I am so sorry to hear the discouragement in your post. You have certainly been an inspiration to me and all of your help on this forum has produced tangible results in my garden. Certainly, a smaller garden will be less trouble and you should not grow anything that does not make you happy. Perhaps the roses that are performing the best under these adverse conditions should be the ones to stay? In any case, would love to hear what you decide to do. Keep posting.

Bummer, but I believe I know what you mean, time to draw back and re-evaluate and probably shrink up here. There are areas in mine where reversion to grass is not a bad idea and setting back the border 2 or 3 feet in te center pod in the back works for better balance. And heaven forbid I thinking of some heavy shovel pruning come next spring. This is the first year where I have not felt the mid-summer "blissfully chained to the garden" syndrome and actually being doing other things.

Pat, I certainly understand. And perhaps you need to weed out a few. But do yourself a favor, wait out this year and into winter. If you don't get that same feeling late next winter of anticipating the spring flush, then take them out.

Yours is one of the gardens I would most like to see in person. I hope you think about it, but if it's the right thing to do, then do it and don't look back.

Dear Patricia,
Several weeks ago I wrote to someone in our area that There was a reason our husbands didn't give us front end loaders for Christmas, because my garden would have been leveled already this year.
I have to believe that this year is aberrant; that fall will be better.
But Larry's been working on the boat's hull in Decatur, just up the road from you, and the weather in Alabama has been worse than here. (For those who don't obsess over the weather maps, watching for thuder storms to billow up and then disappear, Alabama is in Exceptional Extreme Drought and has been for months; and their temps are in the mid 90's. And there are more months of summer ahead.) We got some respit in July so my weeds are finally looking good.
China roses are sort of looking ok, but not outgrowing the ouch Horse Nettle (I have Horse Nettle in two colors: lavender purple and white, I never knew that before, thorns on either are painful and penetrate goat skin gloves easily).
Noisettes are proving themselves. HTs...we don't talk about the HTs. (If you can't say anything good....)
Teas are holding on.
But please consider yourself hugged.
And I have some wild black raspberries that are doing really well and about to be moved into a formerly HT bed in the back. I'd rather have three weeks of black raspberries than this year's alternative.
But found roses....were here to be found for a reason. They look down from their healthy selves and remind me that roses can rule. Just not all roses, not everywhere.
I wish there were a postive, easy answer.
Ann, with poison ivy on my right hand and arm in spite of Tecnu

Oh, Patricia, I also feel discouraged. At the beginning of summer we had 40 days of rain out of 60. The rain was often torrential, so I could not get into the garden even when it was not raining. The ground was just too soggy.

Then the rain stopped. Nothing. I have spent so much time watering, and trying to play catch up all summer.

Last week I had my friends over for lunch, and none suggested seeing the garden - it was so weedy. I was so discouraged that I could not make it look nice, but in reality, they were not interested in the years when it did look nice. They often would ooh and ahh for me since we have worked together for years, and they are my best friends. But I realize that my garden is mine. It is for me (and my husband) alone. Even when the members of the rose society would come on a tour, many would try to tell me what I should do or ask me if I have seen such and such. Nobody cares, but me, and my dear friends here. Isn't it funny that total strangers are my best garden buddies.

Therefore, the front should look nice, and does. Everything else can wait because I say so, and I know that nobody else really cares. My friend, Round Up, can help if it gets too bad, but everything is for me.

I am going to replace the black spotted roses. I also told me husband about our new spray program. He hold the tank and pays attention to where I go, and not to what I do. He follows me, and cannot stop. I flew through that yard, and sprayed my roses in 1/2 hour instead of 2 hours. The huge ones like Carefree Wonder and Delight, Penelope, The Fairy, and Ballerina got just a little bit of spray since Conserve was in it. I think this will work.

Back to my friends - they talked about traveling, seeing places, going on a cruise, and reading. One friend loves her cabin on the lake where it is all rocky, and requires no work. Her idea of a good life is just to read and read and read. As I listened to them, I realized that even though I am so discouraged, I must be outside.

I like what Sandy said. I need to get some perennials that will look nice rather than to place all my hopes and pleasures on roses.

I hope you change your mind. But if you don't I hope you still keep posting since I consider you one of those very good friends.

Sammy

Pat, I get you. I was in that spot, or close, some weeks back. Even today, I took a walk around, said to my husband, why don't we take out this one, that one, look at them, and he won't have it, which is a total switch from recent years. I'm going to wait till the fall and see who performs how.

