I find myself the custodian of a substantial collection of old fashioned roses in our new house. Most of these, (avert your eyes now, all rose lovers), have been earmarked for disposal. I don't relish the thought of doing this but thorns and small children are not a match made in heaven.
I took to them with loppers and a pair of secateurs not long after we moved in as a precurser to The Big Cull. Of course, when we returned from overseas I was greeted by the waxy luxuriant growth of rosebushes in their prime with buds poised for extravagant display. Extravagance being the key word here, the rose below is somewhere between a large side plate and a dinner plate in size and suffused with shades of magenta, crimson and lolly pink. I am trying to ignore it's magnificence. I cast brief, sidelong glances at it as I pass.
"Keep me, keep me!", I hear in rosy tones. Or was it the wind?
Damn! I am in torment.
Maybe I could act the proper gardener and take cuttings to grow them elsewhere, away from the small people. I could purchase some old world climbers with magnificent fragrance - I see them now tumbling over a wicker arbor. But what of my plans for a dry, water-wise garden - olive trees, succulents, Australian natives?
It's just that I'm coming round to the idea of roses - I like my pretty mixed up with a bit of thorn.
Look, I've even made a rose for my gardening hat.
I think they're staying.
x
Oh my gorgeous roses, I can see why you are wanting to keep them. We have been in a "drought" situation for around five years now, interestingly all but one of the roses has survived on the tiny amount of rainfall we have gotten only...lots of other stuff that I considered more "waterwise" has given up the ghost. So maybe they are more water-wise than we think....
Posted by: jodie | October 31, 2008 at 04:13 PM
I too inherited a lovely collection of roses when we moved into this house - and was also worried about the little fingers and thorn issue. But in fact, it has never been a problem and despite my policy of only planting natives, the roses have stayed - they are too stunning to destroy.
Posted by: Kylie | October 31, 2008 at 07:23 PM
beautiful! I remember as a child, my grandmother had awesome rose bushes. We were told about the thorns, and just never played around or with the bushes. Such a joy to look at! I would be torn as well with my little ones.
Posted by: Deborah | October 31, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Oh my, those roses are rather magnificent.....
My suggestion is that if you really don't want to keep them, find someone who wants them, and transplant them into a new garden.....
That way they aren't completely lost....
Leah xxx
Posted by: Hyena In Petticoats | October 31, 2008 at 11:57 PM
oh i wouldn't have the heart! and those pictures are too gorgeous!!! i can't imagine you no longer have pictures of beautiful roses like that.
Posted by: rubyellen | November 01, 2008 at 04:00 AM
I live in Canberra like you, and you must keep the roses! They have survived drought here for the past several years and I picked 2 vases worth yesterday. They are tougher than natives. Keep them. My 2 children adapted to them fine. It would be a crime to destroy them. I rarely water them and they grow beautifully.
Posted by: Vanessa | November 01, 2008 at 03:21 PM
KEEP THE ROSES!! It would be a crime to destroy such beauty. My grandmother had a garden full of beautiful blooms, we never encountered a thorn, not once! We watered them by ourselves, and the ones that had tea leaves thrown on them always bloomed the best. Keep the roses - they are magnificent.
Posted by: lexi | November 01, 2008 at 06:34 PM
"Donate" the plants to an old folks home or something. Then you can congratulate yourself for being a saint and you will also have god rid of those prickly beasts.
Posted by: Pherenike | November 03, 2008 at 09:35 AM
BTW I mean 'got' rid of, not god rid of!
Posted by: Pherenike | November 03, 2008 at 09:36 AM
I have roses right in the way near my front door - who would put them there? honestly, it's just rude. Plus, they look appalling for a good portion of the year - scrawny. Inconveniently, they seem to thrive on my butchery and disdain. One I removed grew back and is now a splendid display of blooms - fucker. Incredibly I am the only one who is stupid enough to get impaled on their enormous thorns (that would be while I am butchering), the dog and the small people are smarter than I. My husband thinks they are quite lovely - wierd.
Posted by: Ninaribena | November 03, 2008 at 11:47 PM