Poppy-Colored Impulse Roses

I picked up the prettiest color of roses from the grocery store yesterday. The variety is called Impulse and they are a gorgeous, rich red/orange, poppy color. Next time I order flowers for someone, I'm definitely requesting these because they are like a fun, sassy version of a red rose...and with no romantic connotations!

I love how they look in my den. I didn't think about it until placing them in the room, but they really bring out the same shade that's in the Chiang Mai Dragon pillows and in the kantha throw draped over the arm chair. This might be my new favorite color of roses...

Aren't they pretty? I love getting fresh flowers and don't feel so guilty about the indulgence when they only cost $9/dozen. Hopefully my store will keep stocking this type/color. 

Do you have a favorite rose color? Or do you buy a different type of flower altogether? I love hydrangea and I'll also buy peonies when they are season, but unfortunately they are much more expensive and never last quite as long!

Bud Vase Love

It's been a hectic Monday and my workday is nowhere near over. It's days like these when it helps to have flowers on your desk! Luckily my rose bushes are churning out lots of blooms now that the temps are cooler around here. Since I planted them, I've started accumulating bud vases because they're ideal for displaying flowers without long stems. The ones shown here are Two's Company Elegant Affairs Fluted Bud Vases. They are my absolute favorite ones because they have a tiny opening that perfectly holds a little posey of flowers without the need for an ugly rubber band (see second photo). I love the look and they only cost about $5 each! Pretty, aren't they?

Do you ever use bud vases? I'm pretty obsessed with them and like to sprinkle them all over the house. These blue and white ones from Wisteria might have to be the next addition to my collection...

Encouraging Signs from the Yard

I'm happy to report that the rose bushes I bought a few months ago have not perished under my care. In fact, they are flourishing! Maybe I don't have a black thumb after all :) Truth be told, some other plants around here haven't fared as well, but let's not talk about those. Just focus on these pretty blooms:

This is probably not big news for you, but I'm happy to see signs that my gardening abilities are improving and that all of the hard work and money spent at the nursery hasn't gone to waste. It gives me the confidence to move on to the next challenge I've been wanting to tackle...a vegetable garden.

Also, I have to celebrate this minor victory now before the triple digit August temperatures wreak havoc on the yard as a whole. The hot weather has already plagued our hydrangeas and is starting to brown the dogwood tree on the left side of the house. Oh well, I'll take hot pool weather over the snow we had in February!

The Great Outdoors

Now that the weather has warmed up, I've been on a mission to get our yard in shape. One of the tasks has been adding some new landscaping. I bought lots of begonias, geraniums, and roses for color. I have a black thumb, so I'm praying that I don't kill it all!

Bed of Begonias, these hold up in our hot Texas summers

Double-Knock Out roses, supposedly these are bullet-proof. The real question is: are they Knight proof? Only time will tell.

Hot pink Geraniums

Climbing roses

We are blessed to have a yard full of azaleas. I only wish that their blooms stuck around for a bit longer!

 

Another duty has been cleaning up the outdoor furniture. I'll report back when this project is finished up!