But, back to you...you just shift gears where you need to. I won't even attempt to tell you HOW to do it, how fast, how slow. You're smart, you'll figure it out.

So, how about some perennials? A cottage garden look is so pretty and I think your yard is perfect for it. Roses mixed with other plants. And, as you said, more grass. Look forward, not back, once you make your decision, that's the only thing I'd say. It must be a tough decision. You can also make it piece by piece.

Dear Patricia,

Whatever you decide to do, please don't stop coming here.

Dear Patricia,
I spend most of my time on this forum doing my best sponge imitation... soaking up info from generous folks like you that offer facts, insight, and encouragement on growing roses.

First, let me thank you for the role you have played in my growth as a grower of roses. I hope, as Michael already stated, that you keep coming around to inspire and help those of us less experienced in the art of rosing.

Second, I encourage you to have the courage to garden in the specifics that suit you best. Life is all about change, and sometimes less is more. I have taken out half of my roses over this spring and summer. My life changed. My available gardening time changed. Maintaining my roses felt like a chore instead of a joy. Looking at poorly cared for roses filled me with guilt and sadness. It did me a world of good to actively change the things I could make a difference in, and lighten the demands on my time and resources in areas where I could do so.

I applaud you for taking a hard look and thinking about making some changes. Sometimes that's the most difficult thing to do. When you get your changes made, I look forward to seeing photos of the end result. I'll bet those 15-20 roses will be awe-inspiring.

Have fun tweaking your garden so that it's back to a pleasurable thing!!

Hugs,
Cathy

APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.
Summer surprised us, coming over the Starnbergersee
With a shower of rain; we stopped in the colonnade,
And went on in sunlight, into the Hofgarten,
And drank coffee, and talked for an hour.

Be that as it may, I think August is the cruelest month for roses--or anything in the south--and would urge restraint.

But, it's your garden. Which is to say, it isn't someone else's vision to validate.

No ancient college professor is going to approve or disapprove. Nor do you have to check with your MLM "upline" and get their permission :)

There's no committee, no clique to satisfy.

It's often said that if a solitary rose displeases one that it's off with its' head.

One wonders why it's so difficult to apply that same principle to the entirety of roses altogether when there are so many perennials, grasses, and all manner of things that require so much less attention and are capable of providing continual interest.

Do what's best and right for you.

MichaelAT

Gardening is like baseball. There's always next year.

Fifteen or twenty beautiful rose plants are way way better than 100 or 200 miserable ones. Sometimes less is better, sometimes much better!

Hello Patricia,
I live in Alabama as well...just south of Birmingham....so I know what you are going through. Just wanted to offer a little encouragement from a fellow drought weary Alabamian rose lover. The intense sun and lack of water destroys almost all of the blooms before even a full day on the bush.But this too will surely pass...

Good luck, but give it a little time and see how you feel before doing anything drastic..

Cheers,
Collin Williams

Patricia, I understand. I felt this way before and that is the main reason why I start downsizing my collection of roses that require spraying. I always had plenty of easy care perennials and I mix them with low care roses (mostly once bloomers). I found that for me to switch to once bloomers is the best decision. I still have tonns of roses when they are at their best (May/June) and later I can just forget about them and enjoy my perennials. They still look decent and I don't care that much if JBs or heat are bad. I know they will be OK and next spring better then ever. So this was my solution. I am sure You will find something that works for you. I fully agree with Michael, whatever is your choice, please still come here, your advise, wisdom and friendship are priceless.
Thank you.
Olga

My dear Patricia------I think most of us here understand how you feel----

My garden is a weedy mess---but I don't care---I still see a few blooms here and there and that makes me happy----

You know my Paul's Himmalayan Musk that blooms so beautifully gets no care at all----and each year it thrills me-------
and we all know New dawn can survive with very little care and this year my Viking Queen has beautiful green leaves and some blooms-----many of my roses are just plain "nekked"

I think you know about all the surgeries I've had and this Sept I will be having another hip replacement so the roses will have to survive till I can give them the TLC they need-----It can be very discouraging--
Please do what you think is necessary but don't leave us---

We need your wonderful advice and caring words.

Love you------

Florence

hi, Patricia,
I remember a post you wrote a year or so ago -something about when I look out my back door, this is not what I want to see. Yes? So, this wanting to yank out everything has been brewing for awhile. You're not giving up on roses and the beauty of flowers, you are just not happy with the size,care required, way it looks. Remaking it into what you want sounds like a fine idea, and I know that it will be a thing of beauty when you're finished.

