what DH did this weekend

We were vending at an herb festival in Oriskany, NY last year. The master gardeners from Cornell Cooperative extension had a lovely herb and rose garden on the grounds. I fell in love with the rose arbor structures and looked at DH and said, "We gotta have something like that!" So, he took Monday off to make it a three day weekend and made us this. The arch is 13 foot high at the point. There are 6 arches and they span 30 feet. In the spring I will plant with roses and herbs. I know, I'm lucky to have him!

And to give you an idea of the scale. Oh! The supports will be taken off once the cement cures. And we will add spires to the uprights.

WOW! That's going to be just stunning... I can't wait to see those tall arches dripping with rose blossoms!

I guess you don't loan him out... ;-) I love my DH dearly, but he is not "handy" like that. But I can lob any sort of computer problem at him, and he's on it like a flash! Hmm, maybe he could program a robotic garden helper for me... modeled on your DH!

Hey, did you see Mitch's recent article on planning and prepping a formal rose garden? Are you planning to put raised beds along the outside of the archway? And what will you use on your central pathway -- grass, creeping thyme, stones...? I'm getting all excited for you!

Thanks Critter. You are right, I don't loan him out! :-) I like your idea about the robotic gardener. No bad backs to slow things down. It will not be formal. I'm more of the eclectic cottagey type of gardener. There will be raised beds on either side. We plan on also putting clematis and some shrub roses in there as well. We'll probably go with one of the Canadian Explorer roses for the "climbers". We have had good luck with William Baffin up here in zone 5. Had a FROST this weekend. Not sure about the central pathway. Might keep it grass. We have a large stained glass window hanging in the "lean-to" of the barn. Ah, who knows what other whimsy might come along?

Hey, Herbalbetty--that's great!! I too recently put together a rose arbor walk garden. Actually, my DH did the trench digging and stone laying. I like your "Gothic" arches......those ARE cool!! My garden is more "English style", or at least I'm trying that way. It flanks outside my hedged herb garden. The arches are wide Windsor arches. Back of house view. It's waiting for the roses to come in the Spring.

Foxy! Love it! And you have a lovely path up the center. And the trellises on the side...what cha gonna do there? I'm also waiting for spring to plant the roses. And some clematis to intertwine. And maybe some shrub roses at the feet of the climbers. Yoikes, it's easy to get carried away, isn't it? Need to see more pics of your lovely garden.

The archway walk has beds on either side--will have larger rose shrubs lined up outside the arches, and to make a "wall" around the garden, those Eden Park trellises will have more climbers. I'm currently looking for iron railing fences to match the design/style but haven't found them yet.

In between the arches, I plan to put miniature roses inside, and possibly line the path with bright-colored primroses. In the middle of the garden walk, there is a larger gap between arches where I will have a focal point on each side. From the picture above, I have a large old garden rose (OGR) called "Hansa" which has lovely arching serpentine canes. The flowers are a purplish rose colored and smell out of this world. On the opposie side, is one of 3 trellises with a rose standard in front and center f bed. Around that, I will probably put some kind of ground cover (lavender, maybe). The rose standard is called "Starlight" and was a gift to me. This rose is unusual--it opens a lovely orange, fades to a rose-orange on he edges and has a cream inner center. A remarkable transformation!! Then it has beautiful hips!! Last year, though, it became infected with blackspot before I realized it and I had to cut away much of the upper ball shape to save it. So, it looks like a badly cratered planet this year...... More topiary practice for me, anyhow, which I want to learn very much. . :-) I was also thinking of making topiary "gargoyles" or small animal shapes to put on pedestals at the corners of the garden. Ambitious idea, as I am not an artist!! LOL.

My herb garden is just getting underway, so I haven't taken many pictures as I lost some plants, let some go, and need to get more. But I will show a couple.....

This is "Hansa" now. You get lovely blooms in May, and if lucky, again in the fall. I only got a few this week. The scent is absolutely sensational!!

I apologize for being slow with pictures but I am can't find things on this computer!!

The herb garden... main entrance. It has a diagonal path across the center with two other arches on either end and opposite the main entrance is a pergola (DH bult it!!) with a swing seat. In the center is a large cobalt blue pot.

I tried growing thyme between the flag stones but that didn't work. It would be lovely in spring then turn brown in July!! Now I have just grass...

View of the herb garden from one of the side entrances......

