THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER

It only took seven years for these Bourbon beauties to finally arrive in the fall. I’m not sure it was quite worth the wait for them to become sufficiently established to do so, but they sure are pretty in October. About half the diameter of these blossoms photographed back in May, and not near as [...]

This was one of the first antique roses I planted at the rancho. To commemorate my Mississippi great great grandmother who had one in her dooryard. But I never took a decent shot of ours, and a neighbor’s use of too much herbicide, apparently, wiped it out last summer. Having to use this Australian site’s [...]

A reliable repeat bloomer at Rancho Roly Poly, a hybrid developed for disease-resistence and drought-tolerance at Texas A&M University. It is relatively immune to black spot, fungus and mildew. The colors obviously vary.

A reliable repeat bloomer at Rancho Roly Poly, a hybrid developed for disease-resistence and drought-tolerance at Texas A&M University. It is relatively immune to black spot, fungus and mildew. The colors obviously vary.

The wildflowers were up and blowing a month or more ago, but this Bourbon, Zephirine Drouhin, has just figured out the season. It’s been in the ground almost five years. So the display should be better than ever. I thought, last year at this time, that it was established enough to produce some summer and [...]

It’s supposed to be an arcane and scary subject, pruning roses, but I find it rather easy. You prune around Valentine’s and again around Labor Day and reap the benefits of a flush of blossoms a month or two later. This year I decided to start a few days before Labor Day weekend since it’s [...]

First flush of the old China antique rose Louis Philippe, shortly after planting at the rancho. A month later, it’s working on getting established, with no new growth or new buds at all. But it’s holding its own, so far, against the bugs and black spot that run riot in late spring. Chinas are the [...]

Got any idea what this rose is? Planted by a previous owner of the rancho, it blossomed yesterday, presenting a mystery. It might be a Polyantha called Mme. Norbert LeVasseur, or it might be a China called Martha Gonzales. But I’m not sure because it doesn’t wholly resemble either one. So what is it?

LCRA’s chief meteorologist Bob Rose says another mini- drought-breaker like we had about nine days ago isn’t in the cards, just more humidity and a light rain later this week followed by a bit more this weekend thanks to a Pacific cold front combined with a low pressure trough out of New Mexico: "Rain amounts [...]

The live oak branches that were embracing the roof have shed their ice and risen five feet off the shingles. Yippee. Things are getting back to normal at the rancho, with the temperature rising through 40 degrees this morning. Mr. B. is back to school and Mom back to work, and I have the laundry [...]