Every time I come back here after weeks/months/years, I still find the people who have taught me everything I know about roses (and, in turn, everything anyone who's ever sat next to me at a bar knows about roses). Thank you all so very very much.

My two overall MVPs in my New Orleans yard are Duchesse de Brabant and Aunt Margy's Rose, which I've only ever gotten from Burling Leong. Last week, I had to cut Aunt Margy to the ground for some necessary/overdue home repairs and although I have not given up on her just poking her head out like nothing happened, I have emailed Burling to reserve any she may have for whenever fall decides to show up, and I wanted to memorialize her here. (I took a ton of cuttings but historically haven't had much luck even in normal, non-hellfire weather.)

She smells like actual heaven, never stops blooming, and is generally made of steel. I have no idea why this isn't the most popular polyantha on the planet. Cheers to somebody's Aunt Margy!

(everyone should also grow freesia. Freesia is glorious and easy and looks lovely in Erlenmeyer flask arrangements with Aunt Margy and Souvenir de la Malmaison)