Hello Fellow Gardeners,

Ah Spring! Warmer temperatures, sunshine, and no bugs (yet)! Well, as wonderful as Spring is, it brings with it a few gardening chores to be done! If you just can’t wait to get started, check out Spring Chores Checklist Part 1 for a list of items to do now, but read on for those basic things that need to be done once the last bit of snow finally melts…

□ Clean Up Those Beds!

After the last chance for frost has passed, remove all the old mulch from your garden beds, and replace with a brand new batch! Don’t just throw your old mulch out! Recycle it, by placing it into your compost pile!

□ Plant Away!

Spring is the time to plant blueberries, raspberries, grapes, rhubarb, asparagus, irises, peonies, hydrangeas, lilacs, and more!

□ Prepare Those Beds!

Add a bit of compost or organic fertilizer to your beds to help give your plants a great nutrient boost!

□ Pull Weeds!

Spring is the perfect time to pull any weeds that pop up because the ground is so wet that you can usually get the weed, root and all very easily!

□ Prune Prune Prune!

Roses, apple and plum trees need to be pruned in the Spring, but DON’T prune those lilacs, hydrangeas, Spring flowering clematis or old garden roses! For these the rule is simple! Prune after bloom!

□ Divide and Transplant!

Divide and transplant any perennials that need it, such as daylilies and hostas. You can also transplant roses if they need a new spot this year!

Stay tuned for more tips, tricks, ideas, and inspiration on cold climate gardening from the Daily Weeder!

Happy Gardening,

Marie Suzanne

Hello Fellow Gardeners,

Today we’re going to take a look at a few of my favorite climbing roses for zone 5. If you’re interested in climbing roses for zones 3 and 4, please check out previous posts Part 1 and Part 2. However, note that you can plant zone 5 roses in zones 3 and 4 as long as you provide them with winter protection. A little more work, but a lot more selection!

Albertine

An old fashioned pale pink beauty, Albertine is noted for it’s “delicious fragrance.” Now, this rose is listed as growing between 15 and 18 feet, but if you live in a colder climate it will likely not grow that high, but you should get at least a good 5 to 7 ft of growth! Albertine blooms once in late Spring/Early Summer.

American Beauty

This stunningly pink/purple rose, American Beauty is fragrant. It is listed to grow between 12 and 15 ft, but again, it is more likely to grow between 7 and 8 feet in colder climates! American Beauty blooms only once, but produces a spectacular display!

Constance Spry

This is one of my absolute favorites from my own garden! Constance Spry grows between 6 and 8 feet and is extremely fragrant! Again, Constance Spry blooms only once, but oh what a show it gives!

You may have noticed that these three roses each bloom only once. I just wanted to mention, that you cannot consider this a fault because the bloom time for “once bloomers” is typically 6 weeks or more! You really get a spectacular show, and you get to enjoy it for a long time!

Please stay tuned for more tips, tricks, ideas and inspiration on cold climate gardening from the Daily Weeder!

Happy Gardening,

Marie Suzanne

Hello Fellow Gardeners,

As you all know, roses are like chocolate for me—completely addictive! This is the time of the year I have to work really really hard to stay away from the rose catalogs that keep creeping into my mailbox! Unfortunately, my husband knows this and keeps a close eye on all things roses in our house, just to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand!

Let’s face it guys, when the ground is covered in the cold white fluffy stuff, you look at the catalogs and dream of Spring, and before you know it, you have more flowers and plants than you know what to do with! I’m certainly no exception!

However, if you’re like me and putting a self enforced limit on your garden purchases this year, the key is to buy the right flowers and plants! Here I wanted to share with you a few of my favorite climbers for cold climates, that I’ve had good luck with!

Ramblin’ Red

Ramblin’ Red is from the creator of “Knock Out” Bill Radler. Bailey Nurseries claims this rose is hardy to zone 3 without winter protection! This rose features a light sweet fragrance, repeat blooms, and grows up to 6-10 ft tall! Be aware that you must dead-head this rose if you want the blooms coming and coming and…

John Cabot

This beautiful deep pink/purple rose features double blooms, a slight fragrance, and grows to between 6 and 9 ft. It’s hardy to zone 4a, but I have it, and I’m in zone 3, and have not experienced any die-back despite a lack of winter protection.

William Baffin

According to Spring Valley Nurseries, this deep pink stunner, has been “grown successfully as far north as Zone 2b!” It features a slight fragrance, repeat blooming, and grows up to 10 ft tall!

I have a special place in my heart for climbers! Not only do they look spectacular, but they add their own special touch to my garden! The addition of both height and structure takes a garden from just so so to wow!

I have these three climbing roses in my own garden, and I have not had any problems with disease or die back! They’ve been virtually care free, (just fertilize, water, and some dead-heading) and they attract birds. These roses are simply stunning when they are in full bloom, and you get to enjoy them throughout the summer season!

Stay tuned for more climbers for cold climates!

Happy Gardening,

Marie Suzanne