The petals are starting to come in.
Roses here and there…
With ever so many more buds forming.
I feel outrageously decadent as I collect.
I set out every morning to fill vases.
Early morning light, hollyhocks in the breeze.
Although…
If I am not careful, I will just stay out in the gardens all day.
Time flowing by, until it is evening.
And only then, do I realize how quickly the day went by.
I watch wildflowers turn up for the petal party.
Green gets taller and taller.
Just waiting to burst open.
I roam and watch.
I dig and water.
I prune and dream.
The most strongly scented roses in the garden are the lavender ones.
And so, I decide to collect.
Pruning carefully to ensure more roses turn up, whilst shaping how the new growth will come in.
I use a sturdy garden scissor.
Removing the thorns off each and every rose I collect.
Then plop them in cold fresh water.
The things is…
It's not just pruning.
It's a garden ritual.
A zen moment.
You and the wind and the petals and the leaves.
Rustling, telling you great secrets, if you care to listen.
I do.
It's thankfulness.
It's living in the moment, as you cut and collect.
Those wonderful moments when flowers take your breath away.
And you take none of the garden happenings for granted.
It's one of the most special times for me.
Appreciating my little plot of earth.
I take lots of bliss sighs.
And still…
And always…
I am astounded by the gifts of nature.
Always, always.
As I type I hear the birds, so many of them.
One of them has such a vivid song.
The hummingbirds and bees sneak into the center of the blooms.
I go back and forth filling my vases.
Making lots of others to gift.
I sing to myself.
I look into the roses, their maze of overlapping petals so lovely and intricate.
I fill my house with those garden gifts.
Then I tell Mister Lovee that this wave of roses are for him.
He smiles and sniffs.
And smiles some more.
Everything is so much better when you get to share it, isn't it?
My moments in the garden are so valuable to me.
Time to decompress and reflect.
To think, and to open my mind to new art adventures.
I've been on a few lately.
Lots of paperwork things.
Scary and exciting.
Plus, new characters tugging at my heart.
Some I've kept to myself for so long.
But maybe it's time to share them?
And tell about how they came to be?
Some so special, it's like opening a childhood treasure chest of greatest personal secrets.
To share or not to share?
That is the question 😉
It is scary windy.
The mountains look like they are covered in mist clouds, but it's actually dust.
Huge hawks just ride the wind waves all day.
Flowing over my house and garden endlessly.
Miles tries to chase them…
As they just bop around, wings outstretched, gliding around in a daze.
Windy wind as petals flutter about.
Petals on the wind.
I best go do my chores.
A rodent got into my covered pumpkin patches and bit the tops off my pumpkin sprouts.
There are gophers in every single one of my flowers beds.
Sucking greens down like spaghetti.
I just replanted my 6' by 4' bed of wildflowers that were all about to bloom.
But instead were a smorgasbord for the gophers and rabbits.
Even though domed and covered.
I laugh when I find myself singing this chorus.
Yes, I am starting over.
And over.
Zinnia seeds in, starting over again 🙂
This is the life of a garden.
Win some, lose some.
It's what makes the roses even better I say.
Looove, V
ps: Elfin winner announced in previous post 😉
Thanks to everyone who joined in.
I wish we had an elf for everyone.
I love how everyone who joined in was genuine about wanting to giving Lord Mouse a home.
Thank you for that 🖤
Vanessa:
Those lavender roses are making me swoon. I love roses of all kinds and colors. I have been watching tutorials on proper pruning lately, but I am still having a problem with really grasping it. I’ve been gardening for years but I always stayed away from roses because of the fear of so many rules attached to them. I finally broke down about 4 years ago and planted some basic white Iceberg roses for my front bed. Now, I regret it because I have no pruning skills and they grow out all lanky and ridiculous. The flowers are still beautiful, but I’m horrified to think that a rose gardener might walk by and have a good laugh at my brutal lack of skills!!
I wish I could dream of your garden. I mean, actually have a realistic dream of the layout and the pathways and just where everything is planted. You should draw your plot and label the different gardens. I’d love to see that!
It has been dangerously windy here. It’s better today, but the last two days have been awful. Hot and windy and dry. We have some fires going in the mountains. I hope today brings some relief. It’s supposed to be 95 and I hate that the firemen are out there in this dry heat.
The wind has not been kind to my front roses. Now will be a good time to prune them since they’ve been beaten down and dried out by the wind. Wish me luck with the pruning!!
xoxo
Kim
Gerushia’s New World
Oh yes, I will draw a little map, that would be fun!! 😉 My gardens are quite unruly and wild. Not like a proper English garden, something to note. Because if you ever came here you might think, what a hot mess!! hahahaa 😉
ps: Emailing some rose pruning tips and pics I just took for you with lots of advice
Such beautiful roses, perfect for the 1st of May. I wish I had a smellavision computer screen. Wouldn’t that bring a whole new dimension to blogging. 🙂
Oooo I’m excited to find out who won Lord Mouse.
ps do share your new art adventures.
xx
Ohhhh….thank you for sending tips. I’ll check my email!
xoxo
Perfect for May 1st Miss Vanessa! Your roses are just as lovely as can be! Wish I could get a whiff of there lovely scent!!!
Yikes, these winds are a whipping! I went out to check on my hummingbird nest in our tree. There are still two little beaks poking from the nest, but man … I have to wonder what all that whipping about does to them?
