From Eula's Kitchen Window

What a week this has been! Between having a new roof put on this past week and trying to tend to my garden, plus getting ready for the Riverside Flower Show this coming weekend, I’m meeting myself coming and going!

Taking a moment now to catch my breath and look out my kitchen window, what do I see out there this fine day? Well, I see the little birds are still having their feasts…no doubt enjoying the juicy aphids and whatever else they see to pick up. Also, a mockingbird has a nest nearby. They certainly know how to defend their domain!

I don't know about your roses, folks, but mine have been suffering lately from rust and black spot. I may, as a control, need to spray, which I don't even like to think about as I am very concerned with the environment as many of you know. A lot of the leaves have been stripped off the plants and a lot have just fallen off. It is still necessary to practice cleanliness to help prevent some of the problem. It seems the rose bed in the back yard, for some reason, has really had the problems. The roses along the driveway, however, look good. Maybe the roses in the back area are more susceptible to the problems than the ones along the driveway. In any case, it can certainly spoil the looks of the roses, especially when you pick one and there is no foliage. I’m sure our weather has contributed to part of the problem, the coolness and dampness combined.

We all need to be walking our rose beds each day now, and trying to help them along with looking good so that we can win some blue ribbons (or maybe a trophy) at our ARS Rose Show coming up the first part of June. It is going to be a great show, with over 80 classes in horticulture and over 30 in arrangements! If you have never exhibited before, it is time to learn how. Exhibiting can be fun and educational.  Be sure to ask questions. Hopefully some of us can help you folks get excited about exhibiting! If you have never exhibited before there will be a novice class to enter, which is exactly the way Del and I began a long time ago. Keep this in mind and enter in some category…I know you’ll be glad you did and proud that you participated.

See you at our May meeting...happy rose growing!