Another Beautiful Day in Roseville

Is your lawn mower ready to go?  With the little rain and warm temperatures the grass is growning.  Soon we will need to mow. 

What the snow plowers lost this winter they may be able to make up on lawn care this summer.

The crocuses are blooming in the back yard, also in among the emerging tulips and daffodils.  The rabbits are eating the new tulip leaves at my church.  So far, I haven't needed to fence or spray to deter rabbits at my house.

Double Blood Root is blooming in the west bed off the deck.  I moved it last year - unceremoniously at the end of the season - so wasn't sure it would survive.  It did.

"Maggie" my Star Magnolia, is blooming.  I wasn't sure it would because its buds were swollen and ready to burst into blossom in January.  Then we had freezing temperatures.  This blooming "white cloud" is a favorite of mine because of the story of how I got it.

A friend and I were workng the arrangements show at the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show one very cold February night.  It was Sunday and the nurseries were selling their plants at a very reasonable price. 

My friend asked if we had room in the car to take a magnolia plant home.  (In the Minneapolis Convention Center, a huge space, everything looks much smaller.) 

I said, "Sure, no problem.  In fact, I'll get one too."  The pots were truly enormous and heavy.  I wrestled them outside to the top of a snow bank, dumped them down to my car and managed to stuff one into the trunk.  The other had to go into the front seat.  With all our gear and other plants there was only room in the back seat for my friend with her knees up around her neck.

We got to my house and realized her plants and other items had to get into her car.  My plant had to get into my house because it would freeze in the garage and I was leaving for Missouri the next morning. 

I struggled, but I could not get the two magnolias out of my car.  My friend had family in town and finally reached a son about 10:30PM.  He wasn't happy, but he did come, got her plant into her car and helped me get mine into the house. 

But, my magnolia would need water and light while I was gone.  Desperation - a garbage can lid on newspapers in front of the picture window would hold the huge pot and save the carpet from any leaking water - I hoped.

Long after midnight I got to bed.  "Maggie" survived as the main feature in my living room until late May when she was planted outside.

Yolanda Brault spoke at the mid-winter NCD Rose Conference a couple of weeks ago on the subect of "Taking Care of Yourself in the Rose Garden."  Her comments would apply to anyone gardening:

1. Start slowly - you probably haven't used some of your muscles all winter - stretch and breath.

2.Short of breath - stop and rest - if pain - call 911.

3. Heat - you're not used to high temperatures.  Work early morning, late afternoon.  Break between 11:00 and 2:00 p.m.

4. Stay hydrated - drink water - not beer - not pop

5. Other heat problems: dizziness, fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentration.  STOP, rest, drink water.  If pulse over 100, mouth dry - again Stop, hydrate and rest.

Next week - more about caring for ourselves in the yard and garden.