So with the winds of change you “MAY” or “MAY” not have something to share with us!
Well, its all good and your heart knows best! Always, loved this John Lennon song!;)
Such a beautiful garden, Vanessa, with every colour of the rainbow. It’s great that you’ve taken so many pictures that you can look over in the months to come, reminding yourself of just how wonderful it is. However, sorry you’re wrestling with some not so welcome parts of Mother Nature! Have a great weekend, Chris x
Love this posting of your beautiful roses for May first! I’ll bet they smell heavenly, Miss Vanessa! The winds are really whipping here too and I had to check on our hummingbird nest in our tree and count beaks!!! All accounted for and yikes, I have to wonder what this whipping wind does to there wee brains.
Soooo… You May or May not share something new you have created? Your heart knows best my friend, no worries. Although, I am now, very curious!!!
Ugh, sorry about the gophers! I’m fighting off these bugs called sharp shooters on my trumpet vines and oleander bushes. Never a dull moment!!!
Ohhh, this is a GREAT John Lennon tune, one of my faves!!! 😉 Happy May 1st to you and the boys! <3
Arg, the wind makes my allergies soooo bad. Go away wind, you are not my friend!
ps. All your roses are just to die for! None of my flowers have started blooming yet, but hopefully soon!
Ohhh, I get it Miss Vanessa, you May or May not share your new endeavors! It’s all good! No worries, your heart knows best! Just know, I am just a bit curious now!
What a lovely start to this month of May, viewing some of your beautiful garden of roses and more!!! <3
How I would love to get a sniff of your lavender, sterling silver roses, they always smell the best to me.
You crack me up with this John Lennon classic and your fight for survival! It’s always something, Huh! I have a big problem with these sharp shooter insects attacking my trumpet vine and other bushes. Gardening is a labor of love..... Just start singing, I WILL SURVIVE!!!!
The winds whipped through here too. I had to go out and count the beaks in our hummingbirds nest in our tree this AM! All accounted for but yikes, I have to wonder what there wee little brains must be feeling like! 🙁
Happy May 1st to you and the boys! <3
Miss Kelly, the Typepad monster threatened to suck your comments into the ether like gophers in my flower beds, but here they are now, hoooray! Saved! I am sorry, I bet it was a nightmare trying to post today?
The winds were so awful, they broke one of my most valuable old pots treasures. Painted talavera from Mexico. Darn!
I am so glad your hummingbirds were okay.
As soon as I get the green light and things are rockin’ and rolling, I will share some of the business side of things, so excited!
Happpiest May 1st!!
xoxo
Vanessa, the rainbow of color that you have cultivated is so gorgeous! Wow! xoxo
Vanessa, WOW, kind of embarrassed and kind of Laughing NOW!!! I was just FURIOUS yesterday, as I went to post and then it all disappeared and my teens had no answers to help me out. I picked the word Persevere for this New Year and I am sticking to it, darn it! Thank you, for keeping me smiling my friend!!!
Gosh, I am sorry about your pot! I was at Ross looking for garden stuff the other day and there larger pots aren’t cheep. Ugh! Maybe you can save some of the broken pieces and do some mosaic art piece or put them in your garden if they are not too small!
Have a lovely weekend my friend!;)
Miss Kelly,
I have no idea why Typepad is being so annoying. It seems to be holding comment hostage here and there. They just sort of float and then land hours later, weeeeirdnesss!
OKay so, Persevere is one of my most fave words. I am someone who doesn’t give up something until I do it or figure it out. It’s just part of my make-up, so I LOVED your perseverance!! Thank you so much for that xoxox
Your flowers always remind me of cake, sundresses, Marie Antoinette, and creamy frosting. I suppose I must think they’re edible 😛 Hope you can buckle down the hatches with all that wind down there, wouldn’t want you to blow away! I have been thinking of sprinkling some of that wildflower mix and making a mini garden in the back of the house. Too cold here for roses and tremendous amounts of bloomage, but a few wildflowers of my own would make me pleased as punch!
Arrrrgh: naughty gophers. I had a similar, losing battle last year with Squash Borer worms that ate my entire crop of zucchini. SO aggravating.
Ohhhhhhh, I want a garden filled with roses. We try to grow them but something terrible happens to every rose bush other than the Knockout roses. They are blooming like crazy.
I spent some time pulling weeds in 2 little beds in front of the house. Some of the things I put in there last year are up and doing well. But I need a few more plants there.
We have moles, gophers, ground hogs, bunnies, deer that want to eat plants, make holes etc.
We have been busy planting veggies. And I tricked the pumpkins by starting seeds indoors under lights. Now to trick them into growing in the garden.
I so long for our very late spring to arrive in full so I can get into the garden. My roses aren’t nearly so lush as yours but I do love to play and do my best! I think of my garden as a poteger, more or less, with a few lovely flowers for color. If only it would warm up enough to get things outdoors!
Your flowers — and the photos — dazzle! Thanks for such a bright promise of spring on this rainy morning!
I love roses…the tumble-y ones, the climbers that seem to roam everywhere and take over. Those are the best! Thank you for sharing your world.
i always enjoy your posts & pictures.
and i dream of one day having a cutting garden…
happy belated beltane!
Those lavender ones are so, so beautiful. So moody.