We recently planted this beautiful rose to mark my DH's 70th birthday in June. It is appropriately called "Special Anniversary", but before we knew it's name, we originally chose it for it's beautiful colour and old fashioned fragrance. It has settled into to it's new home so well and six weeks later it is in full bloom and brings additional joy to our garden.
The radio tells me that today is National Feel Good Day but we have a feel good day every Friday.
The radio tells me that today is National Feel Good Day but we have a feel good day every Friday.
I show this lovely picture of it as part of my Friday Smile for Annie, so pop over to her blog for more smiles to happily start off your weekend.
but wait........there's another tale....
...... I want to tell you about another special rose we have in our garden........
This rose has been here since 1991, and was planted when my mother died. We chose a "Peace" rose as Mum died just as John McCarthy was released from captivity. (He was a British journalist who had spent 5 years imprisoned by the Jihad terrorists in Lebanon and it was something happy in the news at such a sad time for us.)
However the rose never ever flowered and eventually turned into a gnarled stump and but I couldn't bring myself to dig it out.
This year DH said it must go, but I persuaded him to leave it until Autumn when I planned to move it to the back garden to see if it fared better.
Before long it was as if it knew what was afoot, and it grew a strong fat bud and fresh life came into it.
The greenfly had a go at it so I picked them off one by one and gave it a rinse of washing up liquid.
I watched that bud grow day by day.
Our gardener came to mow the lawns, as DH can't manage the heavy stuff, and he happened to mention the rose so I told him the story and he listened with interest and saying how special it was to hear about it.
He then proceeded to mow the lawns and ......
******
****
***
**
*
MOWED OFF THE BUD ON MY PEACE ROSE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sad I know, but you've just got to laugh! I know my Mum would!
Here's the evidence!
Have a great weekend and stay cool.
Oh Jo I have to say I did chuckle. It will come back bigger and stronger next year now I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to join in in your busy life.
Really hope we can meet up very soon.
Hugs,
Annie x
Oh Jo! What a story! It's funny how folks love roses as a flower to celebrate special occasions - we have a beautiful golden one at Annie's in celebration of the Golden wedding anniversary that Mum and Dad never quite reached. It's a beauty - of course it would be - flourishing in what was his very special garden. Thanks for sharing yours - it's a stunner. x Jo
ReplyDeleteA beautiful rose Jo. I had to laugh about the mowed off bud, though it is a sad tale really.
ReplyDeleteI too planted a Peace rose when my mum died. She had lived with us for the last ten years of her life and loved the flowers in the garden. And she was a real peace-keeper. She needed to be with all eight of us to keep in check. It bloomed well for me and I was sad to leave it behind. Roses do quite well here so one day I may buy a replacement but mum would not have been happy in the heat of Spain and she would have withered away herself.
Thanks for the smiles. Kate x
lovely rose stories. I hope your peace rose fares better in a new spot.
ReplyDeletevery beautiful flowers!!
ReplyDeleteYour rose is gorgeous - it's been a good year for them I think, but maybe not for your 'Peace' rose!!!!
ReplyDeleteMade me smile Jo :-) Anne x
ReplyDeletewhat a drongo Jo, really how could he be so blind as not see a rose bud ;D
ReplyDeletelove the pink one just superb, Shaz in Oz.x
PS had my last rose for season on my woyww post..
Oh no! What a shame...love the other rose. Thanks for the smile. Caro x (#10)
ReplyDeleteOh how I larfed! But not really funny, I hope you have other blooms on the go. Love your Special Anniversary rose too. Yes, I well remember John McCarthy's release, a day for great rejoicing. And I have been sitting here thinking about my next blog post, which I had decided to call Floral Friday because I photographed some roses I had cut today! It seems we are all having a good Friday, and saying it with flowers! Lx
ReplyDeleteIdidnt know whether to laugh or cry at that. Hope you get another!
ReplyDeleteOh no, I was wondering what was coming... didn't see that one (I should have!)
ReplyDeleteThe anniversary rose looks beautiful, I hope it will flower for you both for years to come!
Beautiful dusky pink rose (I love roses!). Shame about the peace rose but at least you know it is capable of flowering (but only if you change your gardener!!) XX
ReplyDeleteHow sad after hearing the story that the gardener could not have been more careful......... I think I would have pushd him under the lawnmower! .........upwards and onwards lol
ReplyDeleteTilly x
What a gorgeous rose ... and I could not believe that DH cut the head off the other, after the struggle to get a bud ...but I did have a little giggle and thought .. 'men' lol xx
ReplyDeleteOh Jo I am with you and understand the not growing of a rose as it was doomed I have a similar story. I planted a rose for my son about 20 years ago and it never thrived and was reluctant to pull it out because it was in his memory. Strangely I never moved it and in the middle of winter when my mother passed on the rose suddenly started to bloom profusely it was a sign that they were together and happy I am sure. So sorry about the peace rose but the bright side is it will bloom again and it probably did it some good. Thanks for your story, lovely.
ReplyDeleteHugs Eliza
My Mum does the same thing, plants a rose in memory of people and for special occasions and she has a lovely display of them now. Shame about your Mum's rose bud, hope it comes back fighting!!
ReplyDeleteOh no!!
ReplyDeleteThe first rose is gorgeous
I wish I could smell it
:)
That is a gorgeous rose there and had to laugh at the second one.
ReplyDeleteI planted a rose the day after my friend died 4 years ago. It starts out crimson red (her birthday was Christmas Eve) but the longer it is out it goes to a gorgeous dark pink. It is flowering it's little head off, and the first rose flowered on the anniversary of her passing. Very strange. I talk to it all the time too!
Hugs
xx