsprite that to this day (as far as I know) is only a few inches
high, tops, and has never gotten above this level. Totally beyond me how
it's done this, but it won't die and I keep it as a 'study'. Actually, there's
no reason why I keep it, other than the fact that I'd probably kill something
else, like the columbine that keeps it that small heheh or the daffs and tulips
beneath if I 'did' anything about it. live and let live you know.


which taught me a thing or two about pruning this year. I BR'd mine to
redecorate, and I'll be damned if it doesn't look soooo much better
after the vicious attack of cutting all the canes back to about a foot.

the landscape is noticeably different this year, even the horseshoers noticed
it, said things looked more 'open' for some reason. yeah, new chainsaw. more
horsepower. the first time I fired it up was on this 20' cottonwood branch,
god knows how much it weighed, but I was bracing myself about 10' up on the
ladder, and when it dropped with the mightiest craaaaaaack, it came back on
me and knocked the breath outa me as it glanced off my chest, then my arms,
then my leg, didn't get me anywhere. half an inch closer god knows what kinda
gaping holes I'd have where but I got down and had a good laugh and felt real
good about my new toy. I *did go reread the instructions on how to make a
branch fall in the right place, didn't have any more close calls after that
but it is scary hearing and feeling that final craaaack when a big one goes
down.



another Paul McCartney, Barbara Streisand, Amalia, some kinda
'Autumn' gd climber, and Fire Meidelland. That oughta do me. I think I'm
most excited about the clitoria in the greenhouse though. I broke the first
one that popped out, really pistmeov. But anyways, Happy Spring, Cass.

And it's going to be an early one here. Safrano is already covered, as
much as it ever does, along with Fortune's Double Yellow.

the closest I can get to Safrano is Sharon's Delight and it's doing fine,
thanks. the half of it that whitedog dug up year before last, I planted it
in an exposed location and it no likee, needs something behind it to catch
the rays and keep it warm, here, that is a section of 4' 1 x 12 fence.

Making that
pilgrimage to the Vintage Gardens FDY today, might ask to steal a
cutting because theirs is better and different from mine,

well that's not good.

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ecbernst...AY/26Mar03.jpg

a phenomenally good and missing link. how do these things happen?

m

lms wrote:

In article ,
says...

[Dr. Brownell]

Didja kill the first one?

oh no, it didn't croak, it's immense and symmetrical, absolutely unfazed by
winter and truly stunning in blum.

Vintage has it OR, which is *very* tempting. Though I seem to have I've
lost my Vintage list.

another Sunsprite,

I still don't share your enthusiasm for this one. It just blows so
fast.

a dozen years ago I planted
a second Sunsprite that to this day (as far as I know) is only a few inches
high,

Which goes to show, it can be impossible to gauge the worth of a plant
from just one runty recluse.

and has never gotten above this level. Totally beyond me how
it's done this, but it won't die and I keep it as a 'study'.

yeah, I have a few of those. Eventually I usually plant something else
too near it and it finally fades away completely. And the one cane
wonders. I can only ask why, but have no answers.

Actually, there's no reason why I keep it,
other than the fact that I'd probably kill something
else, like the columbine that keeps it that small heheh or the daffs and tulips
beneath if I 'did' anything about it. live and let live you know.

So how are your larkspur?

[Cass wrote}
which taught me a thing or two about pruning this year. I BR'd mine to
redecorate, and I'll be damned if it doesn't look soooo much better
after the vicious attack of cutting all the canes back to about a foot.

hmmmph. Well I've kept this very interesting comment of yours firmly in
mind ever since I read it. Yesterday I hacked back some stuff pretty
mercilessly that I've considered treating this way for several years
now, but have wimped out every time, til now. Cut back harder! I know
I need to cut back harder.

As the plants get thoroughly leafed out, it gets ever more traumatic to
cut off all that stuff that is looking so perfectly good. But I DID it,
thanks Cass. Yesterday.

Mount Hood, Saint Patrick, Sheila's Perfume - all planted in a fairly
shady spot so gangly as all get out. I felt that the taller, the better
to reach the sun, but it had to be done. Now I wait. Grow, GROW
dammit.

