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Artistic watering cans

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This weeks Theme is Fake

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When I saw this weeks Photo Hunters theme I thought to myself “what can I photograph that represents fake”. I had no idea. Sure, I could have done some obvious things, but I like challenging myself.

Luckily, my husband and I some time on Saturday to go to Toronto’s 40th annual outdoor art exhibition. My nephew just graduated from the Ontario College of Art – specializing in photography and he had a booth at the art show where he was showing his photos.

He never even shows his immediate family, his parents, his photographs, so we figured it might be years before we’d get another chance to see his fabulous photography so we went to the show.

I had no idea it would be so large! There were 500 artists exhibiting everything from photographs to sculptures in wood, glass, clay, and stone, pottery, paintings, prints, metal artwork and many other forms of art.

I brought my new SLR camera with me and as luck would have it I found some “fake” artwork that would be perfect for the Photo hunter theme.

Now, I know I’m behind in posting my photo hunter photos (on three sites) but I think I found great items to post.

The photo above is of watering cans. Clay or pottery sculptures. They are not functional but they are lovely aren’t they?

I took a lot of great photos on Saturday, many of which will be perfect for this site – funny garden related sculptures. You’ll love them. Watch for them in upcoming posts.






My five new roses – your experiences?

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Does anyone grow any of these roses? I’ve listed the roses that I purchased a week ago to replace the ones I lost last winter.

When I bought the roses … five in all, I knew exactly where I was going to put them, but now – a week later, I’m looking at them going what was I thinking?

These are the roses that I purchased:

Joseph’s Coat –

A large flowered climbing rose that grows from 8 to 10 feet tall by 4 feet wide. hardy in zones four through 10. Bred by Armstrong and Swim in 1969; mild fragrance, 23 to 28 petals – repeats occasionally later in season. Blooms are a red blend – but I’ve noted that they range from a combination of orange, pink, red, yellow and white mixed in each flower. It’s apparently a very thorny rose with average disease resistance.

Climbing Iceberg –

Bred in the UK by Cant in 1968, White semi-double blooms with 9 to 16 petals, blooms in flushes throughout the season; Grows to a height of 8 to 15 feet and is hardy in zones 4 to 9. May or may not have a mild fragrance.

Chicago Peace

A hybrid Tea originally bred in the USA by Graeme Johnston in 1962. Blooms are large- up to 6 inches, and are a pink blend with 45 to 60 petals. The blooms have a very double form. This rose blooms in flushes throughout the season and grows to a height of 4.5 feet to 6.5 feet. Mild fragrance. Susceptible to blackspot, requires winter protection. Helpmefind -Roses says it’s only hardy to zone 7 but they often state high zones for hybrid teas.

Climbing Westerland –

Kordes bred rose, 1969, scented – strong rose, spicy fragrance; Apricot & apricot blend, Semi-double (9-16 petals) bloom form. Blooms in flushes throughout the season. Grows to a height of 4 to 12 feet by 4 feet wide and is disease resistant. No hardiness info but I think it’s hardy to at least zone 5a.

Double Delight –

This is a hybrid tea that was first bred in 1977 in the US by Herbert C. Swim. The blooms are a red blend with red and white within, and red edges. It has a spicy fragrance. The average diameter of the flowers are 5 inches and each bloom is double with 17 to 25 petals. Blooms in flushes throughout the season. Grows to a height of 3 feet to 5 feet and a width of 2 feet to 5 feet. This rose is apparently susceptible to mildew and requires winter protection.

Wow, would you look at that? Every rose that I purchased was first bred in the 60’s. Isn’t that odd? All of them, with the exception of the Climbing Iceberg are multicolored roses. However, I’ve noticed that my standard iceberg often gets a pink blend in the petals as they age.

I really wanted to replace my Love and Peace but I couldn’t find one. That’s why I got the Chicago Peace. I’m hoping that it really does turn out to be as hardy as Love and Peace was because I didn’t have any problems with that rose. I think it’s demise was due to a fungal infection. It actually got a fungus like woody growth near the base of the rose. I think I’ll have to remove all the soil in that portion of the garden where Love and Peace was before I plant it’s replacement as I fear that the fungus or virus might still be in the soil. Anyone familiar with the problem that I’m discussing?

As you can see I’ve chosen some roses that get quite large and I have a small jam packed garden. This should be fun!

Obviously I’m not a rose novice but if anyone has experience with any of the roses that I’ve listed above I’d love it if you’d tell me how the rose faired in your care.

I’m particularly interested in how these roses do in cold zones.

I’m in Toronto and it’s classed as a Canadian Zone 6b or a US zone 5b. I know I’ll have to winter protect the hybrid teas I purchased but I’ve been very successful with roses that are not supposed to be all that hardy – like Just Joey, and Valencia for example, so I’m not too worried.

I do prefer to buy roses that are hardy to a plain Jane zone 5 or lower though as it gives them more of a chance of survival if we have a really harsh winter.

Sizzle, pop, bang – BOOM!

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On Saturday our neighbors tree caught on fire! One of the branches fell down onto the electric power line below and it started sizzling away.

I was upstairs when this happened. I looked out the window because I saw a person circling in the intersection looking down the street beside our semi detached house. I wrote it off as just someone doing something a little weird.

A few minutes later someone knocked on our door to tell us that the tree beside our neighbors- the neighbors who’s house is attached to ours was on fire!

Ahhhh!

Chris ran outside to see how bad it was and I picked up the phone to call the fire department! I got 911 on the phone and in a shaky voice told them ” the tree next to our house is burning! It’s a big maple, a branch fell on the electric power line!”

Of course, as would happen, I’d just had a shower and my hair was wet and all over the place. Never the less I ran outside to have a look for myself.

By this time it appeared the fire was stopping or slowing down. I went back inside the house to at least comb my hair … our houses weren’t on fire and the tree didn’t look like it was going to fall .. and the phone rang. This time it was the police calling me just to verify the info that I’d told them and to let me know that fire trucks and police were on the way.

As I was on the phone there was a loud explosion! A big bang! Of course I’m freaking out a bit as I’m talking to the police after that! LOL

I later found out that the explosion was the electric box that the wires powering the adjoining street, and our neighbors house went into. Amazingly we still had power.

In the end the fire contained itself and Hydro – our Toronto power company, came along to reset the electricity – one whole street was out but our house still had power – and I think they trimmed the tree too.

It was an exciting few hours but in the end didn’t amount to all that much.

I did learn a few things though … the tree was burning for at least 10 minutes before I called the fire department. Others were aware that there was a fire – especially when you consider the person walking strangely across the street that I’d seen from my upstairs window.

I was the only person to call 911.

The neighbor who’s house was affected was so scared he stayed inside the house!

Hello people .. if your house has a huge chance of catching on fire get the heck out! Number one rule!

So I guess I live in a neighborhood filled with people who have no clue what to do in an emergency situation. Gee that makes me feel better.

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