P.S. I don't now why this double-posted, but when I tried to delete one, it deleted both. Sorry!

I can't spend a lot on roses because of space restrictions around here, but my total garden bill for everything---manure, fertilizer, new hoses, a $60 shovel, and on and on, is just obscene. I buy a lot of perennials and annuals, too, and so many seeds I can never use them up. I don't feel a bit guilty because I'm frugal in other areas, and vapor, you don't have to apologize to anyone or worry about what others think, either. If you are frugal, too, in most things, you've earned the right to buy roses, for sure. Roses have lasting beauty and can be shared with others--not so for many other extravagances. Diane

That's so sweet of your friend to help ! The only person I have to tell is my husband and he knows their average cost . But I'm always sure to say things like it was on sale ! I had a coupon ! Or mention how much his golf or massage was . In fact when he's out golfing I usually go shopping and thank him for his generous addition to my garden, Haha ! I try to match what he spends, only seems fair.

I do think someone who didn't garden and know the prices would wonder where all the money goes . Especially an order with shipping! But ARE is very reasonable with their prices! :)

I tell nobody...nothin' hahahaha. Seriously though the only person I have to be accountable to is my husband and he's a very smart man and has never once asked how much any of it cost :)

Lily I agree! It's only fair that I spend what he does and he has very expensive hobbies too. He just bought a boat, so there are LOTS of roses in my future.

I wanted to add that I am so frugal with everything else as well . I wear my clothes til way past when I shouldn't. Shoes aren't my thing and I get my hair done 3 times a year. Nothing makes me happier than new plants and garden stuff ! So my husband doesn't mind .

shared before but it sums it up

I'm in the same boat as Jackie - I don't need to be accountable to anyone but my husbands, and our respective hobbies more or less cancel each other out. Late winter and spring I have more expenses in rose and supply buying, but his ammunition for the shooting range runs year round. All he asks is that I keep the picnic table on the patio clean and the front porch presentable, and that's not too much to ask even in heavy rose season.

Sympathies on the friend's reaction. I do occasionally fib about how many roses I have though, to avoid similar reactions. At a baby shower from work recently someone asked how many roses I had. I breezily responded "Oh, a lot, more than sensible people should have". A friend who knew the approximate number kept nudging me to mention details and when I murmured "about a thousand" there was a gasp and a not-so-friendly response from at least one person. Obsession is best kept to those of us on GW who understand, and I'll just share the fruits of my labors in bouquets without admitting to details if I can help it.

Cynthia

Yes to my husband all the time!

If I were to buy one rose at a time, I will be completely honest that it was say $20 for example. But if I were to buy 5, I automatically say they were on sale and instead of $20 each the price was $15 or even less. Or I tell him there was a 25% - 40% sale, even if there wasn't. I have never done that with anything else in our 11 years together. I know I have a gardening obsession. I'm also guilty of buying plants & planting them before he gets home to keep it under the radar.

But in my defense we started out with a blank yard & have been digging beds and planting for 3 years. So I think I feel guilty because we have spent a lot to get to that point. I'm just starting to slow down my purchases this year. In the last 3 years - we have bought 14 trees, yards of mulch, dirt, tons of shrubs, perennials & roses. So as soon as I say we need something else for the yard he gets a bit edgy about the money & time part.

On the other hand I also look at it as my hobby. I do not have an expensive hobby like golf. I don't get my nails done. I don't go to the hair salon regularly. I don't buy a ton of clothes. I don't eat out very often & we cook dinner 99% of the time. I don't even buy coffee everyday, I brew it at home, because it's cheaper. So all in all it is a fairly reasonable amount of money to spend on a hobby. Its just usually a lot of purchases in spring that make it seem worse.

I spend $500 on the garden a year mostly in the spring. As far as hobbies go, it is very cheap. People think plants should be free because they see them everywhere.

I don't typically fib, but I do make a lot of excuses:

"It's seasonal spending."

"It was on sale!"

"I think I'm done buying more (this is a fib)."

I agree with HalloBlondie, it's my hobby and when I think of it that way, I'm more comfortable with it. My husband is considerate enough to thank me for beautifying our world, and I appreciate that. I also am not a huge consumer and cook at home pretty much every day. And Nipstress, when I tell people I have over 70 roses they gasp. I don't know what the non-gasp number is but I love hearing how many roses everybody on GW has in their garden. You're right, we get each other.

Mostly to myself!

Moses

No. The real expense in our garden is the very old trees - we keep having what I call "Oops, $5,000" moments with their pruning, & care & sometimes sad removal. I am lucky, too. Because our house is a duplex and we rent out the other half, 50% of our gardening expenses are deductible - yay!

