New Roses

One cold sunny day in the middle of February the UPS driver knocked on my door with a wonderful surprise. My roses had arrived! I was so excited. They came in this big box and I thought were packaged well. I could not wait to open it and see what they looked like. I was expecting 2 wrapped up stems..or something like that.
But to my surprise I opened the box and found 2 nice size little rose bushes with leaves on them! I was so impressed with the caution the Rose Emporium took when they packed these. I think those people must really have a passion for what they do to take such care with traveling roses.
The instructions said to unpack them as soon as you get them, and to plant them as soon as you can. However it also said if you can't plant right away, make sure you keep them watered and give them sun. Since it was still getting into the 20's at night, I decided I better keep them in the containers for a few more weeks. I added a little more soil to the containers and for the last few weeks they have been watered, moved to the sunny patio during the day, and tucked into the garage at night.
I talked to them (I know you talk to your plants too, right?) and explained why they were being moved around so much and assured them they would be placed in their new home as soon as it warmed up a bit. They both seemed to understand the situation and were very happy for those sunny days on the patio.
Spring has not arrived of course, but the nights have warmed up and I felt like the roses needed to get in the ground, so yesterday was the day for them to arrive to their new home. If the temps take a nose dive, I will be sure and cover them. This rose is Nacogdoches, my "Yellow Rose of Texas."


And this small leafed rose is Odee Pink. Remember, it's the rose they say your grand-
mother may have picked to pin on her dress for the sweet fragrance. I don't know what kind of roses my Grandmother had, but I know she loved them and had quite a few that smelled wonderful; so this little bush is dedicated to that memory.
I hope my new roses love their new home, and produce many colorful and fragrant blooms. Antique roses are suppose to be easy to care for. The instructions that came with them gave me good information and I will try and follow all the guidelines. I did not have a lot of luck in the past with roses, but I feel myself falling in love with these. I'll wait and see how they do, but I already have a couple of others in mind to order next year. Today we have mild temps and drizzly rain. Perfect weather for the roses in their new home.



"There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of it's existence."
Ralph Waldo Emerson