So, what will I hack today?

the landscape is noticeably different this year, even the horseshoers noticed
it, said things looked more 'open' for some reason. yeah, new chainsaw.

ooooh, what did ya get? That's my next purchase, after a couple of
months of playing Chainsaw 101 with a Stihl that is too far away to use
here.

more
horsepower. the first time I fired it up was on this 20' cottonwood branch,
god knows how much it weighed,

jeez, the potential is awesome, ain't it?

but I was bracing myself about 10' up on the
ladder, and when it dropped with the mightiest craaaaaaack, it came back on
me and knocked the breath outa me as it glanced off my chest,

MACK!!

then my arms,
then my leg, didn't get me anywhere. half an inch closer god knows what kinda
gaping holes I'd have

Yes!!!

where but I got down and had a good laugh and felt real
good about my new toy. I *did go reread the instructions

I read the book for the Stihl all the way through three times before I
even fired that thing up. I am such a chicken. But sheesh, I've lived
in logging country. I know just how dangerous this stuff can be.

You keeping your chipper busy? I got everything sharpened this spring,
and boy what a difference.


another Paul McCartney, Barbara Streisand, Amalia, some kinda
'Autumn' gd climber, and Fire Meidelland. That oughta do me.

no way. There are so many more roses you need, I am positive.

Regina

lms wrote:
wrote:

Dr. Brownell,

Didja kill the first one? I'm about to lay good money on the line for
that one for someone who's listened to you, so if it croaked on its
own, we need to know so we can buy something better.

oh no, it didn't croak, it's immense and symmetrical, absolutely unfazed by
winter and truly stunning in blum. I've tried to take a pic of it naked but
the true impact of it is never there. Definitely the happiest HT around here
although some queenbitches have better form. I'll take the mass of
color any day, it just blasts it.

I have one here, but not for me. I have all of ..maybe half dozen HT's
now. Proud of me for overcoming my prejudice? I like naked roses
pictures, btw, mostly so I can remember how I pruned em this year so I
can see if it makes the slightest bit of difference.

the landscape is noticeably different this year, even the horseshoers noticed
it, said things looked more 'open' for some reason. yeah, new chainsaw.

LOL. Ever since I read about Liggett's pneumatic pruners, I've wanted
'em. I saw them on some internet site somewhere, many 100's of dollars
(is $1200 possible?). The first 125 roses are fine, but the last 25
are likely to get either no pruning or a vicious "grab halfway up and
hack" attack. So I appreciate the chainsaw need. Plus bonus points for
power tools, of course. Didya hear about my jack hammer?

more
horsepower. the first time I fired it up was on this 20' cottonwood branch,
god knows how much it weighed, but I was bracing myself about 10' up on the
ladder, and when it dropped with the mightiest craaaaaaack, it came back on
me and knocked the breath outa me as it glanced off my chest, then my arms,
then my leg, didn't get me anywhere. half an inch closer god knows what kinda
gaping holes I'd have where but I got down and had a good laugh and felt real
good about my new toy. I *did go reread the instructions on how to make a
branch fall in the right place, didn't have any more close calls after that
but it is scary hearing and feeling that final craaaack when a big one goes
down.

Doesn't count unless you hit your truck or your dog. We pinched ours.
That was not good. We let it go.

the closest I can get to Safrano is Sharon's Delight and it's doing fine,
thanks. the half of it that whitedog dug up year before last, I planted it
in an exposed location and it no likee, needs something behind it to catch
the rays and keep it warm, here, that is a section of 4' 1 x 12 fence.

Ya know, I caught my dog chewing on a Dortmund cane to get to a tennis
ball. I mean, can you imagine if that happening to Sharon's Delight? I
need roses that can defend themselves. FDY does it just fine.

Making that
pilgrimage to the Vintage Gardens FDY today, might ask to steal a
cutting because theirs is better and different from mine,


http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ecbernst...AY/26Mar03.jpg

a phenomenally good and missing link. how do these things happen?

