'Mary Rose' in 2007:
'Mary Rose' was one of the first plants I put in when we moved here in '99. 'Mary' wasn't all that good for the first few years, providing a fine spring show, but for the rest of the season, mostly just mildew. By 2006, she was in her prime, and '07 and '08 were very good: A spectacular spring show and an excellent June repeat, with a decent autumn as well. After '08, 'Mary Rose' came down with a stubborn and unyielding case of stem canker, and began to decline. Several years of various treatments did not help, the decline continued, and so yesterday, she came out.
In 2008:
She never was my favorite rose, but she had her moments, and we made the best of it, her and I. I learned from her, and she had a life here for over a decade. 'Mary Rose' had a long run here, with moments of great beauty mixed in with exasperation, hope, and mildew.
Removing any plant can be agony for the novice gardener, but after quite a few years out there, you gain perspective, and as more years pass, you realize how fleeting every bit of the garden really is, and change it without much regret, because you have learned it will change, no matter what you do or don't do.
Thanks for the memories and the lessons, dear 'Mary Rose'.
'Mary Rose' was one of the first plants I put in when we moved here in '99. 'Mary' wasn't all that good for the first few years, providing a fine spring show, but for the rest of the season, mostly just mildew. By 2006, she was in her prime, and '07 and '08 were very good: A spectacular spring show and an excellent June repeat, with a decent autumn as well. After '08, 'Mary Rose' came down with a stubborn and unyielding case of stem canker, and began to decline. Several years of various treatments did not help, the decline continued, and so yesterday, she came out.
In 2008:
She never was my favorite rose, but she had her moments, and we made the best of it, her and I. I learned from her, and she had a life here for over a decade. 'Mary Rose' had a long run here, with moments of great beauty mixed in with exasperation, hope, and mildew.
Removing any plant can be agony for the novice gardener, but after quite a few years out there, you gain perspective, and as more years pass, you realize how fleeting every bit of the garden really is, and change it without much regret, because you have learned it will change, no matter what you do or don't do.
Thanks for the memories and the lessons, dear 'Mary Rose'.
My condolences for the passing of Mary Rose, she has been so prolific and very beautiful in the photos. If it was in my mother's she will not part with it until it is fully dead! No worries, it is already in Rose Heaven!
ReplyDeleteI've never grown this Austin, but I did see her namesake ship on display after it had been recently dredged up from London harbor. I love the balance of bloom over the plant in your photos, testament to some good pruning skills. Time moves on, for roses and ships!
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