She Rooted All These Antique Roses

If you’ve met my Mother, you know she has a green thumb and a tender heart.  Just days ago, we were working in the garden so briskly, that she decided not to stop to go to church.  I took a picture of the roses below in her hand.

I’m writing/editing this while she’s in the hospital, in ICU, for a problem that she shouldn’t have.  My details or anger will do no good now.  She’s thinking of getting better and getting home, and I am too– and you can too,  please.   Good thoughts and prayers; her garden is glorious.

Momma’s (Gloria’s) plants become her scrapbook; memories of friends, mentors and some causal acquaintances.   Her roses make quite a stunning story board this time of year.

If you are lucky enough to be with a garden group who has a tour of our farm and garden coming up, you’ll get to see all these and maybe hear the stories.  

If you can’t make it here, Momma and Ruth Knopf explain rose rustling, propagation at home, and storytelling in the Deep Rooted Wisdom chapter called “Rooting in the Ground.”  In that chapter, you’ll learn that soon, two weeks after flowering, is the perfect time to take cuttings and root your own pass a long roses.  Roses like Ruth’s Tea Scented China, Speedy Gozalaz, Crepescule, Emmy Gray are featured in chapter.  Get your  signed copy here.  

Momma rooted them all herself, in a low tech bed of sand.   She never sprays anything.  Nothing.   And mostly, she fertilizes with compost. She’s into easy, low tech, soul satisfying gardening.