I don't know what that means.

Regina wrote:

[Cass wrote}
which taught me a thing or two about pruning this year. I BR'd mine to
redecorate, and I'll be damned if it doesn't look soooo much better
after the vicious attack of cutting all the canes back to about a foot.

hmmmph. Well I've kept this very interesting comment of yours firmly in
mind ever since I read it. Yesterday I hacked back some stuff pretty
mercilessly that I've considered treating this way for several years
now, but have wimped out every time, til now. Cut back harder! I know
I need to cut back harder.

I BR'd Pierre de Ronsard and left the canes about 3 feet, and it's
doing fine too. BR'd 2 Westerlands, one cut the canes back to 15
inches, one with canes cut back to 24 inches. All fine.

As the plants get thoroughly leafed out, it gets ever more traumatic to
cut off all that stuff that is looking so perfectly good. But I DID it,
thanks Cass. Yesterday.

Mount Hood, Saint Patrick, Sheila's Perfume - all planted in a fairly
shady spot so gangly as all get out. I felt that the taller, the better
to reach the sun, but it had to be done. Now I wait. Grow, GROW
dammit.

So, what will I hack today?

I felt good about pruning this year. I hit a few pretty hard, starting
in the fall (because they say not to, in part) by removing all the
stuff down low that was in the way of my rake. I've always wanted to
avoid naked canes down low, so I've been afraid the cut that stuff off.
Well, now I know: it grows back.

Cass wrote:

Regina wrote:

Cut back harder! I know
I need to cut back harder.

I BR'd Pierre de Ronsard and left the canes about 3 feet, and it's
doing fine too. BR'd 2 Westerlands, one cut the canes back to 15
inches, one with canes cut back to 24 inches. All fine.

Fine like strong new basals? (photo?) See, that's what I want, a
little urban renewal.


Now I wait. Grow, GROW
dammit.

So, what will I hack today?

Altissimo. No hackjob, just shaping. It is finally building up
strength on a pillar, in the wind.

Redcoat and Nicole. I'd done the hack job months ago, cleaning out the
hard to get to stuff down low. Now shaping what's left. Betty Prior.
It wasn't too close to Redcoat when I planted it. hmmmm Between them,
there used to be - a path.

I felt good about pruning this year. I hit a few pretty hard, starting
in the fall (because they say not to, in part)

Good reason.

But I do try to thin out the complex messes when they don't have many
leaves.

And I am finding that once that is done, they need less and less time
from me, which then of course fully justifies adding more roses. Here's
a zen question for you - can one aspire to be Mack and not prune?

by removing all the
stuff down low that was in the way of my rake. I've always wanted to
avoid naked canes down low, so I've been afraid the cut that stuff off.
Well, now I know: it grows back.

And it often grows back less twiggy, and much easier to sort through the
next pruning time.

Regina

"lms" schreef in bericht
...

came up with a new word last night: saddamikazis. what do you think?
another chapter?

m

Had to think about 'salamat makkan' ( Indonesian for "have a good meal")

G

In article ,
says...

So how are your larkspur?

season befo last they practically vanished, don't have a clue why. last
year there were a few that came up late and I've seen a handful in the
pots with the pecan trees I dug up for the vet. of all places. something
must have hosed the winter germination process, either that or there's some
kinda bug. but I don't much go for that one. in any case I'm ragged about
it.

[Cass wrote}
which taught me a thing or two about pruning this year. I BR'd mine to
redecorate, and I'll be damned if it doesn't look soooo much better
after the vicious attack of cutting all the canes back to about a foot.

have a new neighbor in the north house that's been vacant and neglected for
a couple years-- Twyla. she be out there hackin and slashin and rototillin,
which is good, but one morning a couple weeks ago I drive by and she's
hacked all the remaining pink roses of her road-lining hedge to a foot or less,
almost fell outa the truck.
I know she meant well. pink rose hedge, pink rose hedge, wtf kinda pink
rose hedge is it???? it's the most common damn name, it's patetic I can't
remember it. anyways, those remaining roses have survived every conceivable
type of abuse over the past dozen years, with no supplemental water whatsoever,
and I'd always marvelled at their ability to keep inching up to about 4', some
of them. I'm telling you it was a shock I'm still not over.

