Roses in December

Roses in December, originally uploaded by noramunro.

Sometimes, in the garden, things go wrong.

This probably happens more often than not, actually. You plant something, and it dies, or is wrong for the spot, or is too much work to maintain, or grows too big, or you find you simply don't like it. And so you spend a lot of time digging it up or cutting it down or ripping it (or your hair) out.

But sometimes, in the garden as everywhere else, things go right. They go beautifully, inexplicably, spectacularly right. And in the moment when you realise this, you are happy.

Above, some things than went right. Iceberg and Gru� an Aachen, blooming in December. I cut the last of the buds and blossoms off on Saturday. For all that Friday was so warm, the temperatures have been fairly normal in our little neck of the woods, and the Iceberg buds were turning pink with the cold.

Sunday the Viking and I went with Maman to Homestead Gardens to see the trees and the trains, and buy some holiday greens. The Viking needs cedar in the house to feel like Yule, so we bring home some cedar roping to dress the not-mantle in the living room. Maman and I like looking at the decorations and boggling at the poinsettias (they're airbrushing them now. And putting glitter on them. We edged carefully away).

We also like talking about what we planted that went right in the last year. Some of her roses were blooming as late as Thanksgiving -- David Austin's Sweet Juliette was the winner for her this year. Our sasanqua camellias have also gone right (we both have 'Snow Flurries'). I decided to buy another sasanqua while we were there, called 'Apple Blossom.' The colour is guess what, and there is a spot for it right by 'Snow Flurries.'

It's good to learn from your mistakes. It's good to learn from your successes too.

verso - recto