Jackie

Is it fibbing if I just don't talk about it at all?!! I don't even know the total myself. Much more than I set out to spend. But worth every penny to me!

I agree, no one but fellow gardeners understand! But no, I don't lie about it. Like others have said- I don't get my nails done, etc and pretty frugal w other things so I CAN spend extra on my hobby. He knows how much things are. Besides, I get something back out of it, right? ( A small justification lol ).

Lilyfinch- I shared your comic with the hubby and he thinks it's funny. Probably because it's true. Hahaha! Thank you for sharing that!

I'm with Mosses and fib to myself. Trying my best to rationalize the spending.

Thanks vaporvac for starting this thread. I have never had so much fun and laughs with all the responses in this thread. And that's because I can identify with everyone here. Thank you Lilyfinch for that comic strip! That's a new one to me.

Noseometer, I love it! RBU! From now on that is how I'm labeling everything.

I'm just going to come out and say that I used to spend a ridiculous amount of money on clothes, shoes and purses. It's all just been rolled over into roses.

ps: I still spend a crap load of money on food lol

Yes I fib to myself! My husband doesn't ask, and really doesn't care. If anyone else asks, like Nippstress I try and blow it off and just not answer! They were on sale! So much cheaper to mail order, and the pretty ones can't be found locally! My kids just roll their eyes....

I'm totally with Noseometer - Rose Buying Units is part of how we think. I do some extra work periodically to earn my rose money and I think of the workshops I give in RBUs all the time. I can usually fund a year's worth of buying roses in two workshops, though I might need a third to cover the bulbs.

And sheesh, I only have ONE husband, not husbands. I love him dearly, but one is enough. Dingo, my teens used to roll their eyes at me till we started fining them a quarter for every eye roll (fending them off at the pass before they eye roll a teacher). Now they give me the "stupid mom" look, which is totally allowed, and often earned.

Cynthia

Ahahaha! I just scratching my head about what the acronym "FIB" stood for. Fill-in-blanks?

Then I realized that you had just put the term "fib" in all caps.

Anyway yes: I have fibbed about how much I spent on roses and indeed on all plants, mostly because in my experiments I have shovel-pruned so many that I am embarrassed to admit how much I have actually spent. I think I have SP'd at least $500 worth of roses in my first 6 years of gardening, and over $1000 worth of plants overall. Basically that's getting rid of and replacing about 5 roses/yr on average out of the ~20 I have in my gardens each summer, and another 5-10 perennials/shrubs as well.

Each spring I get rid of a few that did not perform well enough, are too much work, or if I think I have better options. In the late summer and early fall I usually replace a few more that disappointed over the growing season.

I think things are starting to stabilize as I have found more plants that work in specific spots. Despite that this spring I am getting rid of:

Souvenir de Baden Baden (died...not planted deep enough). Replaced with: Tabris rose (aka Hannah Gordon)

Sunny Knockout (too straggly in not quite full sun, and I have much better yellow roses). Replaced with: a Slender Deutzia being moved

Moving that Slender Deutzia left a space right beside my patio for: Summer Romance rose

Spirea (forgot which kind). Replaced with: Canada Blooms rose (pink, cold-hardy, fragrant Hybrid Tea/Shrub rose combo)

Bloomerang Lilac (too big for the spot since the Viburnum next to it needs more space). Replaced with: Anniversary Blush rose (aka Belmonte)

Ghost Fern (ferns never seem to do well for me no matter how shady and wet the spot). Replaced with: Chionoides Rhododendron

Also trying to find a spot for Bolero rose. A daylily or a Salvia may get moved for it.

Well, sort off. Maybe just let them come to their own false conclusions. I have grown lots of things from seeds, and just started growing some Rose seeds that are about to bloom. I have a pot ghetto that would put any well stocked nursery to shame. And that's not just roses but all kinds of stuff. My mother visits about once a week and was here one day as I tended to my rose seedlings and attempted a cutting of Louise Odier.(failed by the way) About a month later my sister-in-law says to my sister.(They don't live nearby) " Mom says Lisa grows all these amazing roses from seeds and cuttings! She's got tons of them, and they were all FREE!" Oh boy, I hope they don't ask me for any of my "free" roses. Lisa

Nope. Wouldn't even think about it. That is THE biggest no-no in my house. You see, we were both married before to habitual liers, and on our 2nd date we sat on the front porch of her apartment all night and unloaded. We made a promise to each other that nigh. No mater how bad it hurts, no stories. It seems to have worked. We've been married 34 years. Now as far as roses go, she knew I grew roses while we were dating. She knows how much they cost and all the extra's that go with it. She doesn't mind. I could be spending money on other things. Debbie enjoys the garden and the rewards that the garden brings. The only thing she asks is that I don't over do things and that the yard and gardens looks clean and tidy all the time. She really enjoys OGR's and Austins, so I make sure I keep a good supply of her favorites in the garden all the time.

