helena Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Unfortunately no nurseries, even upscale ones, stock heritage roses, almost without exception. It is very sad. To get these roses one needs to order from speciality rose growers like Vintage Gardens. Then the roses come as own root "bands". These are small and need to be nurtured in pots before they are planted. It puts one "behind" grafted roses one gets at nurseries in terms of time. But the difference in the quality of "roses" is simply not comparable. Modern roses are garishly colored, often scentless, of a ugly "exhibition form", and just not romantic or beautiful in the way heritage roses surely are. Poke around on this website: http://www.vintagegardens.com/rose_index.aspx Bill http:// http://www.vintagegardens.com/roses.aspx?cat_id=37 :001_wub: I'm excited! I'll do my homework, but I will have questions. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 http://www.vintagegardens.com/roses.aspx?cat_id=37 :001_wub:I'm excited! I'll do my homework, but I will have questions. :001_smile: You will have many (many). But you will see true treasures that Kings and Queens, and Gentlemen and Ladies of refinement and distinction grew in their gardens. Absolute wonders of fragrance and beauty. This is a whole new world. Really. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Peonies need a period of cold dormancy. Klehm's is one of the big suppliers, and they would know if a particular variety can grow in SoCal. I think a few are okay in zone 8. Here's Klehm's website: http://www.songsparrow.com/ Lily of the Valley. Pretty but aggressive around here. Once you pop them in the ground, they will spread like wildfire. They form a massive, fibrousy mat of pips (roots) that are a heck of a bugger to dig out. So, beware! I do love them, but if you put them in, you might want to look into ways of containing them. Vinca is also aggressive in some parts of the U.S. High Country Gardens might be another good source for you. You can get a free catalog from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefly Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Another vote for Zinnias, for many reasons: They are excellent long lasting cut flowers, and extremely prolific. Zinnias are very easy to start from seed. They also come in many different styles and colors, and are heat/drought tolerant. Oh, AND they bloom through Oct./Nov-- until we get our first frost. A lot of bang for the buck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlaura Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Oooh, I forgot about dahlias. DS4 chose some last summer, and they were wonderful. Helena, I had some violas in planters last year. We started them from seed indoors. They were amazing! They lasted forever and bloomed like crazy. I've never had violas that I bought as plants last so long. I've always wanted to get some of the black ones! The lime green zinnias are tdf! We had one huge planter of all green, and some mixed in the bed. Super fantabulous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlaura Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Also, I have some tall white daisies, and some middling. My favorite thing to do with them is to cut all the stem off, then float them in a cool bath. My boys love it too. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Peonies need a period of cold dormancy. Klehm's is one of the big suppliers, and they would know if a particular variety can grow in SoCal. I think a few are okay in zone 8. Here's Klehm's website: http://www.songsparrow.com/ Lily of the Valley. Pretty but aggressive around here. Once you pop them in the ground, they will spread like wildfire. They form a massive, fibrousy mat of pips (roots) that are a heck of a bugger to dig out. So, beware! I do love them, but if you put them in, you might want to look into ways of containing them. Vinca is also aggressive in some parts of the U.S. High Country Gardens might be another good source for you. You can get a free catalog from them. Yeah, I read that last night about peonies, it doesn't sound like So Cal weather conditions. I'm going to have a long list of questions for the people at my nursery. :001_smile: I would really like to do Lily of the Valley, I have a bunch of big pots lying around, and a few planting beds which are isolated from the rest of the yard. I wouldn't mind LotV taking over. :tongue_smilie: The Vinca, grows around here, luckily it's growing against a super long wall with vines, so it can't do too much damage. I'm happy to have anything greenish growing, and the flower is such a pretty color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Oooh, I forgot about dahlias. DS4 chose some last summer, and they were wonderful. Helena, I had some violas in planters last year. We started them from seed indoors. They were amazing! They lasted forever and bloomed like crazy. I've never had violas that I bought as plants last so long. I've always wanted to get some of the black ones! The lime green zinnias are tdf! We had one huge planter of all green, and some mixed in the bed. Super fantabulous! I've always bought them as starters, I'll do some looking around for the black viola seeds, (can you recommend a company?). I'm a slow learner in the garden, but in the last few years I've finally come to understand how superior seeds are to starters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 From seed: Painted tongue. The craziest colors in one plant that I've ever see. They're almost metallic. I love them. But! They only like about 1/2 day of sun and want to be properly watered, or they'll up and die on you. Bulbs: Freesia