The color of your gowns

and those morning jewels   .   .   .

Wanted–

• Two large bouquets for a stage
• One night only
• Small budget

Trader Joe's supplied the fleurs. I didn't even pay for the pink one's because of a little mold on a few stems. Here waiting in the garage sink–

• 4 (3)  bunches (ten stems each) chrysanthmums $12.00
  
• 1 bunch mini white carnations  $4.00
  
• 7 daffodil bunches 8.75

Grand Total– $24.75

It wasn't a lot of flowers, but the 16-inch height of the glass cylinders offers heft, and a generous look. Blooming solanum (potato) vines, stripped of their leaves, will add a crucial garden feel.

I wasn't sure what my approach would be, because I knew the mums would sink in those tall vases. I decided to hand-gather the mums and minis, and then I shoved half of the solanum beneath the blooms, before putting them in the vase. Sure enough they were sinking and needed the daffs to save them. I tried to hold the flowers up, like I would a loose waistband, and added half of the daffs, until gradually they bulked up the bouquet for a nice tight fit in the vase.

One down, one more to go. Notice, in the picture above this one, that I divide all the flowers into two buckets, so I know how many I have for each bouquet. I then like to spread them out on the counter as I work.

PHOTOGS

I wanted a plain background to show off the finished bouquets, and Artist Husband handily helped me prop up a 4-foot wide piece of foam core. I'm always lamenting that it isn't 8-feet and think that I don't have storage space for an 8-footer. Suddenly a thought came that I just might have room. We'll see next time.

Below, I cropped out the unwanted kitchen. Not bad I guess. I didn't do any macro play this time, because the rainy morning offered me little light. Even so, digital cameras are pretty amazing light grabbers.

HAPPY SATURDAY !

Roots are very important, and I really like my roses to have their own, even those budded to root stock, like the one above. (That green crown of canes formed, after one growth bud was grafted to the vertical cane the roots are attached to.)

My wish is for roots to emerge from those green canes, but how? Well, I bury them. Needless to say it takes a deeper hole, especially when the budded cane is extra long.

It's pretty satisfying to see the successful formation of new roots coming from the rose cane. I happened to dig up this one and saw nature's handiwork. Doesn't that nice mass of roots look vital and healthy compared the ones on the rootstock? Roses grown like this are not only anchored in the ground better, the plant will have a longer life span. 

PLANTING HOW-TOS

• If you aren't ready to plant your bare root roses immediately, bury the roots in compost, mulch or soil, to keep them moist.
• If you will be planting them a day or two after receipt, soak them in a bucket of water.
• Dig a nice deep hole. I probably remove 30 gallons, or more, of soil. (I know this, because I dump the soil in five-gallon cans as I remove it.) Make sure the hole is deep enough to cover the crown.
• Fill the hole with water twice and let it drain. I do this to see how fast the drainage is, and to water deeply.
• I make a mound with the top soil from the hole, and add generous amounts of compost (purchased or homemade).
•  Drape the roots over the mound and add more soil and compost, saving the worst soil for the top. Cover the crown.
• Form a berm around the rose (I often don't) and then water the plant. Toggle one of the canes to dislodge possible air bubbles.
• Add four to six-inches of mulch. The mulch will not harm the canes.

Planting potted roses is easier. Dig a deep hole, add water, amendments and mulch as above.