New obsession with outside garden, topiery etc.
 

I am trying to keep the orchid collecting to a sensible rate. Mostly what I have now are phrags and paphiopedilums-- no reason why. For some reason I have gotten into Roses and junipers-- especially "cloud" trees-- with little pom poms, like large scale Bonsai trees. Also, Japanese Maples, and ground covers.

Hopefully I can upload some photos. This thing will not let me do it.

fun! i want to see more

Years ago one of my neighbors had a palo verde tree close to his mailbox. They're amazingly vigorous. You can cut one down to the ground and have a huge bush in 1-2 years. Anyway, he carved the tree into a mailbox replica.

Good luck with your new hobby!

I went from growing in the yard to container growing. :)

I tried out some of the old English roses (from David Austin) this year to honor my dad who grew fragrant tea and floribunda roses for over fifty years. The last few days should have put them into dormancy so we will be moving them to the garage.... I have grown roses in ground but this is my first attempt at growing them in a container.

My dad was also the gardening enthusiast of the family. Iris, roses everything.

I split the difference and am growing some in raised beds. I got several "Own root" roses from Heirloom Roses online (Eden climber, Penelope, Sally Holmes, Sea Foam, Ice Burg, Ballarina). They were a bit more expensive then some companies. -- I got mostly white-- no reason, I am enthralled by monochromatic schemes. In the front it is red (mostly knock outs and carpet roses), and in the back it is white with touches of pink. I also got several "single petal" roses because I don't think they get as much love and they are totally gorgeous. So that was last year. Next year (meaning 2024) I switched it up a bit, and have pre-ordered two massive roots. One of Ketsup and Mustard, and another of "Koko Loko." Both were roses I regretted not buying. They are bare root, and I should get them in February or March. Crossing my fingers because I have had luck with only one bare root rose in the past-- I got several bare roots from Tractor Supply, and all of them died except one-- This one was in the wrong bag as well so I had no idea what it was. It is super vigerous, and I found it was a Hybrid Perpetual, Frau Karl Druschki, considered one of the most beautiful whites, but it only blooms once a year, and is a short climber. Of course I planted it in the wrong place-- the middle of the front yard, so there is nothing to climb on to. I suppose since it is a "short" climber, I will get her an Obalisk, either that or I will need to move her.
Lovely flower:

Sadly they don't grow in my zone 7a, I don't think. I'm sure they would not be unknown here if they did.

Same with my dad...roses, fruit trees, the vegetable garden, a collection of irises of different colors....

Thanks for mentioning Heirloom Roses....
I just ordered Strawberry Hill, Rose de Rescht, and Comte de Chambord, from Heirloom Rose as I have always had better luck with own root roses.

Growing outdoors in 6B hasn't helped me keep my orchid collection smaller...

Growing other plants indoors has....
I think the other plants keeps me from hovering over the orchids and worrying about them quite so much.

I just got some new pine trees, a Black pine "Thundercloud" a Mugo Pine Carstairs "Winter Gold" and Mugo Pine "Yellow Marble." A new tree in a few weeks called 'Shirome janome' Japanese Black Pine (Has something to do with "eye of dragon") it is a varigated pine tree-- still a dwarf but will grow a out 8-10 feet tall in 10 years. I took a risk (several months ago) on 2 "giant size" rose roots-- a bout 5 year old bushes-- Mustard and Ketsup and Koko Loco. I am not much of a "bright" or red rose buyer, but K&M is special. Besides I have a huge area with only red roses. Well this is about all the pictures I can get in here. The two Mugo Pines. Anyway, they are from Conifer Kingdom.