Do You Grow Tired of Your Roses?

7 years ago

By that I don't mean that you're tired of roses as a group, but just the particular ones you've selected. I may have been concentrating on my garden too much lately and that could be part of the problem, but I'm beginning to feel a sort of weariness in more or less seeing the same roses that I've been looking at for years. To compound the problem, in order to make "safe" choices for my finicky environment, I tend to order roses in multiples. SdlM is my best rose so I ordered two more. I need a rose with fewer petals in white so I chose Marie Pavie, which I've had before but which had canker. Sister Elizabeth, Carding Mill, The Faun, Madame Lambard, Jesse Hildreth (which is probably Westside Rose Cream Tea but cost me four times as much), International Herald Tribune, Bishop's Castle, Duchesse de Brabant - been there, done that. These are roses that I liked and knew what to expect, but now I just don't feel that frisson of excitement that I'd like to have. I'm tired to death of growing on tiny bands and have no room for more roses anyway, but that feeling of boredom persists.

Anyone else facing this dilemma, or am I utterly spoiled and should instead concentrate on the many blessings in my life? Should someone slap me up the side of the head? I'm really curious about this (but would not dare mention it anywhere but here).

Featured Answer

pat_bamaz7

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

I’ve often envied those in climates without cold
winters. Ours aren’t extremely cold or
long like northern winters, but still wet, dreary & often below freezing. Once the Yuletide camellias finish, nothing blooms
in my garden until the hellebores start. As frustrating as being cooped up during a
cold winter can be, I understand that seasons of only hot and a little less hot
can be tiresome for a gardener, too. This
weekend, I noticed I wasn’t drawn so much to the roses, summer
perennials & annuals that are still blooming a bit in my gardens…I’m rather tired, bored
& weary of fooling with them.
Instead, I was already anticipating the excitement of hyacinth, tulips
& daffodils popping up everywhere, the smell of them and the native azaleas,
and all the early wonders of spring. Same
with the vegetable garden…as much as I love fresh corn, squash, tomatoes, okra,
etc., by the time they play out, I’m so ready for the cool weather crops of radishes,
greens, broccoli, etc. that take their place.
Although I adore roses and they dominate my summer garden, I need the winter
break from them to fully enjoy their return. I would truly miss the variety of other jewels
the changing seasons bring if I lived somewhere without that. So, my
vote would also be to add some plants that have a shorter bloom period that you
can eagerly await, be it once blooming roses or companion plants or some
edibles mixed in with your roses.