Tuesday, August 6, 2013

A Rose by Many Other Names


            Wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, successful business woman, tennis champion, fashionista—all of these and more are among the many names my friend Rose can lay claim to. And with a name like Rose, it is fitting that she can also add avid and accomplished gardener to this list. Recently, I asked if I could blog about her garden, and she graciously consented. Follow along for a virtual tour garden tour.   






Our tour guide! Isn't she beautiful? In addition to the above-listed accomplishments, Rose can also boast--along with husband Glenn-- being a roller skate champion in her younger years! (I'm trying to talk her into letting me blog about that.)










             Welcome...come in, sit a spell.

Artistically arranged groupings such as these add a warm welcome to the front of her house and her porch. Don't you just want to pull up a chair and visit?
 
And we're walking...
 
...to the backyard.
 

There's something about a gate that promises mystery...entices us to peek behind.
 

 
With no horses around, this handsome jockey spends his days admiring the flowers.
 
Names like "Bleeding Heart" and "Naked Lady," suggest these beauties inspire a lot of juicy garden gossip.
 
 
And you know there has to be a rose bush. In fact, there are many of them.
 
 
 
 
An eye for details...As with her clothes and accessories, Rose has what it takes to make her garden not only beautiful but also interesting. Notice all her (almost) hidden treasures such as the figurine and the lamp post tucked amid her plants.
 

Family, friends, and plants get lots and lots of TLC from Rose.
 
 
And now for some gardening tips from Rose. She didn't actually state these for me, but they are what I picked up as we talked and toured and what I've gleaned from conversations over the years.
 
1.  Have a willing partner. I would be in trouble if I didn't give a shout-out to Rose's husband Glenn. Evidence of his gardening enthusiasm abounds. (And according to him, he provides all the muscle.)
2.  Mulch much--the more natural, the better. Pine needles and grass cuttings provide much of the mulch in their garden.
3.  Fertilize and water freely, especially in the hot, stressful Oklahoma summers.
4.  Economize. As in clothing stores, amazing bargains can be found on sale racks in nurseries. With patience and care, ailing plants or those with spent blossoms can be nursed back to health in no time. 
5.  Share. Rose shares not only her knowledge of gardening but also seeds and cuttings. And she shares generously. Just last Sunday I heard someone at church ask for a cutting from her giant angel wing begonia. More than once I've seen her haul potted cuttings to someone in our Pilates class. (Yes, she does Pilates, too!) And many times I've been the lucky recipient of those cuttings.
 
 
 
These four o'clocks and the purple double trumpet vine
below are in my own garden. Just two of the many cuttings Rose has shared with me.
 
 
A gift from a garden truly can be the gift that keeps on giving!
 
 
      
 
Hope you enjoyed the tour and meeting Rose. Have some gardening tips you'd like to pass along?

5 comments:

  1. I am awed by the beautiful pictures (and beautiful lady in them!) My thumbs are yellowish brown, but I truly admire the nurturing talents of others. I would love to see that garden up close and personal some day. Thanks for the tour, Dee Dee! :)

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  2. Lovely - thanks for sharing, Rose. Just need a book and a glass of lemonade to go with that perfect hangout.

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  3. I am so envious of avid gardeners. I love spending time in gardens, but I've never found the actual work very enjoyable. Thank goodness for people like Rose!

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  4. I love the gate. There is something so enticing about the mystery. And I agree with number 4. My house is usually where plants come to die; however, this year they are all still alive. What's better is that I spent a fraction of what I usually spend because I bought my plants in the bargain bin. I figured if they were already on their way out, then I wouldn't feel as guilty. Instead, probably out of gratitude,they've stayed alive and beautiful.

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  5. Rose's delicate blooms are lovely. To call myself a gardener would be reckless with the truth. I'm more of a piddler. Maybe the deer herds that frequent our large yard can be blamed. After losing roses and greenery supposedly deer-proof, I decided to go for the less attractive and smelly varieties of vegetation to stall their appetites this summer. Mass plantings of marigolds and lantana promise beauty for the next couple of months.

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