Simplicity, there you go.


Mount Hood, Saint Patrick, Sheila's Perfume - all planted in a fairly
shady spot so gangly as all get out. I felt that the taller, the better
to reach the sun, but it had to be done. Now I wait. Grow, GROW
dammit.

yesterday I was spacing on the evolution of things, the pre-pecan glory of this
one area? Have a few of those taller, the better to reach the sun units
there. If I hacked em back, it would be sayonara, I know it.
If anybody has anything to say about the reverse gravity they suffer from,
I can tell them plenty, or maybe even shut UP. I'm content enough with their
continued but measured output and am at peace with their inevitable fate.

Harry, Shreveport, Calico, Caramel Creme, Eclipse, Royal William, and two most
amazing minis, Scarlet Moss and Jean Kenneally--gosh I could tell anyone they
could have been so lucky as to have watched these roses for fifteen years.
I know the word 'cuttings' but have never been so inclined.


So, what will I hack today?

the landscape is noticeably different this year, even the horseshoers
noticed
it, said things looked more 'open' for some reason. yeah, new chainsaw.

ooooh, what did ya get? That's my next purchase, after a couple of
months of playing Chainsaw 101 with a Stihl that is too far away to use
here.

I got another Remington electric, the biggest I can hold in one hand, have to
hold on with the other. think it's a 14 but it might be a 12, goes through
cottonwood like paper in any case.


more
horsepower. the first time I fired it up was on this 20' cottonwood branch,
god knows how much it weighed,


I read the book for the Stihl all the way through three times before I
even fired that thing up. I am such a chicken. But sheesh, I've lived
in logging country. I know just how dangerous this stuff can be.

I'm basically done for the year but I can't live without the instant
gratification--I just never had any idea how badass a small electric can be.


You keeping your chipper busy? I got everything sharpened this spring,
and boy what a difference.

haven't fired it up lately, burned the last bunch. heheh.
it too much rattles the peace of the valley, rings in my ear for a week.


another Paul McCartney, Barbara Streisand, Amalia, some kinda
'Autumn' gd climber, and Fire Meidelland. That oughta do me.

no way. There are so many more roses you need, I am positive.

I still have 7 holes to dig. yesterday it was my chevy, today it's the ford.
yeah, sure. I need mo roses gouging me every place I walk. Huey as I come
in, Wedded Bliss Weeded Bliss as I cross the ditch and Mme. Caroline on further
out, that just about covers it. I can't hack their best canes, so I just let
them have their way with me-- I just don't need much more of the same. If
some rose decides to check out--which will happen--then I'll make some
determination.
Slow Ride. Take it Ea sy.

m ]\]




Regina

In article , Regina
wrote:

Cass wrote:

Regina wrote:

Cut back harder! I know
I need to cut back harder.

I BR'd Pierre de Ronsard and left the canes about 3 feet, and it's
doing fine too. BR'd 2 Westerlands, one cut the canes back to 15
inches, one with canes cut back to 24 inches. All fine.

Fine like strong new basals? (photo?) See, that's what I want, a
little urban renewal.

Sure, I'll take pix a little later in the day. Fine as in didn't die,
now leafing out and growing new basals.

And I am finding that once that is done, they need less and less time
from me, which then of course fully justifies adding more roses. Here's
a zen question for you - can one aspire to be Mack and not prune?

One can, but some roses like the abuse.

lms wrote:

In article ,
says...

So how are your larkspur?

season befo last they practically vanished, don't have a clue why.

Yeah, strangest thing is that mine all but vanished at the same time.

last
year there were a few that came up late and I've seen a handful in the
pots with the pecan trees I dug up for the vet. of all places.

