We set a new record in Oklahoma today-78 degress on February 4. Tomorrow, I kid you not, snow is forecast. That doesn't bode well for the 6 giant roses I transplanted today-they were already in their new homes before I listened to the forecast. The little garden in front of my house just couldn't hold the 6 old bushes, and I just couldn't kill them. So I dug six new holes, dug up 6 roses and transplanted them. Maybe I have indirectly killed them. Oh well, I got a lot of good exercise from the exercise.
While I was digging I came across the carcass of a horned lizard. Pretty cool. Of course, it was one I set free last fall, poor little bugger.
The last rose was a sympathy case. It was a spindly thing that lived on the SE corner of the house, where the sun rarely shines. It spent most of its life in the shadow of a the large cedar tree I had removed at the end of last summer, long before the sycamore masscre of January 2008.
It really is an odd shaped plant, but I felt bad for the hard life it had, so I dutifuly dug a hole in the sunny front yard and plopped it in. It didn't go without a fight-it was the only one that drew blood.
I went to return the sharp shooter shovel (my favorite shovel, I really must have one) and told my folks of the saga of the roses. I was ready for Mom to say "I don't like flowers in the front yard if they aren't in beds," and I said "I know. I do." and that was that. They both thought it odd that I felt sympathy for the spindly rose.
Sometimes, the best intentions go astray. This is true for horned lizards, roses and people. The only thing you can do is just keep planting, hoping that some day, some will grow.
3 comments:
I bet you that even if that horned lizard only had a few minutes of freedom that he enjoyed it totally.
I used to do what you are doing with plants and have gotten more ruthless. OUT they go with their genetic predisposition to droopiness. In with the good gene plants.
Aren't I mean?
We're having the same weird weather in Dallas today. I'm actually just wanting the weather to behave like it's winter but not having much luck. Can you just cover the roses with sheets or blankets? Will that keep them safe from the snow?
But Mim, they didn't have a decent chance. They were not in enough sun and when the previous owner died they were completely neglected for years. So, I put them out in the right conditions-if they flourish, I'll have free landscaping, if they don't, I've done all I could.
Michele, I don't really think they'll die-it's not that cold. Even the ice storm of December didn't get them!
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