Monday, April 20, 2009

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

The "heritage" rose rambling above the cottage got a haircut and a spritz with neem oil for the aphids. I sprayed all the roses as well with neem, which is an amazing oil from the neem tree native to India, but also growing in Africa and other countries. Safe for ladybugs, bees, birds and mammals, it disrupts the appetite and reproductive cycle of many harmful insects. Only the insects that ingest plant tissue are affected, so butterflies and other critters that are nectar-gatherers are unaffected by it. For mammals, it is naturally antiseptic, antifungal, antihelmentic, anti-diabetic, antiviral, and sedative. In India it is known as 'the village pharmacy' because it is used in Ayurvedic medicine for so many conditions.

While I was up there I noticed this aeonium growing on the garage roof:

Those things grow anywhere and everywhere around here. That's a good thing.

They say it was in the 90's today in Carmel.

The sunset lingered and left a serene rosie hue behind.

1 comment:

Jeannette said...

Blooming pretty...specially when you have your kitty...