I've got a few here and there and am seeing to it that they spread
around again. I once thought that they were going to colonize the whole
yard, but I'll leave that to the yellow columbine and that despicable
Mexican primrose. I can't believe that J&P used to SELL that stuff.

something must have hosed the winter germination process,

I agree with this theory, especially since mine did the same.

either that or there's some
kinda bug. but I don't much go for that one. in any case I'm ragged about
it.

Spread the stalks around, and stomp on them.
I think they'll come back.

[Cass wrote}
which taught me a thing or two about pruning this year. I BR'd mine to
redecorate, and I'll be damned if it doesn't look soooo much better
after the vicious attack of cutting all the canes back to about a foot.

have a new neighbor in the north house that's been vacant and neglected for
a couple years-- Twyla. she be out there hackin and slashin and rototillin,
which is good, but one morning a couple weeks ago I drive by and she's
hacked all the remaining pink roses of her road-lining hedge to a foot or less,
almost fell outa the truck.
I know she meant well.

Well hang on, you might be surprised at the result. Cass has this urban
renewal thing happening and I'm playing with the idea. You know how
some people live where it's reeely cold and their plants die back every
year? The strength is in the roots.

pink rose hedge, pink rose hedge, wtf kinda pink
rose hedge is it???? it's the most common damn name, it's patetic I can't
remember it.

patetic is the word for it alright.

anyways, those remaining roses have survived every conceivable
type of abuse over the past dozen years, with no supplemental water whatsoever,
and I'd always marvelled at their ability to keep inching up to about 4', some
of them. I'm telling you it was a shock I'm still not over.

I'm betting the hedge will be a blooming wonder this year, and nearly as
tall as it was.

Simplicity, there you go.

Thanks, I'll go order some rightaway.

Mount Hood, Saint Patrick, Sheila's Perfume - all planted in a fairly
shady spot so gangly as all get out. I felt that the taller, the better
to reach the sun, but it had to be done. Now I wait. Grow, GROW
dammit.

yesterday I was spacing on the evolution of things, the pre-pecan glory of this
one area? Have a few of those taller, the better to reach the sun units
there. If I hacked em back, it would be sayonara, I know it.

With the one or two cane wonders, yeah I figure that it would be the
last step toward their demise. My first Queen Elizabeth is still alive;
I seriously don't know why. JFK and Lady X already lost their battles
with the trees and croaked. First Prize got eaten by a juniper.

If anybody has anything to say about the reverse gravity they suffer from,
I can tell them plenty, or maybe even shut UP. I'm content enough with their
continued but measured output and am at peace with their inevitable fate.

Harry, Shreveport, Calico, Caramel Creme, Eclipse, Royal William, and two most
amazing minis, Scarlet Moss and Jean Kenneally

Oooh, you're not going to let Scarlet Moss die are ya?

--gosh I could tell anyone they
could have been so lucky as to have watched these roses for fifteen years.
I know the word 'cuttings' but have never been so inclined.

And you with the greenhouse. I'm shocked. I need a mist bed if I'm
ever going to get cuttings to survive in this desert.

So, what will I hack today?

ok now Dainty Bess seems to really want to build size. And the Betty
Prior next to it is a monster. I never can get to pruning it all - 5 to
6 feet tall and wider. I just couldn't hack Bessie, looked so healthy.


I got another Remington electric, the biggest I can hold in one hand,

how about a climbing harness?


You keeping your chipper busy? I got everything sharpened this spring,
and boy what a difference.

haven't fired it up lately, burned the last bunch. heheh.
it too much rattles the peace of the valley, rings in my ear for a week.

Uh, you do have hearing protection, right? I'll stick my arm in the
chute, but I will no longer run the chipper without stuff over my ears.
I even sent away for the higher decibel jobbies.

another Paul McCartney, Barbara Streisand, Amalia, some kinda
'Autumn' gd climber, and Fire Meidelland. That oughta do me.

no way. There are so many more roses you need, I am positive.

I still have 7 holes to dig. yesterday it was my chevy, today it's the ford.
yeah, sure. I need mo roses gouging me every place I walk.

heh Doesn't White Dog do mouth pruning?