We're waiting to see what you do and want to be in on the whole thing. Annie

Pat, one other interesting piece of information (at least to me!) I've shovel pruned roses before, as have many of us. The ones that have been shovel pruned, their images have been put into a separate folder on my hard drive, amongst my other rose images. In a few categories of roses (Austins, OGRs, whatever), I have folders called "Gone." These folders have the most wonderful images in them of the roses that I murderized, which I had taken in their heyday.

I have to say I never open those folders, and not because it hurts me to see them. I just care more about looking at what I have now. Just don't think to open them up. They are, after all "gone" with good stuff to replace them with (until I grumble about them). The one constant is change.

Patricia, I, too, felt discouraged and desperate this summer. And, in other posts I discussed how I am moving MANY of my roses to an area that I can care for them more easily. I knew there was a significant risk of losing many of them, but the alternative was having roses that were doing NOTHING. In the non-care areas are my rugged once bloomers, found roses, etc. I'm interspersing these roses with loads of drought tolerant, heat loving, carefree plants (crepe myrtles, chaste trees, butterfly bushes, grasses, etc.) I'm thrilled.

My main rose garden is filled with roses...I think I can keep this well watered and fertilized...I hope this will work for me..

I feel your pain.

Robert

Patricia, I'm sorry it's been a bad year for roses and you. But don't feel bad because your needs and desires changed. That's life, you know? I appreciate all the things I've learned from you and hope you will continue to post often.

Elaine

Thank you, my dear rose friends, for your kind and understanding statements. I discussed with my doctor and children what I want to do. They too were understanding and felt this was something I need to do. As age and health issues creep in and our faithful gardener, as we are, is dealing with health issues and unable to work the long hard hours in the garden, eliminate that which makes us a slave to our garden instead of being able to enjoy it. Two of our DILs love gardening and will choose from what we are shovel-pruning what they would like to have and roses their parents might want. Otherwise, we will give them rose society friends. It's just facing the inevitable, some people and roses do not age well.

My dear Patricia,

Consider yourself hugged.

It t'aint an easy decision, but I know that a bit of age is creeping on us and we all worry about the garden as this happens.

Take care of yourself, I know that health must come first.

Carol

Patricia, I can certainly understand where you're coming from. I've had health issues also and a bad back that will be with me the rest of my life. I'm beginning to think I'll have to cut back the number of rose, thus the work required. When gardening (or anything else for that matter) becomes a chore and not a joy it's time for a change. More isn't always better in my thinking.
Please take care of yourself!
Hamp

Pat,
You have my sympathy. When I surveyed my garden yesterday, I was depressed. Beetles, black spot and heat have a way of taking the joy out of gardening.

This year, I did not order anything new. If something dies, there will be no replacement. I am getting too old to tend this much garden. But, I am not shovel pruning. Since I hope to retire within 5 years, there's a chance the garden will seem more manageable.

Make sure you give this some thought. And don't stop posting - we would miss you.

Harry

My dear friend, I do understand. I have been digging up roses since last year. More have been disengaged from the soil this year with a list of more to be removed this fall. It is so hard to grow roses here and this year has about done me in. I don't intend to remove them all, just the ones that won't stay clean even WITH spray and the ones that I don't love, but I am decreasing the numbers. I have been adding more perennials and I have always had a mix of shrubs and perennials in the garden with my roses. Keep the ones that make you smile and speak to your heart, plant perennials or flowering shrubs that require little work or maintenance in whatever numbers you feel you can manage easily. I am a gardener. I always have been and I know that you have too. Even if it is a 6x6 ft plot of land. Love you dear. I know you will figure out how best to carry on without an onerous burden to your health and happiness.

Carol

Forgive me, but you just sound discouraged with life in general. So, don't do anything rash and take good care of yourself.

If you do decide to take them out, then don't do it in a fit of bitterness. Find people who want them, and have them come over and dig. Keep the karma good in the garden for whatever you want to grow there.

Roses? What roses? :)
{{gwi:300081}}

Love to you, my friend,
Jon

Age well? I think that is not a possibility for some folks, they weren't charming or wonderful to begin with but you were and are. You may not be an Explorer rose but I always keep a few delicate pernetianas in my garden for sheer beauty, finicky, occaisionally picky and needing extra cuddles but I'll keep them and you if you don't mind. Just one point of view, dear friend.
{{gwi:298862}}
love,
la

Pat--

I hate to see you lose that gorgeous garden...but on the other hand...I hate to see you not loving the gardening. Gardening is a hobby and a place where we can expect our soul to find rest. This spring I found that my garden caused me MUCH distress as everything was crushed by the late freeze. I took a June and July off...barely watered, if that, my roses. It was a healthy break for me and now I feel much more inclined to return. My point is, we all need breaks and when our hobbies become work they require us to step back and rethink what we have.

