A Simple Trellis

When Pappy was about 19, he and a friend built two garden features for us--a big, beautiful koi pond with a pair of waterfalls, and a semicircular flower bed. We love to spend time reading and talking on our covered patio by the pond, often taking a staycation there. That place is good for the spirit.

Conversely, the flower bed has gone through some changes, but we never really sat down and designed the space. Years ago, a lady who spoke at our local Rose Society helped me dream up a plan for it, but things always got in the way, and I never followed through.

A few months ago, I decided this was the year to start, and I think part of the impetus was Pappy's son, Little Man.

DH and I have endured so many renovation projects that we can pretty much put up with anything, but as I've watched Little Man grow into the mature and discriminating three-year-old that he is today, I've come to realize that his standards are higher than ours. Not one more summer do I want to watch him playing in the pool while behind it is a weed patch just waiting for its next hit of RoundUp.

So, I purchased seven old garden roses--climbers--to begin phase one, the backdrop, of the flower bed. "All you have to do is drill some holes," I assured DH, as the vision developed in my mind.

Well, I thought that was all he'd have to do. And, after a design change, there were no holes to drill. There were, however, eight 4 x 4's and a bunch of metal stakes, and DH and a friend spent a few hours working and sweating yesterday to get the posts installed and make sure that everything was plumb and level.

DH took it pretty well. Even though he doesn't like to admit it, he loves me. I took some water to the guys mid-morning and asked the friend, "How long did it take for him to start cursing?" "Not long," he replied.

He's relaxing today, and I really appreciate all the effort. One day soon, the trellis will be covered with seven antique roses, and we'll start saving money on RoundUp!

Springing Back to the Rose Garden

How I love this time of year! We've had our windows open for three or four weeks straight, and I am a happy woman.

Spring started right after the snow left a few weeks ago--that was fun and unusual! As soon as it warmed up, I took the opportunity to get outside and do a little gardening.

I wasn't sure I remembered how to do a little gardening, though. The last couple of years, we've pretty much abandoned that activity in favor of other pastimes (the babies won't be little forever, after all). My poor rose garden looked so unloved. But this month I've already planted six new roses, cleaned up the weeds, done most of my pruning, and put out pine straw.

Pruning is easy to put off, but to my surprise, I even enjoyed that. It seems that being out in the fresh air when it's a gorgeous 72 degrees, dreaming about the beautiful, fragrant blooms in your future, is restorative and healing. All the noise in the world fades away, and you simply enjoy the meditative quiet.

I love everything about roses--their beauty, their fragrance, and even the way the petals feel to the touch. And I found some purportedly disease-resistant varieties that I hope will make the summer a little less taxing.

I still have three more new roses on the way, and these are coming all the way from a company called Palatine Roses in Canada (I caught them right at the end of their shipping season)! These three are among the newer varieties from German breeder Kordes. One is a climber called Aloha Hawaii--which is fun, since I was born in Honolulu-- and I've also selected a pair of roses named Caramel Fairy Tale to go in the pretty pots that Hood Ornament gave us.

Wish me luck! There will be plenty of photos.