Huey as I come
in, Wedded Bliss Weeded Bliss as I cross the ditch and Mme. Caroline on further
out,

What kind of bloom period do you get with the Mme?

that just about covers it. I can't hack their best canes,

Yeah, I hear that. Graham Thomas had a stout main cane split down the
middle by the extreme winds in December. Part of the growth was held
tightly, laced into other branches, with the wind taking the rest in the
opposite direction. Right clean down the middle, a twelve inch split.
I couldn't bring myself to remove the half that still looks perfectly
healthy, so I'm leaving it til after the spring bloom. I got GT really
cleaned out for the first time in years. Started on number two today.

so I just let
them have their way with me-- I just don't need much more of the same.

It's at times like these that I appreciate the HTs. They are so simple
to prune.
Whack, whack, whack, get outta here.

If
some rose decides to check out--which will happen--then I'll make some
determination.

But ordering season is almost OVER.

Regina

Slow Ride. Take it Ea sy.

m ]\]


Regina

Regina wrote:
lms wrote:

In article ,
says...

So how are your larkspur?

season befo last they practically vanished, don't have a clue why.

Yeah, strangest thing is that mine all but vanished at the same time.


I wish I can make my St. John' Wort perform that trick.

I once thought that they were going to colonize the whole yard, but
I'll leave that to the yellow columbine and that despicable Mexican
primrose. I can't believe that J&P used to SELL that stuff.

Local nurseries still do. Amazing that people buy the stuff too.

SNIP
pink rose hedge, pink rose hedge, wtf kinda pink rose hedge is
it???? it's the most common damn name, it's patetic I can't
remember it.

patetic is the word for it alright.

SNIP
Simplicity, there you go.


Thanks, I'll go order some rightaway.

LOL! Good stuff, this repartee. I usually get the right thing to say
fifteen minutes late, and it never works. It looks worse when teh
dealyed onset of repartee happens on email exchanges ;-).

With the one or two cane wonders, yeah I figure that it would be the
last step toward their demise. My first Queen Elizabeth is still
alive; I seriously don't know why.

QE is a very mediocre rose around here compared to her daughter
Bewitched, a fabulous rose. Likes heat, blooms more; likes cold, blooms
more. And very sturdy though it blooms all the time. One HT worth giving
rise to the whole class of HT though QE isn't worth Grandiflora name, I
don't think, not at least from how it does here.

--
Radika
California
USDA 9 / Sunset 15

In article ,
says...

I have one here, but not for me. I have all of ..maybe half dozen HT's
now. Proud of me for overcoming my prejudice? I like naked roses
pictures, btw, mostly so I can remember how I pruned em this year so I
can see if it makes the slightest bit of difference.

in a lot of ways they're very illuminating. put em up for awhile, then nuke
em when the color starts arriving. real world rosing, things brown half the
time.


the landscape is noticeably different this year, even the horseshoers
noticed
it, said things looked more 'open' for some reason. yeah, new chainsaw.

LOL. Ever since I read about Liggett's pneumatic pruners, I've wanted
'em. I saw them on some internet site somewhere, many 100's of dollars
(is $1200 possible?). The first 125 roses are fine, but the last 25
are likely to get either no pruning or a vicious "grab halfway up and
hack" attack. So I appreciate the chainsaw need. Plus bonus points for
power tools, of course. Didya hear about my jack hammer?

heh. jack hammer. no.

,,, didn't have any more close calls after that
but it is scary hearing and feeling that final craaaack when a big one goes
down.

Doesn't count unless you hit your truck or your dog. We pinched ours.
That was not good. We let it go.

sat there for a long time on one, wondering what it was going to do to the
toyota. might hit it, might not, you know. it hit it, yeah, fell across the
bed, perfect.


the closest I can get to Safrano is Sharon's Delight and it's doing fine,
thanks. the half of it that whitedog dug up year before last, I planted it
in an exposed location and it no likee, needs something behind it to catch
the rays and keep it warm, here, that is a section of 4' 1 x 12 fence.