As you know, I only grow no-care, non-spray roses. I did this because I know I am just not willing to work that hard for my roses. My roses should bring me joy and that requires that they do most of the work. Perhaps you can find roses that require less work and have the best of both worlds!

How ever your garden ends up, I wish you the joy and peace you find missing in today's garden.

Ronda

Patricia, Just wanting to chime in here and let you know how very much I enjoy your garden photos and your posts. You have a great eye for beauty and I'm eagerly awaiting the results of your changes.

Best,
Sue

Just a suggestion for retrenchment with roses-- Patricia, I would probably feel overwhelmed by your current garden too, but cutting back to 20 all at once seems awfully radical. Keeping up with say 60 roses is really easy. With all you've done to build soil over the years, you don't need to do anything more, ever, beyond mulching and maybe scattering a little urea two or three times a year. I am sure roses would grow and bloom very well on that regimen. Also what Olga says about writing off midsummer makes sense. If you can't water enough to keep them happy, and you have JBs, why not let them go semi-dormant? You could water an inch every three weeks and maybe spray at those times, and then start them back up after six or eight weeks.

Hi Pat. I only have 25-30 roses myself and LOTS of other plants/shrubs. I don't think I could handle more than I have now but I do love the ones I have. I still really love my garden in all seasons with that number of roses, so it can be done!

Dear friend, you should do what suits you best. It sounds as though you gave this decision much long and careful thought. I suspect that in the end you will get as much pleasure from a dozen or so roses as you now get from the larger collection, and yes, they will be so much easier for you to manage. Remember that even with the smaller garden you are still a rose grower. This means that you surely must continue to visit this forum regularly and frequently! We would miss you much more than you will miss the roses you are giving away.

Best wishes,
Rosefolly

Pat, I'm glad you are giving away your roses to loved ones and not bushhogging the lot:) that was giving me heartburn.

I say go for it. And if you change your mind afterwards, you know where to come to get enabled.

Being greedy, I'm thinking now you'll have more time to mentor the rest of us here on GW.

Patricia it is sad when you have to give up a part of your life that you enjoyed so much, no two ways about it. you are doing what you can to control the situation though, that is a good thing. Perhaps in time you will gradually be able to build up your garden again to a more manageable size.

I downsized my garden this year, moved from a 3 acre lot to a 100 foot square lot, what a difference. I really have to think about what I plant now, can't just buy a plant and then find it a home. This makes me believe I am going to have some really choice plants cause I won't want to buy something that is not suitable. I think you will find the same thing. Some plants will always be your favorites and you will keep them or replace them but some things you can do without and stress over taking care of too many plants is one less thing for you to worry about.

Take care, I hope this all works out well for you.

Valerie

Thank you, Patricia. You may not realize it, but you have made me wiser with your post. How grateful I am for my small yard because I could make myself a real problem with anymore ground. Just today while thinking upon my future expansion into the front yard it occurred to me how much more watering I will have to do. I had pretty much given up on Austins in recent weeks. I don't think my no-spray Florida garden will make them happy. And the decision to go with only teas and Chinas was just made in the last few days. To do otherwise is to invite more work and failure. I'm old enough to know my strong days are behind me. Best to plan for less work not more. I'm sure your future garden will be as beautiful as those of the past, and you'll be just as happy though in a different way. Sometimes we go kicking and screaming into our next phase, but it sounds like you've gained some peace, and yours will be a much easier transition.
And, Jon in Wessex, I REALLY, REALLY like your garden - with and without roses.
All the best to you, Patricia!
Sherry

The first duty of any garden is to give pleasure to the gardener. When it no longer pleases, time for a new garden! Pat, you are very wise.

I remember posting several months ago a query about how many roses some people claim to be growing. It was mind-boggling to me that anyone can grow 100s and 100s of roses and have time to enjoy them. I find that I can barely keep up with my 50 roses. Like the poster above, I'm almost thankful that my small yard cannot accommodate more roses. And there are lots of perennials and such out there too. Like harryshoe, I will be ordering no more roses next year. I will miss the excitement of ordering new roses, but not the increased work that would result.