I have Japanese wisteria growing on the pergola and these two arches. I have newly lanted roses on the main entrance arch. The wisteria was found growing rampant on this property and, in the first spring we lived here, it bloomed and I could have died...it smelled so wonderful. So I transplanted some to the arches when the garden was bult. In no time, it covered them but I have yet to see them flower again....

Japanese holly ("Beehive") are the hedge shrubs for the herb garden. I wanted English-style, but boxwood is toooo slow and not reliably hardy here. This type of holly is a good substitute.

DH takes credit for planting the holly shrubs, laying the foundation and building the pergola!! Of course, it all started when I looked at him one day, and said, "I want an herb garden..." "And (later) a ROSE garden......." LOL!!

Hansa is beautiful. I need to get me one of those! And I really like the herb garden entrance. Stinking deer keep eating the holly I planted. But, this year a fence went up. We shall see if it is effective in keeping the deer away from their favorite snacks.

Thanks for sharing your "dreams" with us, Herbalbetty. Wasn't sure, but if you're getting into roses, you might want to put this on the rose forum. They could use some fresh ideas. I love the rose picures but there isn't much else going on over there....

I can't wait to see your finished design come Spring!! Yes, the deer can make plants ugly with their browsing. Have you thought about venison dinners......? They seem to know to stay away from danger. I do hope your deer fence is earning its salt.

I've got about 40 or so roses already. Always love more! Tend to go for the antique roses or David Austins. When we first moved in and were busy planting some rugosas along the road, a neighbor walked by and said, "Well! I hope those aren't roses you are planting, they just don't grow up here in the hills." I smiled and said "Thank you". Five years later she has grudgingly accepted that certain roses do, in fact, grow up here in the hills. :-)

LOL!! There are a lot of "myths" and misconceptions about roses...They are so stereotyped and when you say, rose, most people think of the hybrid tea that requires a lot of pampering, pruning, coddling, and chemical life support. Not so.

I am glad you already have some to love and enjoy. I saw a picture of your Abraham Darby rose. Nice one. I have been brooding over David Austin rose pictures lately, and I currently own one so far. I especially love climbers.

Do you make anything from your roses? Essential oils, rose water? Most of mine were acquired for scent, as well as color. I want the kind of rose you can make those candy confections with, and those for teas.

I need to find more "tough" roses. My MIL has a wonderful rose garden, filled with pampered hybrid tea roses... and that's just not my style. I love the look, but I can't seem to bring myself to fuss that much over an outside plant. I've got a 'Zephirine Drouhine' (sp?) climbing rose and a Knockout rose that do very well for me, and I love them -- especially the ZD, with its sweet scent!

Foxnfirefly, I think I need to see a list sometime of the roses that do well for you.... :-)

We don't make rose essential oil as you need a crazy amount of roses to make just a few drops of essential oil. We do, however, have distilling equipment (not the big copper alembic, but some labware tabletop stuff). I have made rose beads, rose conserve, rose tincture, potpourri, crystallized rose petals, rose hip syrup, rose glycerine, uh...I can't think of more right now, but there might be more! Our climbers include New Dawn, Paul's Himalayan Musk, Leotine, and William Baffin. Others include Apothecary Rose, Therese Bugnet, Alchymist, Constance Spry, Reine de Violettes, Fairy, Tamora, a few moss roses, etc. You would think I would have these written down!

BTW, Fox, sounds like your DH and mine should start a beleaguered husband club. Or at least the Husbands with Sore Backs club.

ROTFLMAO!!!!! Yeah, I was kind of thinking I should have gotten a picture of my hubby in "en slave" mode while he was laying the stones for the pathway recently to post here, under the one you got of yours standing by his masterpiece. My DH also just finished building himself a Japanese water garden. It took him 2 years. He worked for a nursery during summers while in college, but the skills seem to be all natural ability for him. He does the heavy digging and lifting while I direct the location and plan. LOL. Yep, his back hurts him more than mine does. No wonder. Your rose list is impressive. I know I may get one or two of those you listed.

Critter, I only have a few rose varieties at this time. "Hansa" (a rugosa) is the most healthy on its own. It's my favorite!! I've had him for 3 growing seasons now. I moved him to his current location last fall, so the shrub kind of got a slow start this Spring but has steadily adapted.