are made for California. Pretty smelling. Not easy to force but are well worth the bother. Casa Blanca white lilies. Even better smelling than freesia. Not too tough to grow if you plant them at the proper depth. Then keep the baby rabbits and other critters away. I believe the bulbs are not truly dormant or something like that. Can't remember. Have fun! I am excited that our snow is going to melt this week. It'll be nice to see the grass again. I just checked out a few websites about Painted Tongue, they're awesome! They bloom through fall, which is nice because the colors can transition well if I want to change the color pallet to autumn shades. I'm starting to look around and see a lot of empty pots. Maybe I should do bulbs in all of those? I have so much ground space, but I'm apprehensive to do bulbs in case we don't buy the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 here's what my girls did with the zinnias we grew in the yard 2 years ago!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 here's what my girls did with the zinnias we grew in the yard 2 years ago!!! That's a great photo, how did you make it?? I think we're going with the Raggedy Anne seeds: http://www.reneesgarden.com/seeds/seeds-hm/flowersT.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlaura Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Sorry, no ideas for seed companies. I actually just take DS to Menards, and we browse the little packets together. I used to order seed catalogs to dream with, but I think handling the packets is part of the fun for littles. One day I suppose I will fulfill my seed catalog dreams. ;) I've always bought them as starters, I'll do some looking around for the black viola seeds, (can you recommend a company?). I'm a slow learner in the garden, but in the last few years I've finally come to understand how superior seeds are to starters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest goodmanmorx Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I like White roses and Daises flowers chennai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 That's a great photo, how did you make it?? I think we're going with the Raggedy Anne seeds: http://www.reneesgarden.com/seeds/seeds-hm/flowersT.htm you use floral wire. You wire the stems together, one flower right next to the other, so the stems will sort of overlap. The wire goes round and round the stems and you just keep tying on more and more flowers till you get the length you need. It is hard to explain, but not hard to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 you use floral wire. You wire the stems together, one flower right next to the other, so the stems will sort of overlap. The wire goes round and round the stems and you just keep tying on more and more flowers till you get the length you need. It is hard to explain, but not hard to do. Thanks! I'm going to buy the wire with my next Joann's 40% off coupon. I just found a nursery who sells the Zinnia seed I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stelly Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I love daises........looks beautiful...... flowers chennai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 (edited) I forgot about Sunflowers! I try these every year with so-so luck. I plant 3 packets and get 2 maybe 3 flowers. :tongue_smilie: Forget packets. Buy a kilo from a pet food shop. That only cost me $4! My favourite flowers are jonquils, but they are bulbs not seeds. Oh, and I saw Magma roses in a garden a few suburbs away. I totally want one of those! And a daphne and a fuchia. And I like blue cornflowers. And hibiscus! Oh, I saw the most magnificent hibiscus on the way to playgroup yesterday! Oh, and those flowers that I think are some relation to amaranth. I saw some as I was walking past a florist one day and just had to have them because they looked like bright pink oyster mushrooms! And I have a particular fondness for "Jam Tart" daisies because they remind me of my grandmother. I don't know what they are really called, but that's what I've always called them. Oh, but waratahs and sturt desert peas might also be my favourites. They are even better than jonquils, but jonquils are still my favourite. Do you think if I put "I want flowers" as my FB status that dh will bring some home? :) Rosie Edited February 15, 2011 by Rosie_0801 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 Forget packets. Buy a kilo from a pet food shop. That only cost me $4! My favourite flowers are jonquils, but they are bulbs not seeds. Oh, and I saw Magma roses in a garden a few suburbs away. I totally want one of those! And a daphne and a fuchia. And I like blue cornflowers. And hibiscus! Oh, I saw the most magnificent hibiscus on the way to playgroup yesterday! Oh, and those flowers that I think are some relation to amaranth. I saw some as I was walking past a florist one day and just had to have them because they looked like bright pink oyster mushrooms! And I have a particular fondness for "Jam Tart" daisies because they remind me of my grandmother. I don't know what they are really called, but that's what I've always called them. Do you think if I put "I want flowers" as my FB status that dh will bring some home? :) Rosie To bad you live so far away, I could have brought you a load of cornflower seeds today! Last year we harvested hundreds of the seeds, and today we planted them all. I'm either going to have hundreds of these or two.. :D They're one of my all time favorites. I love a blooming Hibiscus too, orange with a tiny bit of pink. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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