Have fun, Pat, redesigning your down-sized garden. After all, you have lots of experience now to draw upon.

kate

Hi Patricia, For two years now I have known that my time will come for not acquiring anymore roses. I will do good to get the pot ghetto planted this fall, that is if the ground is not concrete. I respect and understand your decision. It has to be something we enjoy and Carol is right about it being hard to grow here. I know your choices will be gorgeous and other plants will keep you amused too. Remember the maple you talked about, now you can think about that.

Carla

Patricia,
You've been an inspiration to me and a kindred spirit. I can understand how overwhelming maintaining a garden can be and why you need to downsize now. Certainly you can enjoy a smaller garden with your choicest, most favorite roses and lots of other interesting plants. I hope you enjoy the challenge of the design and change.

I did a bit of downsizing when I went through a divorce because I too found myself overwhelmed and not having help I needed, but I stopped before it got drastic. At times I think I need to cut back even further, I still have over 120 and that is a lot to handle even in a no-spray, low-water garden especially the climbers and ramblers that I love the look of but are so hard to take care of on big, tall ladders.

Stay with us and show us your pictures of the transformation and it might help others who feel the need to cut back too.

Finding peace and letting go is a good thing, Patricia. A lawn is part of a good garden, too.

You have a lot of sympathy (and admiration, no doubt) for your decision.

Where I live in Australia - we're in stage 4 water restrictions, meaning that we're not allow to water the lawn. We can only use grey water (recycled water) in the garden beds.

The weather is so unpredictable. Gobal warming I suppose. The drought is quite severe here.

So Patrica do re-consider about having lawn. My sister was devastated to see her new planted lawn dying out. She's now planning to layer her backyard with concrete and pebbles.

But again, America might have plenty of rainfall.

I wanted to purchase more roses this year but keep holding back due to lack of rainfall.

Yesterday I watched a gardening segment on television, and this guy has this marvelous tropical garden growing all sorts of palms, and other plants, frangipanies etc...it has this Balinese feeling to it. It was a true paradise.

After watching that show, I was wondering whether I made the right choice to grow roses. Fragrance is important to me, but somehow roses does look bare during the winter months.

Patricia - I studied to be a performing musician in college. It was a hard decision when I ultimately decided not to play professionally, but as my closest teacher said to me "Just as long as you have music in your life".

Well, whether you have 20 or 200 roses in your garden you will always have them in your life, in your heart and in your friends' hearts.

George

We're in a severe drought too..I think people in more arid climates must accept it before they even begin to garden. I am amazed with how tough roses can be though they're obviously stressed. Drought stresses me out too.

I live near some apartment buildings and there is one guy whose aunt owns the building and has given him an apartment. He can't afford any electricity though and every day he sits out in the shade all day long. I am sure he can get through it only by knowing it's not permanent. I am just hoping the weather doesn't do this next year, but I am not too discouraged because this hard year for gardening is not what we usually get.

I sometimes think it would be nice to have no garden whatsoever...I can picture having an unmowed meadow and some woods. Then going outside enjoying the beauty is pure gift, nothing I had anything to do with. For now I love gardening warts and all but my garden may soon seem too big if the weather continues this way for a few years.
Linda

I find this all very sad. But, one must do what one must do. If I didn't have a lot of garden work to do, I'm afraid...no, I *know* I'd just sit in the house and eat and gain an obscene amount of weight. So, I guess it's a type of physical therapy for me, and keeps me at a reasonable level of fitness for my age. When I can't do that any longer--but I'll fight it to the last possible minute--I'll do something else.

Barbara

Patricia,

At 20, you will still have more rosebushes than I ever saw in a home garden, when I was a child.
May the roses you keep give you the joy of a thousand rosebushes.
God bless you.

Luxrosa

Patricia, I'm really sorry to hear about your decision but I'm sure we all understand, though. Like many others, I hope that you'll continue to come here. Your advice and encouragement have been an inspiration. You were the first person to respond to my first post--that meant a lot. Thanks for being you. Wishing you the best and hoping your downsized garden will bring you even more joy and pleasure. As others have said, sometimes more isn't better. Sometimes more is just more. Jeff

Patricia, we'll be here for you no matter what size, type, or shape your garden happens to be :) May your roses be like friends - better to have a few true ones you can count on through thick and thin than a great many lukewarm, fair-weather acquaintances. And it goes without saying that if one day you ever need a little friendly enabling again, you know you can count on us!