This summer I bought "Crimson Skies" climber, "Golden Celebration", "Graham Thomas" and "Fourth of July". These were in pots until recently, so it's too soon to assess them. They haven't shown any sign of black spot yet, while my other older ones got a mild case in August. I have a white rose that smells like French sachet, called "Perfume Perfection." The thing about this rose is that it will produce many buds at one time and keeps on blooming. The white pom-pom like flowers look really fresh in the summer and light up the evening garden. The down side is that the Japanese beetles are especially fond of it, but the roses seem to fight them off. There'll be some damage, but not enough to hurt them. The two bushes always bounce back. Those and a yellow climber I have had for the last 3 growing seasons need fungicides to keep black spot off during June/July. I am unsure of the yellow climber's ID. I am looking to see if I saved the label. I usually put them in a pastic bag in a dawer for reference later as I wanted to catalog all of my plants for a journal.

Then there is classic and romantic "Don Juan", a really deep red antique climber with long stems that smells oh so wonderful. I have had this one for 3 growing seasons also. It didn't do well last year due to heavy rains then the 100 degrees hot spell, but this year Don Juan took off after I moved it into the new rose garden area. Time will tell.

Thanks for the rose recommendations, Foxy! I definitely have to find a spot for a 'Don Juan'. Not many places to put climbers... I'll have to get creative. :-)

Which are those pink roses, Herbalbetty? They look kind of a frosty pink. Very nice.

Some of my stock just bloomed yesterday so I am going to get pictures tomorrow a.m. It is just too dark before and after work when I get home.

The large rose is Geoff Hamilton and the small one is Fairy.

Whew! It was 90 degrees today and I thought about you--having frosts in September. Have you retired your DH from garden help, yet? LOL. I bet you are harvesting everything right now.

Here's some blooms from the new rose garden. They were happy roses being transplanted at last. I just hope I didn't do it too late.

This one's "Graham Thomas," a nice big apricot yellow flower. It's on one of the trellises.

Foxy, after three days of frost in early September, we have had warm, warm weather! Yesterday it was high 80s here! Definitely not what we usually have. How can you go leaf peeping wearing shorts, for crying out loud. Later this week, things should get back to normal for around here.

Love that Graham Thomas. Beautiful!

DH spent the day snaking our waste water pipe while I vended at the Catskill Ginseng and Medicinal Herb Festival. So, he was in the garden, but I bet he would rather have been digging beds than digging up pipe and snaking!

I'm sure DH would rather be doing anything else than digging pipes and snaking. Mine is only good for garden services from May to August. Then, he's committed to the football season, which last through the end of January, then the NCAA's and ACC tournaments require additional concentration and study. Oh, well, I am lucky he does what he does do. It would take me forever to dig and haul truckloads of mulch like he does!!

I bought him a massage seat early in the Spring (think it's called a Shatsu massager) so he could sit in it after a back-wrenching day, but he didn't really like to use it. I do, though.

My DH is not into sports at all! I know, a rarity. And he likes to go antiquing with me!

Herbalbetty, what kind of wood did you use in the rose arbor photo that was at the beginning of this thread (dated Sept. 18)? I love arbors and would like to buy or make one of my own.

Crabmeat, that is pine. All 4 x 4s. My DH just "winged it" as he made it. He laid out the wood on his shop floor, called me in to see, we adjusted, stepped back, adjusted some more. Then, he marked and he just cut the angles to how we wanted it. He used lag bolts to attach the top to the uprights. He also cut out a little mortise joint so the tops would fit into the uprights some. He'll put the pointy spires on it in the spring. Then, the raised beds that will run the length of it on either side.

The mailman asked what we were building in the yard. I replied, "A rose arbor." He said, "THAT'S a rose arbor???" "Don't tell my wife! She'll be wanting one too!" Hee hee, I love to enable.

Thanks, herbalbetty, for the information. But is the pine "wolmanized" pine? In other words, is it treated wood that can be used outdoors? Or do you just use regular, untreated pine and replace it when needed? Regardless, it looks like it will be beautiful when all the plants are in. You'll have to post a photo for all of us when that happens.

In our raised beds, we use untreated pine. For this structure, we did use treated pine. I hate to use that stuff, but this is not holding edibles, so we decided to go ahead and do it.

Thanks for the reply, herbalbetty. I know what you mean about not liking treated pine. It's not our favorite, either, but it's necessary unless you want to keep replacing the wood.