When we first moved into our home in N.GA., our neighbors though we were nuts spending so much $$$$ for a nice garden and yard. Now all my Laotian family's (1/2 the neighborhood) are growing roses and turning their yards into something they can enjoy. Ken & Debbie are enjoying life as stress free as we can and are able to sleep comfortably at night knowing we don't have to hide anything from each other or anyone else.

Mmm. I don't have a partner, but if I did, I they would be fully financially informed if they asked, that's a hard line for me. However, I don't expect to account in detail for my discretionary income. Anyone else, well, depends how much I feel like sharing. I have zero shame in evading, straight up refusing to answer or lying outright if people persist in asking rude questions.

I see the money and time I spend on gardening as an investment in my mental, physical and spiritual health.

Love that totoro!

Good point Totoro. I don't spend as much as some do on hobbies, I have a nice yard, it's good exercise, it's my mental break, I get flowers & veggies out of it, and I'm not wasting $ at the bar or casino every night ( though I do like wine occasionally while gardening). I'd say it's a healthy hobby and addiction!

BTW- I need that mug !

Ken- I love your story and thank you for sharing a personal moment. I'd love if my hubby were into roses. I told his boss that he's right 99% of the time. I detract 1% for his knowledge on roses. He replied " we'll fix that!" Hahaha!

No, I don't fib, I straight-up lie. As far as my wife is concerned every rose I've ever bought was $9 on sale.

Hahaha! " I straight up lie".

What if both people were into roses? What would happen then? Would they both lie to each other, knowing full well the other knows the truth? Or would they try to best each other with who got the better deal, best coupon, latest greatest rose or..?

I don't tell anyone how much I spent on roses, it's my own business. I don't drink, smoke, go to the bars, the only 2 things I love to do is gardening and riding, riding doesn't cost much, 60-100 mpg, cheap on gas; gardening is an expensive hobby indeed. I try to buy everything on sale, but they all add up. This forum helps you spend a lot. Lol

I never fib about what I paid- my significant other knows not to ask. I do hear: "I know- they were on sale, on clearance or they were free and just jumped into your cart!" I often hear- "OMG - where are you going to plant those?"

My significant other loves his vegetable garden, never comments on how many roses I get - he knows better! For my birthday, he got me a very nice gift certificate and he told me to be sure to only spend it on plants! My ex husband, on the other hand, couldn't understand why I had to drag home all those plants - I had to sneak most of them in. Guess that's why he is an ex! Now I buy anything I want and don't have to answer to anyone! Bliss!!

I got that mug from Huntington Gardens before I actually started gardening myself. Since childhood I have always had an interest in enjoying gardens but never had a plot of my own to try gardening.Now I finally have my own yard to cultivate, but it is always a struggle to achieve balance between this new passion and other responsibilities and priorities.

I've enjoyed reading this thread, very entertaining! My husband doesn't care how I much I spend, and it's no one else's business! And if I needed to justify it to him, he spends thousands on his hobby, his classic car. My roses don't come close! We are honest with each other, he knows roses and what it cost to care for them isn't cheap!

A lot of people's hobby around here is spending time in one of our many casinos, I think rose gardening and any outdoor hobby in general is much better than that!

My husband and I have an agreement. He doesn't ask how much I spend on roses and I don't ask him how much he spends on cigars.

Oh, and thanks to Ken and other rose friends, I get a lot of free roses!!!

Enharvey, I almost spit my coffee out from laughing hahahahahaha

Jim, that is hilarious

You folks are looking at this all wrong!!! Let’s say a new rose unit costs $20 including the RoseTone etc by the time it gets planted. Wow, that’s a lot for a rose you say. No, not when you consider you will have that same plant for 10-15-20 years. Hmmm does that mean I spent only $1 for a new RBU, sure does!!! lol

Toolbelt- I love the RBU theory !! I'm stealing it!

This is our second year together and first garden together. He asked if I needed those square linking tomatoe cages @ $10 ea. Now that they're up and have plants inside he said they're neat and sturdy. Hahaha!

I am lucky that he rarely questions my purchases and I don't question his. BUT if he ever says anything again, I now have Toolbelt to thank for the RBU ! Oh, you want a new motherboard? Well that's 15 RBU's. LOL

Alameda- if your SO doesn't already have those square tomato cages, it would be a great gift for a veggie gardener :D