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15-06-2003, 10:08 PM

(Shiva) writes:

Do you have a row of sad potted roses like I do?

It's good to be asked that question once in a while. When I read it, I began
to worry, I do have several roses in pots. Why are they there? Am I still
trying "save" roses?
So this morning I counted.
Eleven.
A breakdown goes like this:
Secret Garden Musk Climber - I wanted to plant this one near a tree, but there
are too many roots there. So I cut the bottom out of a HUGE Rubbermaid
container, built up the soil underneath and planted the rose in the pot. It's
in it's permanet (I hope) home.
Darlow's Enigma - a new rose, I'm waiting for it to grow a little more before I
plant it. The spot is already vacant and waiting.
Not Reine des Violetts - This one is going to a good home on Tuesday.
Maman Cochet - an extra from cuttings I rooted this winter. It is going to the
same good home.
Vasquez - a mini that I potted up this morning. It looked good in a pot, but
didn't do as well in the ground. So I put it back in the pot where I plan to
keep it.
Three other miniatures - their permanent home is a pot. They seem to do better
in pots for me.
Summer Flurries - I had to move this one this spring because it was being
crowded out. Since I didn't get a lot of roots, I potted it to get it going
well. It's home will be the recently vacated spot of Vasquez.
Loius Phillipe (2) - cuttings I'm just waiting to grow a little more. Mine
will occupy the spot vacated by Mons Tillier (He got the shovel this spring.)
The other will be a gift to my mother, probably for her birhday in September.

Sorry you asked? g

A virused Sonia
Rykiel, the white rose that was supposed to be Perdita but was not,
the $4 bagged Europeana that is just stumps struggling to sprout for
year two? The dying Angel Face, the damned-near-dead Chrysler Imperial
(another $4 bagged rose that never took off), the tragic Antigua that
blooms maybe three times a year? You know, Julie, I looked at that row
this afternoon and started thinking ... MINIS. I'm going to try
growing minis in those pots! Anything but those wastes of soil, water
and air.

Are they gone yet? It's Sunday, you should have had time today. And when
they're in pots it's really quick. BTW, Uncommon Rose and Sequoia are still
shipping minis. You can fill those pots very easily and with some good roses.

Precisely! And THIS time I am waiting until next year to buy them. No,
I really mean it. I am going to PLAN the front bed. Save the planning
for the winter, maybe. Unless there are some I just have to order in
the fall! No last minute trips to the nurseries this summer where the
roses that did not sell will wave their spottie leaves at me
whispering things like "EVELYN! $5! YOU can work your magic on me, you
know you can!"

And even if you plan and ponder all winter, there will still be some that don't
cut it. That's gardening. Growing with roses means you are finally able to
get rid of those that don't meet your expectations.

This is what I am moving around to, I think. Maintaining about 80-100
roses by replacing ones I have given a chance but still do not like. I
have never been much of a "collector," anyway. It takes a certain sort
of mindset to enjoy collecting for collecting's sake, just to say you
have this many whatever it may be, or every single kind of whatever it
is. And when the work outstrips the enjoyment it must be time for less
roses!

I think when you ariive at this point you're beginning to reach a certain
maturity with roses. Life, time and money are too short to waste time on
plants that don't give you pleasure.

Julie