Ya know, I caught my dog chewing on a Dortmund cane to get to a tennis
ball. I mean, can you imagine if that happening to Sharon's Delight? I
need roses that can defend themselves. FDY does it just fine.

on the north side I left the remains of Dr. Harry Stebbings, several dead
canes--big dog chew toy. I guess I'll need another one when it's gone.


Making that
pilgrimage to the Vintage Gardens FDY today, might ask to steal a
cutting because theirs is better and different from mine,


http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ecbernst...AY/26Mar03.jpg

a phenomenally good and missing link. how do these things happen?

I don't know what that means.

means I didn't have ROSEOFTHEDAY linked on the ol page, had to fix dat.

m

In article , says...


"lms" schreef in bericht
...

came up with a new word last night: saddamikazis. what do you think?
another chapter?

m

Had to think about 'salamat makkan' ( Indonesian for "have a good meal")

G

heya G, good to see ya. it occurred to me that I misspelt it. should
be '...kazes'. big mess any way you look at it.

take care, mon.

m

wrote:

says...

I like naked
roses pictures, btw, mostly so I can remember how I pruned em this
year so I can see if it makes the slightest bit of difference.

in a lot of ways they're very illuminating. put em up for awhile,
then nuke em when the color starts arriving. real world rosing,
things brown half the time.

No brown here, ever, unless it's something really bad requiring
sterilization of pruning tools. This "winter" was so mild that now
we're going through early season leaf drop, where all the winter growth
gets knocked down by new spring growth. I hate that.

the landscape is noticeably different this year, even the
horseshoers noticed it, said things looked more 'open' for some
reason. yeah, new chainsaw.

LOL. Ever since I read about Liggett's pneumatic pruners, I've
wanted 'em. I saw them on some internet site somewhere, many 100's
of dollars (is $1200 possible?). The first 125 roses are fine, but
the last 25 are likely to get either no pruning or a vicious "grab
halfway up and hack" attack. So I appreciate the chainsaw need. Plus
bonus points for power tools, of course. Didya hear about my jack
hammer?

heh. jack hammer. no.

Julia can't believe that a rose could grow any place where you have to
blast rose holes into the hillside. She's coming to inspect and make a
report to the Truth & Reconciliation commission.

The trouble with chainsaws is you start looking around for things to
cut down.

,,, didn't have any more close calls after that but it is scary
hearing and feeling that final craaaack when a big one goes down.

Doesn't count unless you hit your truck or your dog. We pinched
ours. That was not good. We let it go.

sat there for a long time on one, wondering what it was going to do
to the toyota. might hit it, might not, you know. it hit it, yeah,
fell across the bed, perfect.

It's special physics. Not only does it always hit the truck, anytime it
has a choice, it will hit the other guy's truck first. Or the other
guy.

the closest I can get to Safrano is Sharon's Delight and it's
doing fine, thanks. the half of it that whitedog dug up year
before last, I planted it in an exposed location and it no likee,
needs something behind it to catch the rays and keep it warm,
here, that is a section of 4' 1 x 12 fence.

Ya know, I caught my dog chewing on a Dortmund cane to get to a
tennis ball. I mean, can you imagine if that happening to Sharon's
Delight? I need roses that can defend themselves. FDY does it just
fine.

on the north side I left the remains of Dr. Harry Stebbings, several
dead canes--big dog chew toy. I guess I'll need another one when
it's gone.

I had to look that one up. Capt. Very purdy. I don't think I have a
single rose in that color that blooms and blooms and blooms.

In article ,
says...

lms wrote:

In article ,
says...

So how are your larkspur?

season befo last they practically vanished, don't have a clue why.

Yeah, strangest thing is that mine all but vanished at the same time.

weird, really weird.


she's
hacked all the remaining pink roses of her road-lining hedge to a foot or
less,
almost fell outa the truck.
I know she meant well.

Well hang on, you might be surprised at the result. Cass has this urban
renewal thing happening and I'm playing with the idea. You know how
some people live where it's reeely cold and their plants die back every
year? The strength is in the roots.

