Apricot Drift

I was thumbing through a landscaping magazine today, and noticed this little gem:

Apricot Drift "Meimirrot" Photo from the Conard-Pyle Co.

Drift roses were introduced by Conard-Pyle, the same company that gave us Knock-Out roses. Drift roses are groundcover varieties with a mature size of 2 feet wide and 2 feet tall. "Meimirrot" (pictured) blooms continuously all season long and disease resistance is exceptional. (Low-maintenance roses. Does it get better than that? I certainly don't think so.)

Try these plants along pathways, hillsides or at the front of a border. They are Hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9.

Are you already envisioning these beauties in your landscape beds? I know I am.

Planning Your Spring Garden?

Scaevola 'Whirlwind Blue', a Prairie Star Selection
Photo from Cornell University

If you are already thinking about what to plant in your garden next year, head on over the the Prairie Star Flowers site for recommendations about the best plants to grow in our area.

From the Prairie Star site:

"The Prairie Star collection consists of annual flowers of great vigor and spectacular bloom throughout the entire summer growing season. To be included in the Prairie Star list an annual flower must perform at the highest level for a minimum of two years in the university bedding plant field research trials conducted by K-State scientist, Dr. Alan Stevens. Prairie Star annuals have the vigor to grow like crazy and bloom like crazy under lazy gardener care. It is the “WOW look at those flowers” list."

The list is extensive and varied. It's well worth the time it takes to go down the list.

Roses!

If you haven't heard enough about my knock-out roses this season, let me give you one more post. The bushes are still blooming and the flowers are so delicate and breathtaking. (Mostly breathtaking due to the minimal amount of care they take to look fabulous.)

They have also had a surge in growth over the last few weeks.

Seeing them looking so good kind of has me sad for fall.

Roses In Bloom

In honor of Friday, I will leave you with a few pictures of my knock out roses. They need a little of my attention, but truly are thriving without much work on my part. Plant one today!



*It looks like I need to refresh my mulch. My arms are aching just thinking about it!

Basseterre Day 2

The top photo is an impressive native tree related to the locust. The bottom photo is another shot from the botanical garden. The stone edifice remains from an old sugar mill, an important part of St. Kitts' industry in the past. Below the tower and a little to the left are some pineapple plants.

Basseterre, St. Kitts

Mango Tree

Can you find the lizard? I am not sure what this tropical plant is, although it was in the botanical garden.

I went to St. Kitts last week and toured a botanical garden and took a short hike through a bit of rain forest. I will post a few pictures for you to enjoy this week. I will do my best to tell you what is in the pictures.