Roses, Roses...

    ...For nearly two weeks the roses have been blooming here in Ohio.  That's a bit early for us, but then, the weather has been much milder than usual.  Roses like cool nights and sunny days, and that is what we have had until Memorial Day weekend.  It was hot and humid which caused my rambling roses to virtually explode into opening and then to be spent in nearly a day.  So, I have had to work fast at harvesting the blooms for the crafting projects that I have in mind.  Though my roses are producing quite a few flowers this year, it is not nearly enough for all the things I would like to do with them.  I may start visiting the neighbors to get a "cup of roses" from them.  I admit to being tempted to stop and harvest roses from the rambler growing wild on the property of a church building that is for sale.  Sounds like something my grandmother would do.  At any rate, the millefleurs are producing copious amounts of blossoms as well.  The millefleurs are a wild rose, though they don't look much like any classic rose.  The blossoms are white and so small that it would take a bushel basket of them to use for anything.  Mine don't seem to be particularly fragrant, so that defeats the purpose for me.  Years ago I foolishly planted one thinking I was planting a nice rose bush in my garden.  Now I find that they are a nuisance and they are more of a wild plant that shouldn't be added to any cultivated garden.  Cutting them down and digging up the roots has been a Herculean task that I have yet to have completed with any success.  But still, they are pretty when they bloom.

       I have been pleased to see the lavender blooming so profusely.  Tucked away in their pots from last year, I still have the lavender plants a friend gave me at the end of the fall when she found that she wasn't going to get them planted in her garden.  I did what I could to protect them as they waited out the winter.  Thank heaven it was a mild winter in Ohio.  I am sure that is the only reason for their survival.  One of my favorite tasks is that of harvesting lavender.  This year I will have several sizable bundles for my effort.  It looks as though I will have a lot of my pale pink lavender this year (Gray Lady).  Usually I let the blossoms open before I harvest it.  The buds are a dull grey color until they open to display their delicate pale pink flowers.  When I bought this variety I was told that they were not hardy, but they have wintered over for many years in my gardens.  I love their scent.  It is richer than any of the purple varieties of lavender I have.  My fern leaf lavender has survived in a pot indoors all winter and is now producing blooms.  The scent is fruitier and its appearance is much like that of Spanish lavender.  I have tried the white variety of lavender and even some of the yellow versions, but they just didn't survive in my gardens.  Any way you look at it, I love lavender.

    It is definitely summertime when the sage blooms, and mine is cranking out wonderful purple blossoms.  It's a good time to harvest the sage for adding to herb wreaths.  This is exactly what I think of when the winter snows cover the gardens and I am wishing for warmer days of gathering herbs to preserve.  Gardener's heaven...sunshine and herbs, glorious aromas, bumble bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, dragonflies, warm breezes blowing, the sound of chattering birds and the chirps of baby birds crying to be fed.  I'll sit outside at my little bistro table in the garden and have a cup of lemon balm tea while I enjoy the day.  Just being outdoors makes life seem a bit richer, and it helps me to slip into my happy place in life.  Ah, summer, ah roses...