I am not there yet but I am already preparing myself mentally for the day when I shall have to downsize my garden because of old age and disabilities. I may not have to remove many of my 200 roses but I probably won't be able to keep them in mixed borders as I do now. Perennials are more work here with staking and dividing than roses, and only the floribundas and hybrid teas will have to go and any climbers that need too much tying up. My no-fuss shrub roses will be grown in thickets and hedges in the lawn and part of the garden will probably have to go wild. The important thing for me is the garden as a place to be, to potter in and to sit and watch the birds. I shall probably have more pots than I have now near the house. I look at my elderly neighbour who is out with her walker every day and in all weathers tending her only remaining flower bed and hope I shall be like her.

Apart from this long-term issue, we are now in the August doldrums after a very dry summer in my part of Sweden, while other parts of the country have had torrential rains and floods, nearly as bad as in England.

Several years ago good friends gave away all of their HTs to the city gardens. They kept one Abe Darby, One Mme. Plant it here and their Minis. The minis are in raised beds with automatic watering and an easy fertilizing attachment. The soil after so many years is so rich it takes minimal care. They have had fun trying out wierd stuff, pineapple lillies (he has a small greenhouse,) a whole bed of Monarda, huge sunflowers, what ever tickles their fancy.

They have stopped giving an annual tour of their gardens.

For myself, when RRD struck last year, and having seen other gardens go down in ruin, I decided that I would branch out my interest keeping in mind that I am no spring chicken anymore.

I bought a whole bunch of weird no care OP lilies, Chinese Tree Peonies (shaded blooms lasts a week if you are lucky and water me and I will die - I promise,) and other easy care stuff.

I have been given permission this year from the Troll (DW) to buy some more roses if I want, as we had a late frost.

I am going to replace French Lace even though it is a major pain to keep alive in our zone, a damask Dr. Henry Najat likes that I forgot the name of--- Belle something or other, and perhaps an other Alba. I am going to pass on MIP even though she won several awards at shows. Perhaps I won't. Something to kick around over the long winter. Getting old is not for sissies.

What ever you decide please don't plant the EVIL Mr. GRASS! It has to be mowed, fertilized, watered, and it hides snakes.

Foghorn Leghorn
National Anti Grass Leaque

Dear Patricia,

We had a few years of horrid drought & wildfires, HORRID. My farm lost ~100 acres of ancient pinon trees & a reckless neighbor's 'controlled burn' took away more trees that were close to my house (nearly took the house). I have to say, if I didn't have the garden to look out at, I'd despair every day over what Mother Nature took away during that time. It was worth using some water that season to spare the garden from certain death.

If you can't keep up with the amount of work of the garden, I fully understand your decision. But if it's mostly the drought dragging you down, I would implore you consider keeping your plants alive until the drought is over and making your decisions under less duress.

Hugs,
Michelle

Patricia - a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do! My garden is getting annoyed with me cus it is 300 degrees out and hasn't rained in a couple of days - at these temps, I'm not watering them either. they can wait until I can afford an irrigation system or they can croak - up to them. My DH said some wild squirrels were banging on the door trying to get inside to the a/c yesterday... maybe the roses will be next! Weed out the roses that don't light up your life, don't spray the little demons, and remeber that cemetary roses survived for a reason! get back to enjoying things and not having to work at it!

XOOXOXOX

One thing we all have in common is that our roses give us joy.
Where is the joy, if you look at your garden and see only
disappointment and feel drowned?

I have a long list of roses. However, there is a check mark
on only 25 of them-maybe in preparation for a time when I
will need to make the decision you have made.

I would rather grow 25 cherished roses and feel at peace,
than to have 75 of them robbing me of any enjoyment.
I think you have made a brave decision! To start enjoying
your garden again!

Alida

What a great group of dear people. Some of your posts made me laugh, some made me think while others almost brought me to tears.

It really is going to be difficult because I have such an attachment from choosing each rose, to choosing its location, humoring some of them when they were down and almost out, moving some to better homes and all the memories attached to that, the joy of a spring flush. But it is time to enjoy a few and let go. Some things we can do nothing about and the weather is one I can do nothing about as is aging and the problems associated with it.

I will not leave. I promise. I will be here as frequently as I can irritating and prodding and suggesting. What a great group to be associated with. It is because of all of you who have encouraged me that I have come this far with all your great advice when things were going awry.

Thank you again just for being here to listen and help me along the way. For sure I am keeping Crepuscule and Duchesse de Brabant.