As I watched and wept, my beautiful roses,
planted deep and well in this nutrient-
deficient soil, desert dirt; raised beds
created by the former owner, filled with
a mixture of native turf and whatever he
could find, and I added dozens of bags of topsoil
tilled in by hand, preparing to plant
the one flower Hawaii does not herself encourage,
everything being too wet, mold creeping along
rose stems joined by spider mites and thrips,
whiteflies, powdery mildew and black spot,
rounded up by aphids sucking the life
from the plant;
Sandy soil provides the perfect medium
for these, my favorite flowers, yet it gets
cold here, and I despair at the crumbling
husks of once-vibrant leaves, topped
with the nodding heads of every variety
of rose I could fit in the space allotted,
names like Lady Shallot, Munstead Wood
and Desdemona only contributing
to their unique scents and hues, shapes
of crowns, and they were hearty, too,
bloomed well into fall, and then,
one petal at a time, they vanished
into oblivion and I wonder
who will surprise me with new
emergence in spring?
Warm and little humidity, I bet they are happy. 🌹
Humidity you say? 😂😘
Yes! Spring is peeping from the corners, it will sure bring its bounties. 🌺🌺
Looking forward to it! 🙏❤️
They will return…(K)
Thank you! I dearly hope so! 🙏🏽❤️
Transplanting ourselves and our expectations in a new environment is such an interesting exploration. We have found there are many losses along the way. It takes time to appreciate the different climate, adapt ourselves…. And choose different plantings. After 30 years, I’m beginning to think I may stay here.
Sounds about right, Val! Good for you. Beautiful gardens for sure! 🌹💕