It's this consideration that keeps me from considering this hacker as an
enemy of the state, but it's still a shock every time I look at them. every
day. 4 times.


Simplicity, there you go.

Thanks, I'll go order some rightaway.

'some'. hahahaha


yesterday I was spacing on the evolution of things, the pre-pecan glory of
this
one area? Have a few of those taller, the better to reach the sun units
there. If I hacked em back, it would be sayonara, I know it.

With the one or two cane wonders, yeah I figure that it would be the
last step toward their demise. My first Queen Elizabeth is still alive;

QE is still a 15 footer but is thinning out and I don't think I need a
crystal ball. It'll still be awhile. That one not being there would take
some getting used to


I seriously don't know why. JFK and Lady X already lost their battles
with the trees and croaked. First Prize got eaten by a juniper.

If anybody has anything to say about the reverse gravity they suffer from,
I can tell them plenty, or maybe even shut UP. I'm content enough with
their
continued but measured output and am at peace with their inevitable fate.

Harry, Shreveport, Calico, Caramel Creme, Eclipse, Royal William, and two
most
amazing minis, Scarlet Moss and Jean Kenneally

Oooh, you're not going to let Scarlet Moss die are ya?

no, of course not. heheh. never.


--gosh I could tell anyone they
could have been so lucky as to have watched these roses for fifteen years.
I know the word 'cuttings' but have never been so inclined.

And you with the greenhouse. I'm shocked. I need a mist bed if I'm
ever going to get cuttings to survive in this desert.

the greenhouse has no electricity or water. has new plastic though and
beefed up infrastructure, and I still have visions of what I could do wit it.
Anything's possible still. hahahaha


So, what will I hack today?

ok now Dainty Bess seems to really want to build size. And the Betty
Prior next to it is a monster. I never can get to pruning it all - 5 to
6 feet tall and wider. I just couldn't hack Bessie, looked so healthy.


I got another Remington electric, the biggest I can hold in one hand,

how about a climbing harness?

these things are widely regarded as a nuisance out at the VLA. OSHA doesn't
make the rounds here in socorro much though. I think I've gone about as
high as I dare, I'm serious. Like I've looked up the local tree trimmers
number--realize my limitations.


You keeping your chipper busy? I got everything sharpened this spring,
and boy what a difference.

haven't fired it up lately, burned the last bunch. heheh.
it too much rattles the peace of the valley, rings in my ear for a week.

Uh, you do have hearing protection, right? I'll stick my arm in the
chute, but I will no longer run the chipper without stuff over my ears.
I even sent away for the higher decibel jobbies.

ear plugs, yeah. I still have a huge mound of the perfect sized material,
I keep thinking I'm going to do the right thing with it.

Huey as I come
in, Wedded Bliss Weeded Bliss as I cross the ditch and Mme. Caroline on
further
out,

What kind of bloom period do you get with the Mme?

all at once, twice basically. have grown to really respect this rose,
can see why it survives in the wild. It has no neighbors, after I put it
where, I realized this wasn't one of my brighter ideas. in front of a shed
door and next to the path. held on to some very pink buds that wouldn't
open til the middle of December.


that just about covers it. I can't hack their best canes,

Yeah, I hear that. Graham Thomas had a stout main cane split down the
middle by the extreme winds in December. Part of the growth was held
tightly, laced into other branches, with the wind taking the rest in the
opposite direction. Right clean down the middle, a twelve inch split.
I couldn't bring myself to remove the half that still looks perfectly
healthy, so I'm leaving it til after the spring bloom. I got GT really
cleaned out for the first time in years.

I did that to the raz patch, was painful for a week. was astounded to
find a couple of minis I hadn't seen in several years, no kidding. Looked
pretty much still happy, they'd already been erased from the map.
Between the raz patch and R. arkansana is noman's land, I've avoided all
contact for several years.


Started on number two today.

so I just let
them have their way with me-- I just don't need much more of the same.

It's at times like these that I appreciate the HTs. They are so simple
to prune.
Whack, whack, whack, get outta here.

heard that one before.

m