Thank you so much for your happy-for-us comments yesterday! They brought a huge smile to our faces. Today, I will endeavor to get a refund from my healthcare provider of eight days. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to. Fingers crossed!
Yesterday, we worked in the Memorial Garden. I added topsoil and then realized I hadn’t bought enough whereupon I ran to the store and bought some more, as well as some compost. Lots of shoveling and turning. Don came home early from a meeting because he said he wanted to be a part of the planting process. Good thing! I needed his help digging some holes.
This will be an ongoing project. We don’t have a lot of spare cash at the moment, but even more importantly, we want to take our time choosing plants. We want to find plants that we associate with the dogs, whether it is because of the name of the plant, or a quality of the plant. For example, we chose this little plant yesterday because of its name.
Sentimental Balloon Flower.
‘Sentimental’ works, don’t you think?
Dear reader Martha, who sent me a rose bush two summers ago in memory of my mother, also sent me a gift certificate to White Flower Farm so that I could choose a rose in memory of my dad. I chose a new floribunda, ‘At Last.’ I chose it because it’s hardy and disease resistant and the flowers are a pretty salmon color. But now that I think of it, ‘At Last’ is a perfect name. Dad so wanted to be with my mother again, and I imagine that he was saying those very words when he was reunited with her.
The roses arrived on Wednesday and we planted them yesterday.
It was extraordinarily windy yesterday, but I didn’t want to wait another day to get them in the ground. Insert much cursing from yours truly as the relentless wind knocked some small branches off trees and made it necessary to stake the roses until they had a chance to acclimate.
I felt like King Lear raging at the winds! Don started laughing at me as I shouted curses at the wind (quite creatively, if I say so myself!) All that voice training pays off, you know, I have a powerful voice!
I even rolled my little wheelbarrow up onto the garden bed to block some of the wind coming from the northwest. Yikes. We happen to live on a very windy stretch of road, for whatever reason, and so when it’s windy out there, it’s like we’re in a wind tunnel.
Exhausting! But I checked on the plants this morning and they all seem to be doing well.
Isn’t that a beautiful rose? Thank you, Martha. Much love and appreciation are being sent your way. The rose bush that is in memory of my mom is called “Remembrance.”
I like that. “Remembrance” and “At Last.”
I also planted some Forget-Me-Not seeds sent to me by Martha and by Sheila. I’m presently soaking some Moonflower and Morning Glory seeds to add to the garden as well. Martha also sent me some Rosemary seeds, which shall go in the ground today. Rosemary is for remembrance.
Happy Friday.
Claudia, I am thrilled for you and Don about the insurance. About time something good happened to good people. :):) The roses, oh my gosh, the names are so touching. What a wonderful remembrance in your parents honor. Also for your beloved pets. Blessings , xoxo, Susie
Thank you so much, Susie!
I love the rose’s and the names mean so much. I was thinking about you and your garden last night and how satisfying it is for you and Don to have this lovely place of remembrance! It will be nice to see it go from dirt to a garden with you.
I had a nice day for my birthday which ended with dinner out with my Mom. I am so blessed to have her with me still.
hugs,
Linda
You are blessed. And she is blessed to be right next door to you! So glad you had a lovely birthday, my friend!
I’m so glad you mentioned the balloon flower! A couple of years ago we had one, a volunteer from who knows where, and I had no idea what it was. But it was fascinating to watch the puffy, balloon-like buds open into the pretty blue flowers. It only grew for one season, but now I know the name, I can get some seeds. Thanks!
Glad to help out, Shanna! Hope this one lasts more than one season…
I know that the construction of this new garden will be therapy for both of you. I love that you are thinking about each plant you will put into it.
90’s here today and tomorrow. ugh. But nicer temps to follow.
Have a wonderful day!!
It’s still fairly cool here, Chris. Thank goodness the wind has died down! Have a great day.
Beautiful flowers and sentiment. :]
Thank you, Brae.
Hi Claudia, in the first picture on yesterdays post,there appears to be a male,and female, type “statue” standing close, against the Rockwall foundation of your cottage. She has on a lovely Aqua hat. I have never seen or heard of this cute ???(My picture only shows up to the neck)
Have I missed something? I would be surprised if I have Ever missed a post.
Thank-You, Judy A- :~)
I’ve showed it before, Judy, but probably not for a while. It’s a garden statue I found at auction several years ago. A male and a female hugging with a little dog (which you can’t see in that picture) jumping up and hugging them.
I forgot how large a space you’re cultivating for the memorial garden? I’m sure it will be an on-going project, as gardening often is. Hope the wind has abated so you’ll be more comfortable when you work on the garden today and into the weekend.
It has. Thank goodness! I’m going to go and do some weeding in the big garden bed, Wendy.
Claudia – living on the Southern Plains, means wind most days – some days it’s a gentle breeze and other days it’s a tempest. On future ‘tempest’ days I will follow your example and in a loud voice inform the wind I am not best pleased in very colorful language. Of course, it will not affect or impede the wind in any form/fashion – but, it will certainly make me feel better (and remind me of you and your battle with the wind).
So enjoying the progress pictures of the Memorial Garden.
I guarantee it will make you feel better, Regina!
Great names of the plants in memory of your loved ones….Can’t wait to see the finished product!
Thank you, Mamey!
Oh the rose bush memorials are lovely. What gift
Just went out and watered them, Kathy. It’s much warmer today.
The memorial garden sounds lovely…you have some great plant choices. And those roses…quite the gift! It’s very hot here today…I’m going to skip gardening. I don’t do well in the heat. Enjoy gardening! ;)
It’s turned out to be hot here, as well! I was surprised. But I’m in the middle of a pruning project, and I want to finish it!
Ha! Love the image of you and King Lear and the winds! You are a determined girl…
Beautiful, beautiful rose…
And I hope you get priceless solace from what will be a tranquil and lovely memory garden.
It’s got a long way to go, but we’re already enjoying the few plants we have. Thanks, Vicki!
The garden names and plants are great. I have the balloon plant and it does come back each year and grows fuller every year. A beautiful shade of blue. The garden will be very special.
Thank you, Doris. I tend to plant only perennials, so I’m glad the balloon plant comes back! Some seeds of course this year – but mostly perennials.
Love the roses and the first thing I thought of with the “Sentimental Balloon Flower” was of Scout and her party hat, hence the “Balloon”. What a lovely thing for your friend to do for you. And Claudia, I can just hear you yelling at the wind. I’ve felt like doing the same thing at times. :-)
Blessings,
Betsy
I like that reminder of Scout and her hat, Betsy! Oh, I miss that girl so much.
Love the color of the new rose…I had balloon flowers in the back garden too Claudia…they lasted for quite a few years and I loved seeing the stage when they look like little balloons…They seem to have given up last year..maybe I will plant a couple in their place and I can think of beautiful Scout when I see them…
Oh, that would be lovely, Nancy.
Awe a great idea, I think when I finally get to mamas house I will pick a area in the garden and plant a rose bush for her. I like that. Your rose is pretty mama liked salmon color melonish. And my goodness this wind here in San Francisco as well. I made a mad dash to put some plant in the ground too that just needed to get in the ground before they got over grown. At moments lol I had to come in wait for some calmness and go back out, I didn’t get to finish, gkad you did. Happy weekend with love Janice
Thank you, Janice. Planting a rose bush as a memorial is a lovely thing to do.
Bleeding heart is a good memorial plant for me, and it does well in your area, too, I think.
It does, Shanna. I’ll suggest it to Don. Thank you!