Love my Roses!

Jenny, Geoff, and the grandkids gave me my first Knock-Out rose bush for my Birthday.  I hope it does as well as my next door neighbors' bush.  His is just huge and so beautiful.  I have had a slew of rose bushes in my day and have had some make it and some kick the bucket within a couple of weeks.  I have the perfect spot for them, so I think.  I just keep losing them because of forgetting to water and fertilize regularly.  I do have a couple faves that have made it through my uncaring.  My Don Juans and my Lady Banks always give me a thrill. They are at least 20 years in the ground.  Lady Banks blooms only once a year, but the Don Juan rose vine just keeps blooming and blooming.  Hope you enjoy the photo I took below when they were both in bloom.

My MamaJo (Grandmother) and my Mama loved roses too.  I guess most women do.  The beauty of nature is in a rose.  The fragrance, the color, the intense pleasure is all there for the taking.  My Lady Banks is a thornless climbing rose that explodes in yellow clusters of small blossoms.  Although it only blooms usually in March and into April it is a sight worth seeing.  The Don Juan rose fragrance is by all means the richest of my roses.

The Rose

A single rose
Given by one to another
A single rose
Be it a friend, sister, or lover

A single rose
So good and pure
A single rose
May be the cure

A single rose
May dry the tears
A single rose
Wipes away the fears

A single rose
Represents many things
A single rose
To a memory, it clings

And if, by chance, that memory is bad
A single rose
Can seem so sad

But if, with luck, the memory is good
The rose stands proud
As it should.

Calysta Rose Anderson

  

May Day

So today is May 1st and the celebration of Spring.  I remember in elementary school celebrating with a dance around the May Pole.  I guess they just don't do that anymore.  I used to really look forward to the pastel ribbons and weaving in and out with the other children to make the ribbons wrap around the pole.  Quaint fun that probably would not excite this generation.

I received an article from a friend today which highly enlightened me and after a little research found her info to be very true.  Way to spoil some sweet memories of my childhood.  It seems that some believe the May Pole originated way back with the Romans as a phallic symbol to greet the new Spring crops and make them plentiful.  Oh boy!  I would like to just think of it as a fun way for children to greet the coming of Spring.

The month of May is always a favorite time for me.  I love the weather and the flowering of so many of my back yard plants.  My gardenia bush that I brought from our first home in Jacksonville (Francis Drake Drive) is now over 6 feet tall and in high bloom.  I remember my younger brother helping me plant it again almost 20 years ago.  The most wonderful thing about it is it does not involve any care and every year it blooms like crazy.  I like to think it has something to do with Edgar helping me plant it.

I remember when we made gardenia corsages for Mother's Day.  The fragrance was spectacular. 

Here are a few other flowers from the back yard taken with my iPhone.

Uh oh!  A Senior moment.  The flowers on the left are Plumbagos and on the right is an Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile) per my friend Cindy.  Thanks Cindy, I just had another senior moment on that one.