Aug 20, 2013

Hibiscus House Spotlight Paul Zimmerman

     We bloggers like to tell stories with lots of pictures and short descriptive quotes. There are times, however when we need more in writing to tell a story this is one of those times. 

Paul Zimmerman
Certified Rosarian
Rose Consultant to Biltmore Estate
Among other titles too numerous to name

     Today I would like to share with you the story behind this very interesting man.  It's true the fact that you never really know someone until you look further into their lives, their interests.  We all have our preconceived ideas of what someone is like.  I have found that most of the time we are wrong!

Everyone does indeed have a story to tell and this one is a great read!

     I'd like to introduce you to Paul Zimmerman.  If you haven't heard of him, I hope this article shares some insight into the man behind the ROSE.
     Paul was raised in Miami, Florida by wonderful Dutch parents.  He went to the University of Texas for two and a half years.  What did he take?  Aerospace Engineering of course.  He then decided that he didn't want to be a rocket scientist and went on to try other things.
     What did Paul do next you may ask?  I'll tell you.  He became a Juggler at Renaissance Fairs. This was for a short while and then he took the next logical step.  He went on to do Stand Up Comedy.  Living around the country Chicago, San Francisco and then finally settled in Los Angeles where he did his Stand Up for awhile.  Paul being the creative person he is, is this where it ends?  Of course not.
Paul
     His next job was as a writer for a late night talk show Into the Night with Rick Dees.  It was then that he met Pam Stone his wife.

 Pam

     She had come from Georgia and had land back in the South.  More on the land later.  You may even know of her and her fame. She is an author, actress, comedian, and radio host who is known for her 7 seasons in the ABC Sit-Com Coach.  Now writing her syndicated column, "I'm Just Saying" (First Place winner in the 2012 SC Press Association Awards). 

 I love me a Turkey Butt Samwich:  Finding a Farm Life After Hollywood
One of her books
Do you get the feeling that these two are terribly creative?

     It was at this time in LA that Paul really became interested in roses. He had mowed lawns as a kid back in Miami but there weren't many roses there.  LA had beautiful roses and he decided to order a few and learn more about them. 
     That began the gardening in LA.  While gardening he was over at this lady's home who happened to be President of the Rose Society. He was pruning her roses and a neighbor asked him how much he charged for that.  That led to his new adventure, rose gardening. He before long had a business with five employees taking care of 60 to 70 rose gardens in the LA area.  You know the Bel Aire, Beverly Hills, Hollywood Crowd.

  Everybody in that area had a pool guy, a hair guy, They were the rose guys!  They had an exclusive motto "We Don't do Weeds" .  That is how it began.  His interest began to lie more in the "Old Garden Roses".  The David Austin Roses had come out at that time too.

      Paul and Pam decided to move back to the South. South Carolina as a matter of fact, that makes me happy.  I can understand why they chose South Carolina being from here myself!  That is when he started a rose nursery called Ashdown Roses.
     Ashdown Roses is no longer, it is now Paul Zimmerman Roses.  He decided that he could do more with roses by writing a book and sharing his knowledge in that way.  Helping others  that had never grown roses, or had grown them and found them to be too difficult to grow.

Paul's new book
Click HERE 
He wants us to know if a rose doesn't do well in your garden, simply take it out! After all a rose is just like any other plant!

      You all know how much I love roses. I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book from P. Allen Smith and it will be my guide for growing new roses.  It puts growing roses in a new perspective and I like it!
      I had been watching You Tube Videos from Ashdown Roses and enjoying them very much. I didn't know who he was only that he was a joy to watch and I learned something new about growing roses every time I watched him.  Then I win this book and say to myself, "Hey I know this guy!"  from the videos I love. So pay Paul a visit at his websites, his You Tube,and watch a few videos you'll enjoy them too. 



Aug 17, 2013

Casper the Escape Dog




Casper, What can I say about him? I haven't spoken much about Casper lately have I?  I don't think that I told you he ran away and I could hear him barking but couldn't find him.  Chuck had been up and down the road off and on for a day searching.  We finally found him at a neighbor's home. He had found their children to be very likeable and they liked him, so much so that they gave him a name, "Fuzzy".  We brought him back home but knew he had enjoyed his day away.
He has stayed at home since then. Well here, but not in his pen, and not protecting our chickens...

Aug 14, 2013

Strawberry Hill a David Austin Rose




I wanted to share with you some of the pictures that I have taken of the new, Strawberry Hill a David Austin Rose
It is new this year and quite small. I put it into a large clay pot and  propped it up with a tomato cage until I can put it in a permanent home. The color is just beautiful.

HOUSE AND GARDENS