Saturday, May 3, 2008

Awards, Plants and Gophers......

Terrie from Terrie's Little Piece of Serenity gave me this award. I must say that I am truly humbled. Isn't it wonderful how God sometimes works? I threw my back out and have been bed ridden off and on for a month. It's depressing not to be able to be able to do the things I love to do like gardening and keeping my house up. Even playing with Maggie has become difficult. This award came at just the right time as I've not been my normal perky little self. Thank you so much, Terrie, you'll never know how much this means to me! Bless your little heart!!!

I did manage to take a few pictures the other day. This is the arbor that I can see from my bedroom. The roses are doing spectacularly this year, as are the foxgloves. For some reason my hollyhocks are not coming up as I wanted, so I will have to work on that. The two pots you can barely see, along with two more are going to be planted with lavender. This is a really hot area of the garden and lavender will do just fine there. On either side of the bricks I'm going to plant boxwood. The yellow Julia Child rose is in a pot because I have lost so many roses to gophers. I have a pink rose that I'm going to transplant into a pot and put on the other side of the arbor. For some reason the gophers have left my climbing roses alone, so keep your fingers crossed.

This little rose that I have in a pot is aptly named Popcorn. It looks just like buttered popcorn! I first saw it planted when we visited the Luther Burbank Gardens in Santa Rosa, California. It was thrilling to be able to see all the plants that he "discovered" such as Shasta daises. They had a hedge of Popcorn roses and it was beautiful.
This is my white clematis. To me clematis' is such a beautiful and magical vine. I have another that will be flowering in another week that I have in a pot. This one is in the ground and is climbing an arbor. Sadly, it has lost some of it's top growth that I have had to prune off. I have noticed that there is a new gopher mound not far behind it. When it is through blooming I think I'll move it to a pot. Why so many gophers, you say? We live in the city in a tract home. However, behind our fence is county property and fields and orchards. Once when we found a gopher hole we put the hose down it and turned it on. We never did see any water and I'm sure we just irrigated the acreage behind us!!!! So now I do lots of pots and plant things in the ground that gophers don't like, such as daylillys. If anyone knows of any plants that gophers don't like, please drop me a line. On a good note, we have new renters in the little cottage house behind us and they have horses. I don't believe (tell me if I'm wrong) that gophers like to be near horses so maybe they'll go somewhere else. Or is that just wishfull thinking?

Have a lovely, restful weekend! Thank you again, Terrie!!


*On a side note: In the preview there is a space between the above two sentences and when it is published there is none. It happens to me all the time.Does anyone have any blogger hints?


A BIG THANK YOU to PamKittyMorning
for helping me out with my spacing problem. She says to go to the Edit Html tab and adjust the spacing there. Works like a charm! Thanks, Pam!!!

19 comments:

Amongst The Oaks said...

Hi Miss Jean,
Sorry to hear you've been down with back troubles. The Lord of the Manor has had back surgery TWICE so I know how you are suffering.
I have no idea why Blogger does that. I have the same problems. Also, lately it isn't sending comments to my email address. I never know when someone comments, and that bugs me.
Speaking of pests, gophers are prevalent here in Stockton too, but mainly at large lawn areas like the golf course, school fields, and parks. *Knock on wood* we've never had them in our garden, but there is a field behind us, so I'll keep my eyes open so they don't eat my Julia Child rose.
Hugs, Laura

Trudy Honeycutt ~ Folk Artist said...

Fabulous flowers!! Fabulous pictures!! Sorry to hear of the back issues, and hope you are doing better. The blogger deal has to do with your settings, Jean. Gophers...argh!! We have prairie dogs here in Colorado...which I think are just as precious as can be....but my DH says I wouldn't think they were so precious if we had them in our yard!! Stop by my blog for a give away if you get a chance!! Sincerely, Trudy in Colorado

Dandelion Quilts said...

Miss Jean....sorry you have not felt quite yourself. I hope you are back on your feet in no time. Your flowers seem to be thriving though.

Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity said...

Jean, Iam so.. sorry about your back. I have had a bad back injury so I do know what you're going through. Physical Therapy did help me. What are you doing for your back? I'm praying for you. I love.. your flowers. I live in a new house development. So, I understand about the gophers. My husband trapped them. They can sure tear everything up. Hugs, Terrie

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Hi Miss Jean,
I am sorry to hear about your back! I hope you are healed and raring to go soon!

Your flowers are beautiful! My Clematis in it's second year is climbing my arbor like crazy and the pretty purple blossoms are opening...
Penny

PamKittyMorning said...

So sorry to hear that you've had back problems. Hope you're on the mend.

As for blogger, sometimes I go and edit in the html setting, it works better. Of course I don't know much html.. but enough to figure out what its doing.

Susie said...

How nice that this award came at a time when you were feeling down. I'm so sorry to hear your back is hurting. Hope you feel better soon.
Your garden looks just lovely!
(blogger has been being just beasty lately hasn't it?)
xo

Brenda said...

Hi Miss Jean ;Sorry about you back I know that hurts.
Your flowere are so pretty.I do not know of a plant they do not eat but I have heard of people planting a castor bean plants to keep moles away.
Best Wishes
Brenda:)

becky up the hill said...

Jean..this may not appeal to all gardeners or animal rights folks or people who like anything with fur...but honestly my hard fought battle with gopher's was only won with a gopher trap...no amount of sticking a hose down their holes or anything works (those folks that sell gopher pellets or vibrating or sonic waves gadgets, are sitting in Hawaii right now!).....I lost two big hollyhocks this year already..and after the 2nd one I said..'you want to go, we will go'....so yeah...my thots. Now don't even get me started on squirrels...lol..p.s my husband is kayaking on Monterey bay now and when he just called I asked him if he has seen any gophers...errrr I mean otters! p.s. cause we had a Scotty and still have a kitty, we set the trap, cover with a bucket with a heavy rock or something.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Me again....
I love Vernors Ginger Ale. I grew up in Michigan were it is from. I will have to try the ice cream with ginger ale!
Penny

Rosy Inspiration said...

Hi, Miss Jean,

Sorry to hear about your back, hope you'll get well real soon. Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comment. I've enjoyed visiting your blog, I'll surely come back for more. Is that climbing rose on your arch called "Pierre de Ronsard"? It's beautiful. I'm still a bit undecided what climbing roses to use for my arches.

Tipper said...

So sorry about your back. Your flowers are lovely!

Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity said...

Hey, I am so.. busy working in the uard. I just wanted to drop in for a minute. Have a great night!
HUgs, Terrie

Dana said...

Holy cow!! Those roses are amazing!! The foxglove goes beautifully with them. Wow!!

Thimbleanna said...

Oh Miss Jean! You're not feeling well! I'm so sorry about your back -- I hope it straightens up (sorry, no pun intended) right away. Your garden is amazing -- such gorgeous flowers!

Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity said...

Jean, I'm just wondering how you are doing?? I hope your back is better. You're in my prayers.
Hugs, Terrie

Sweet Cottage Dreams said...

Hiya sweetie! Your flowers are doing lovely. Hope that your back is better for the weekend event!

xo
Becky

joyh82 said...

What pretty pink roses on your arbor. We have one like that and are trying to grow some clematis on it.

Cindy said...

That must be the Eden rose you just left a comment about on my blog! It's gorgeous! I can hardly wait until mine gets bigger. I think it will be my all-time favorite rose! It's such a perfect rose to have with foxgloves and for some reason I always have trouble growing those!