In my ongoing ‚project ideas I am planning for Spring I am thinking about what citrus I have room for, how I can build a raised vegetable bed, where I can add more roses…I am always thinking about where I can add more color and fragrance, not to mention edibles!

This is the time (for my climate) to plant bare root roses. They are inexpensive and readily available. I did an entire bed with 11 bare roots I got at Home Depot for $11a piece, with canes that are thick and healthy. I got my 16-year-old son Matthew to clean out the bed and dig the holes for me. I showed him how to make the mound in the center of the hole to support the loose roots.

I figured if he is even half way paying attention this is a nice little bit of quirky knowledge for him to take with him. Maybe someday he will plant his own fragrant beautiful rose garden. Wouldn’t it be great to send a renaissance man into the world? I am always talking to him about being a caring mate for the future woman in his life. I have told him ‚when your woman has cramps from her period, draw her a hot bath and tell her to relax. You’ll take care of the dinner‛ (house cleaning, laundry and the kids…..Ok maybe that’s too much) Still let’s talk to our boys about being considerate mates!!

Anyway back to my garden. I think on the wall behind the roses I will put espaliade lemon trees. This is where they have been trained to grow flat against a trellis…they are really spectacular! I have just mapped out an old English rose garden and ordered roes from the David Austin catalogue on line www.davidaustinroses.com. My bed is pretty big so I ordered 18. They suggest groupings of 3 to get the maximum impact. I lined the border with 1-gallon boxwoods that I got at Home Depot (giant box store). I ordered everything from rusty colored Benjamin Bratten to Pat Austin, Ambridge to Winchester Cathedral, Queen of Sweden to Braithwait…It should be quite a show of beautiful color and fragrance. It is fun to think and plan now. It kind of shoots you forward to Spring and helps with the winter blues. Not to mention they are less expensive this way and you can find a larger variety.

This weekend I was working my husband to build me a raised vegetable bed from non-treated railroad ties. I need 16 to build two 8’ squares, 2’ high. It’s a bit daunting considering we don’t have a truck and they sound VERY heavy. So I’m going to figure those logistics out and then move forward.

I encourage you to check out the David Austin site. Even if you are not a big gardener you can add a few of these lovelies to your yard.