Dear Gardener

Before the storm

waiting for the rain

It's been a rainy May in Bulgaria!  This past week lots of rain, rising rivers and mud!  But it is spring after all.  There are also ripe Mulberries and cherries on the trees and strawberries in the gardens.  Yeah!

I have a question for gardeners.....is it possible to plant young rose bushes in a shady spot in the middle of summer?  There are three 7th graders here who want to do a community service project during the summer for the village which also involves other students.  One idea is to plant lots of rose (seedlings?) in front of the elementary school.  They were told by a nursery owner that roses cannot be transplanted in the summer.  Is this true?  If so, does anyone have other ideas for what perennials might be a good choice for a long-term landscaping improvement?  The students want to beautify the village center for everyone to enjoy.  It will also be their legacy to the school - 7th grade is their final year there.  If you know plants, please share your ideas with me!  (Bulgaria's climate is similar to the midwest in the US - the corn-belt / wheat-belt.)

Last weekend was also a 4-day weekend.  It was a holiday celebrating the history of the Cyrillic alphabet.  Bulgarians love holidays and have a deep knowledge of history.  One night there was a history presentation honoring the holiday and very creative dancing by local talent - from our village and also from a near-by town.  The next night there were professional dancers performing outdoors - both traditional dances and modern.