They say Tyler, Texas is the rose capital of the world. That's funny 'cause I've yet to meet an extranjero that has said to me, "Ooooo, you from Tyler? Have you many roses there, yes?" But we Tylerites do have a large rose garden for graduation and engagement pictures, a rose parade, and a rose queen. Exciting.
I went to visit my hometown a few weekends ago. One of the top items on the agenda was to get roses. The following is a chart of how much I know about certain things (self-rated).
Tellering
[----------------------------------------------]
Stars
[-------------------------------]
Spanish
[-------------------------------------------]
Women's Shoes
[-----]
Jewish history
[--------------]
Japanese history
[-]
Gardening
[---]
Roses
[---]
Notice 'Gardening' and 'Roses' have the same size scale. That's because everything I knew about gardening was wrapped up in roses and vise versa.
By comparison, notice the difference in the scales when I add one reflecting my interest in learning more about said subject.
Tellering
[----------------------------------------------]
{---------------------------------------------}
Stars
[-------------------------------]
{----------------------------------}
Spanish
[------------------------------------------]
{-----------------------------------------------------}
Women's Shoes
[-----]
{}
Jewish history
[--------------]
{----------------------}
Japanese history
[-]
{---}
Gardening
[---]
{-----------------------------------------------}
Roses
[---]
{-------------------------------------------------------}
My requirements for roses were beautiful color and, moreover, fragrance. Not the ones genetically modified for prolific-budding that require little work and bear no fragrance, but something beautiful and simple in every way. I chose 3 bushes, Mr. Lincoln, Intrigue, and Belinda's Dream - though I'm not convince Belinda is a smeller (post purchase realization.)
Over the past 2 months I've marveled at trying to grow things and here are some thooughts and things I've learned.
Upon purchasing my roses, I kept them in the pots for a week or so as I tried to decided where would be best to plant them. The backyard that I might venture out in the quite, cool mornings (all 6 or 7 of them that Texas experiences per year) and enjoy them in solitude? The front yard to boast their beauty to others and allow people to stop and smell them? The sides for prime sun exposure? I ended up choosing the front yard underneath my window. Unfortunately, this spot was taken by a huge shrub. I spent the better part of an afternoon into the evening battling this shrub, even trying to use a rope and my 25-horsepower Honda Civic to pull it out. Finally, I ripped it out and the bed was free of all other weeds and plants. But, it still wasn't time to plant the roses. I dug 3 enormous holes - much bigger than what just sticking these roses in the ground would have required. This was in order to pour a high nutrient soil-mix in the ground giving the roses every chance to succeed in there new spot. Finally, with a freshly watered bed of new soil, I placed my roses into ground with care. I was quite proud of them, and honestly, I even prayed over them. I don't know what good it actually did, but if I have authority over them, then doesn't it make sense I have say in blessing and cursing them?
I or my roommate watered them everyday, long drinks of water, until I receive faulty information that roses don't need so much water. So, we let it go for a few days. Well, this summer, North Texas was declared the hottest place on the earth (or nation... same thing right?) and my roses very quickly began to shrivel up and loose about %80 of their leaves. I, therefore, gave up the small amounts of watering thing and continued the everyday routine. Not only that but I read a chapter in Sunset Introduction to Basic Gardening (850 illustrations) about pruning and learned how to care for my roses in this way. In a few days, I began to see small new leaves forming on the main stalks. Then to my delight, all of them began growing many more new leaves as the old ones just about all fell off. Soon my Mr. Lincoln formed a flower bud. I couldn't believe it. It was more than I expected and much sooner too. I was elated when it bloomed three of four days later. The flower looked jankety at best but smelled amazing. Plus, the simple fact that it had made it - it had survived the ride from Tyler, days of indecision in the planters, a transplant of soil, harsh Texas heat, and a 25 year old's attempt at pruning. I planted, I watered, God caused the growth.
Through this whole process, through sitting next to the roses and improving their soil, giving them water every morning, pruning as needed, I've had several thoughts: God is the same with us. We don't feel pretty. We know what we should be. But sometimes when we're trying our best we still lose all our leaves, even the ones we had grown to trust and seemed to be working just fine. Sometimes, he even prunes the parts of us we thought had no problems - and maybe they didn't - but He has a different vision for us. Then we try our best at producing fruit or blooms. At first they may come out very disheveled and we may be tempted towards discouragement or even embarrassment, but He is elated, taking pictures and showing everyone and what's happening. And soon enough, after daily watering, coming under the protection and guardianship of his authority, we get more and more healthy, growing bigger, more robust and symmetrical blooms. I have not spared one detail in giving my roses the chance to survive, and not only survive, do exceedingly well - I even throw gifts of bananas and coffee grounds in there from time to time - and I am sure God has done the same with us.
For the Record: I came home excited to find that my Calendula is sprouting, and I'm awaiting the 3 newest additions to my garden to come up as well: spearmint, thyme, and lavender.
