Above is Golden Celebration and a young Crown Princess Margarita I am hoping these David Austins will do well for me but I hear they can be a bit of a challenge. We shall see.
So as you may know I made my first trip to New Orleans to see the progress on the house and to received two deliveries of roses for the New Garden.
Well Let me start by saying I LOVE NEW ORLEANS! Such amazing buildings and history in this little ol' city! Needless to say the house is moving forward slower than we had hoped but it is moving forward. So the Garden is delayed and adjustments to my expectations are in the works.
Then on my first day in New Orleans I accidently bumped my Pocket Two Gimble camera off a table and it fell about 2.5 feet to the floor while off and in it's protective case. Well that case did little to protect it and the Gimble is not working from the get go. So now I need to try and find someone to fix it as I know so little about how these things work and the YouTube videos on the topic where of little help and I don't want to end up doing more damage in the process. So I spent a good couple of days angry about that as that is $300.00 I thought was a good investment into being able to do decent videos for YouTube down the fucking drain... I purchased it used so there is no warranty with the Japanese company that makes it and I am unclear how simple or difficult it will be to find someone to be able to fix it. Strange how this thing was do delicate it could not handle a short fall to the floor and it makes me question really how great it will be out videoing stuff as it is bound to get bumped and yes dropped in the process so it just seems a design flow and just a total fluke. But they seem like great cameras until it is not.. so I fluctuate between anger and well anger (not much fluctuation) when I think about it still.
Needless to say BMaC got somewhat ignored as I really was licking my wounds over the camera and not getting content made for here. But the whole journey will continue and I will figure out getting content done for the YouTube as that is really where I want to go with my journey in New Orleans and the Garden. Tho the whole moving and dates and when stuff will take place is still very fluid and i need to look at how BMaC (this platform works for me and those who visit it)
As for those who are owed a perk (ie T-shirt) I am still working on that and structuring the perks better. I realize I may have jumped the gun but believe me your contributions have all been invested into the Garden project already! I have used money to purchase a good variety of seeds to start plants on my own for the garden and a few extra to use to trade local in New Orleans in garden clubs groups which my New Orleans friend Dawn says there are many she is a member of. I do look forward to meeting new people in NoLA to learn from and share ideas and plants ect.
So anyhow here are photos of the roses this morning in New Orleans that Mike sent. These bloomed over night and he was greeted by this morning. 
This is a Pope John Paul II white rose which is very fragrant I am told but I am not there to smell it! I am happy to see no thrip damage to the blossom as this one had trips when i received it and I have been treating all plants for thrips since I saw them shortly after unpacking.
As for the Thrip issue, yes I would have preferred the plants not have them. And as for a vendor with the reputation the one I used has I was a bit angry about it. I paid a good price for these roses based on the reputation of the seller. Yes I know they expanded the business this year and the growth may have been too much too fast or whatever.. but still.
I will say I was in contact with the vendor regarding the issue and they did offer a good size credit for my troubles of having to treat the plants right away. Thrips are a common issue with roses I understand that. And if you grow roses you will encounter them and have to deal with them at some point. One just hopes new plants are inspected and treated and managed prior to shipping. Anyhow They did address the issue, I could have pushed to return for a full refund but I really did not want to have to pack up the plants and arrange shipping and all that once they arrived. The plants are doing well and I will stand by it and take my credit and get a few more roses!!!
My first bloom on the Crown Princess Margarita! She is lovely and that apricot blush color is so lovely! this is a climber and can get go to 12 feet so am hoping to get her long the driveway fencing along with some morning glory mixed in.
We shall see as nothing is set in stone yet... I have lots of ideas and dreams about this garden.
Another David Austin, Roald Dahl (named after the British Author, James and the Giant Peach and other texts) The new blossom looks good and no signs on thrips on this one now! I will spray weekly or so depending on signs of life but would prefer to move away from spraying as much as I can and use natural predator's (lace wings and ladybugs) and plant selections rosemary, mint (in containers) Marigolds ect. as I hope to build up a good assortment of beneficial insects and pollinators in the garden!
Anyhow again sorry I don't keep up on here as much as I should but I am trying and I appreciate you taking the time to check this space out. And any contributions are so greatly appreciated. 
This is a band size rose (own root) less than a year old but will have love red blooms and in the fall winter foliage changes to red and the spent blossoms will produce lovely orange hips! Maybe I will learn to make rose hip jam or something? This is one of Five Band size own root roses I got from High Country Roses, Matt the owner is very helpful and knows his stuff ! (the other roses are from a different vendor I just don't want to confuse people. The roses plants I got from High Country Roses where not the ones with the thrip issue, however I have been treating them as well as they where near the other ones and I just wanted to be safe and treat all plants to prevent infestation)
I stopped into Voodoo Authentica to make a wish for the garden to perform well and show respect to New Orleans!
A shot of me sitting in Jackson Square the St Louis Cathedral behind me along with Pirate alley next to it. The history in this shot alone is so valuable to me. Down in Pirates Alley is the Faulkner House and bookshop! 
Bayou shot in City Park New Orleans! I am going to love it here!