I spent this past weekend planting roses that my violin student gave me. It is nice to know people who work at nurseries or “mom and pop” garden shops. My student pulled the roses from the trash bin. He didn’t have the heart to let the roses rot in the compost pile, so he gifted them to me….12 Lady Yellow Banks Roses, two tea roses and a few past season natives. (“past season” should have a dash but I can’t figure out where the dash sign is on this new iPad). Between the thousands of Oxblood Lilies from the recent Ford Haus salvage, and the new rose babies, I have been digging in the dirt for a week.
Before I received the gift of the roses, my friend Carolina and I were literally just chatting about her garden called “Ricki’s Garden”. Before Ricki was born, people brought plants, trees and bushes as baby gifts. Ricki could enjoy watching the beautiful garden grow as she grew. One of the trees was given by one of Carolina’s cherished friends, who passed away a few years ago. What a special gift to have a rose or a tree that will always be a wonderful memory of that special person.
I would love to have my entire garden be a garden story like Ricki’s, but of course, in my own garden way. In my garden, every flower bulb has some sort of story behind it…..I have Mia’s Spider Lilies, Carolina’s Crinum, the flooded house bulbs, Nonnie’s Daylilies, Mema’s Heirloom Iris, and the list goes on and on. I haven’t had any special sentimental stories behind my trees or shrubs in the gardens. Most of the roses have been purchased from the Antique Rose Emporium. The gift of these roses will be my *first* gift of a rose bush in my garden. I’m super excited! Every garden deserves to have a story. I am grateful for the beauty the gift of these roses will bring for years to come.
We are getting into the Holiday Season. What a joyous time to celebrate those we love. When you are out shopping, remember that gifts are really a symbol of affection. Not every gift needs to be purchased from a department store. In fact, the beautiful gift of a memory is a very special gift to give someone you love. Plant a tree, mail them an antique rose or an heirloom bulb. These treasured gifts will last for decades to come. For more information on sending a special gift of seasonal heirloom bulb beauty, email me at heirloombulbgirl@ gmail.com.
There is a lot of beauty out there. Share it with someone you love.
Happy Gardening, my dear garden friends.