I'm just loving this Spring (aside from the fact that we are getting ZERO rain in Dallas..the water bill is going to make me cringe next month). However, I have been spending a great deal of time in my rose garden. The garden itself began rather modestly on a medium sized area behind the 80 year old boxwood that create one "wall" for our courtyard. Many, many years ago, Gary got out the tiller and created the perfect place. I spent a few months prepping the soil with nutrients, bone and natural pesticides. The first rose bush I planted was the Abraham Lincoln rose; very hearty and presents amazing and lush blood red blooms. I bought a trellis and started two red climbing roses which now form an arch around the trellis itself (hint: if you want to force climbing roses to grow a certain direction, tie them to the wall, trellis etc. with panty hose. It stretches and doesn't cut into the plant, plus you get the fun of watching those behind you at the checkout counter stare at you as if RuPaul's Drag Race is your next stop. I cut the panty hose into strips and tie errant parts of the climbing rose to the trellis). Gary bought me a few more bushes quickly and the rose garden became a reality.
Today, over fifty varieties of roses live in my garden (antique, tea, heirlooms and classic)...along with a fabulous sundial on a pedestal and a few other little odds and ends. Each rose means something to me. On our first Valentines together, rather than buying me flowers, Gary bought me three live rose bushes for the garden. Now think about it, I have been with Gary for almost twenty years and this is our yearly tradition. That's a lot of rose bushes. Some have died over the years (although I desperately want it to live...the Barbra Streisand rose is not adapted to the heat of Dallas and ALWAYS dies quickly. We have tried it three times). Yet, some of the bushes in my yard are almost the size of automobiles. I have one pink rose bush (genus and name long forgotten) that is absolutely enormous and takes hours to trim). Along with such huge bushes I have other very healthy ones. I took a risk years ago by personally naming a luscious pink antique rose, Emily. Emily is my deceased mother's name and regardless we call it by name. I always worry something will happen to it and I will be heartbroken....still...it has become a very established bush and does well every season. It's an antique rose so almost looks like peonies when it explodes in pink buds. I think it has been growing here for over ten years.
One of my great delights was making something special out of Gary's mother's death a number of years ago. She lived past ninety and it was her time. The family immediately put her house on the market, but not before I could drive over and dig out her legendary and HUGE rose bush (I won't even begin to tell you how many hours it took to take out such a large root ball from such an established rose. It had a great root system, thus with my knowledge of roses and their major roots I was able to divide it into three different bushes. Gary's sister got one piece...we kept the other two. I'm proud to say with initial love and tender care, both "pieces" that I planted are magnificent! They are now full fledged rose bushes all on their own and one in particular this year is putting on quite a show. What a joy to take something that Gary grew up with over 50 years ago and be able to bring it to our garden!!!!
Ironically, the first rose that bloomed this year was the Elizabeth Taylor rose; a lovely shade of light violet. It bloomed about two days after her death. What a tribute!
I don't like winter much (depressing and grey) and summer is almost intolerable in Dallas....110 degrees half the time. Yet, I love Spring here and adore Autumn. Spending time with my roses is such a relaxing and meditative time for me! Okay, I'm a moron, but I talk and sing to the roses. Nobody is around when you live on two acres, thus you get to sing to plants all you want without being picked up by the psych ward.
I love having such a large and expansive rose garden. I love each and every bloom! As my pets over the years have died I always bury them in the rose garden knowing that their little bodies will nourish and feed the rose bushes, thus my pets live on forever in the roses. Each time I go on a cutting mission, I always remember that each and every bud and flower has something I have loved inside it!
So, the roses are great.......now I can't wait for our spectacular lilly garden to get busy. Already the irises are opening....we have a few light pink and purple opening up. The calla lillies are out of the ground...the cannus are up (but have a while to go) and the day lillies are going nuts but will not bloom for a few weeks at least. Also, about twenty Easter lillies have poked their heads out.
Gary has ordered our acanthus (imagine giant and extremely tall elephant ears that come in both red and green). We also have a huge box of caladiums on the way.
I love my yard. I love having two acres to play with. I love EVERYTHING about my flowers blooming and bringing happiness, joy and beauty to the yard.
FYI....I planted over twenty geraniums today in pots along the front walkway and stairs. It's going to be lovely up here!!
Yours, Bratprince
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