Roses in bloom

A random rose in the garden. This started out as a little grocery store potted rose. No name. It just quietly does its thing, not demanding much attention.

I think this is old garden rose, Damask-type, "Ville de Bruxelles". I've moved it a couple of times. Now it's about to be overtaken by a rhubarb plant, but I think the rhubarb will be the plant to move this time. I gave it a lot of fish emulsion this spring - probably why it's so lush now. Blooming like crazy.

Peach Progress

Peaches are swelling quickly. I feel more optimistic now. This tree is recovering from its peach leaf curl infestation nicely. The thinned peaches will be enough for a pie and some fresh peaches. Maybe.

"First Fruits" strawberries, cherries, and raspberries.

The cherries are ripening. I always wonder if we will get any. They are the first tree fruit of the year.

This is the multigraft cherry tree. Even though multigraft trees are often scorned, this tree always bears well.

Fallgold Raspberry. I usually don't get many to bring into the house. The reason is I stand at the canes eating them immediately on picking, they are so good. The one downside is the canes are invasive. However, it's easy pulling up spreading canes.

Strawberries, my favorite! This is the first bowl full. There are many, many berries on the plants.  These are june-bearing.  The ever-bearing are close behind, even though I pulled off the first flowers.  I think this will be a good strawberry year.

Roses are in full bloom

The David Austin roses are amazing now. These are Tamara (aprocot colored), Tranquility (not an Austin, this is from Heritage roses, white/pink), Sceptere'd Isle (peach) and Fair Bianca (white). All of the roses responded well to the severe pruning that I gave them earlier this year. That means the pruning was OK.

Repotting a Miltoniopsis hybrid

I bought this Miltoniopsis hybrid a couple of months ago, intending to throw it away when it finished blooming. I sat it on the deck when it was done. It sat there dry and exposed for more than a month.  Yesterday I noted that my only other Miltoniopsis is producing what looks like a flower shoot. That development inspired me to try to rescue this one.

It's not in too bad shape considering what I did to it.

I soaked the roots in rain water for 20 minutes.

The pot is too deep. The manufacture of shards to fill space in the bottom is a precision method. It takes years of experience, a graduate degree, and a hammer.

All done. Planted in orchid bark-based potting mix. It's a little close to the top, but might settle. Then again I might take it back out and remove some medium before it gets too settled.  I watered it in nicely, and now it's in a East facing window.

I'm an odd person.  I like leaving on the old stems.  If the dead flowers stay on, I like that too.  It gives the orchid a "natural" or "botanical" look, like it would be on the tree branch if no humans were around.  Plus, it reminds me that this plant once bloomed, so might again.  I do remove dead leaves.  They can be a source of infection, and generally fall off anyway.