In the midst of their fiftieth anniversary year, Clara B. Rees Iris Society will be holding an iris rhizome sale on Saturday, August 11th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. There will be hard-to-find bearded iris varieties in a multitude of colors. Most are the "tall bearded," but "median" varieties will also be available.

For those who like an extra bargain, they have grab bags, too! Have your questions answered by experts in the field of cultivating and growing iris for the home garden. A don't-miss event for iris fans!

Many gardeners give up on their roses in the summer, believing they only produce quality flowers in the spring. Rose blossoms do tend to be smaller in the summer and the colors not quite as vivid because the summer heat forces the blooms to open before blossom size and color pigment have completely developed. But given the proper care, combined with a few simple pruning techniques, roses will re-bloom every six weeks until the first frost.

There are two ways to prune roses during the growing season, and both will encourage new blooms to set. Most roses have leaflets (with three to seven leaves) every couple of inches along the stems. In order to produce blooms you need to prune at least to the second five-leafed leaflet. (Pruning just above will eliminate nasty dead stems called coat hangers.)

If you also want to prune for size control, you can go as far down as two leaflets above the previous cut. Pruning beyond the previous cut tells the rose you don't want it to bloom. Remember that hybrid tea and grandiflora rose stems tend to grow at least 18 inches after each pruning before blooming, so if you only prune the minimum amount you will have a very tall (and possibly leggy) rose by the end of summer.

Because roses are constantly growing, they are in constant need of food. It's important to feed roses every 6-8 weeks with a quality rose food like Dr. Earth #3 Rose Food or Master Nursery Formula 49er All-Purpose Fertilizer. Continue feeding through September, and you will have quality rose blooms into fall. So don't give up on your roses. With a little help, they will provide loads of blooms for you all season long.

Who's your bud? Not the budworm. When the weather warms up, you can bet this pest is on its way. The budworm (a type of caterpillar/moth) is gunning for your geraniums, petunias, snapdragons, and other flowering plants. Knowing the budworm's diet, habits, and the effective control methods, you will be armed and ready for combat.

It can be hard to spot budworms. They are very small and they tend to take on the color of the bloom or foliage they are infesting, further enhancing their camouflage. You will see irregular chewing on the blossoms and round holes through flower buds and leaves. The numerous black droppings they leave behind are one of the telltale signs. Many gardeners may not know they have a problem until the damage becomes severe.

Controlling this pest depends on the amount of planting. With a small patio of plants, physically removing and killing them should be effective. A larger yard would require spraying. Insecticides that contain Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), such as Safer Caterpillar Killer, offer reasonably effective biological control. Because the Bt must be ingested by the insect to be effective, it may take a few days before you no longer see any signs of budworms. Plant sprays containing Sevin are also effective in controlling budworms.

Now that you know what to look for, and what to spray, you'll be armed and ready at the first sign of attack.

Irene is a native of San Jose and enjoys traveling, dancing, gardening, and going with friends to comedy clubs.

As a child, Irene once led Operation Tadpole Rescue, saving as many "orphan" tadpoles from the local creek as her mother's Tupperware collection would hold. Her house soon became home to a budding reptilian ecosystem, and her parents spent many a sleepless night listening to a chorus of croaking and unwittingly sharing their beds with Irene's frogs and turtles.

Once out of high school, Irene went into Montessori School working as a teacher's aide.

Ever impulsive, Irene has been known to suddenly take off on long 12-hour drives to the country. In the winter, she enjoys Frisbee-sliding in the snow.

My staff and I look forward to serving you this year. We'll go out of our way to make your day!

Matt Lepow

Our Featured Recipes are submitted by our family and friends and from employees of the Nursery. We'd also like our newsletter readers to submit great recipes to share. If you'd like to submit one or more of your favorites, please email us the recipe in the format shown below. Include a picture too, if you have one. We'd also like to know the origin of your recipe so we can include a little background on it.

Happy eats!

Matt and Jeni Lepow

This week's Featured Recipe comes from Jaymie English, Jeni's sister. This dressing is also good on your own salad creations.

What You'll Need:

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon finely minced onion

• 10 ounces fresh baby spinach – rinsed and dried

• 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced

• 1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

• 1 tablespoon butter

• Several tablespoons sugar

Step by Step:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

2. In a small skillet heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat until melted. Add slivered almonds and cook (stirring often) until they turn light brown (it will take some time). Sprinkle in several tablespoons of white sugar to coat almonds well. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the almonds are medium brown. You can test by letting a piece cool and see if almonds are crunchy. (Allow to cool completely before adding to the salad.)

3. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and dressing; then toss. Add finished and cooled almonds. For best results, serve immediately.