On Thursday, after Uncle Jack's funeral, we all went back to the house he shared with my Aunt Vicki, to eat and spend time with family and friends. As I was walking up to the house, I saw a rose growing beside the garage. It was a tall, red China rose with spotless foliage.
I asked Aunt Vicki about it, and she said, "That was my mother's rose. I dug it up and moved it here after she passed away."
"Do you know the name of it?" I asked.
"No, I don't."
"Would you like me to tell you?"
"You know what it is??" she asked, excitedly.
"I do. I'm pretty sure that it's 'Louis Philippe'."
You will not be surprised to when I tell you that I brought three cuttings of Aunt Vicki's rose home with me in my carry-on bag. They are now planted in a milk jug, covered with the top of a soda bottle, and are sitting in the north-facing window of my basement workshop ... where I hope at least one of them will root and grow into a new plant for MY garden.
I just knew you'd take cuttings!! Can rose cuttings be taken at any time?
ReplyDeleteCuttings are best taken while the rose is blooming. I like to take a piece of stem with a dead flower on the end of it. That's a great indication of the perfect level of 'semi hardwood' status, and gives the greatest chance of success with most roses. There are some exceptions, but I use this as a general rule.
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ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful rose and I hope the cuttings take so you can have them in your garden. Family Roses! hugs, Linda
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised at all that you brought cuttings home! I'm hoping they'll root for you. It would nice to have a piece of a family rose.
ReplyDeleteTHAT is a fabulous looking rose, Connie.. You are lucky to have the cuttings.. hope they grow for you.
ReplyDeleteThey will root and you will have the most beautiful Louis in memory of Uncle Jack and Aunt Vicki!♥
ReplyDeleteThat will indeed be special roses! Hope they do well.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you're not only identified the rose for your aunt but are now propagating a new rosebush from it!
ReplyDeleteCindy at Rosehaven Cottage
That is going to be one special rose, and hopefully will always hold happy memories. So sorry for your loss!
ReplyDeleteI love this sharing of an heirloom. It's like bringing a part of the family relative to live with you.
ReplyDeleteHello Connie- First time visitor here!
ReplyDeleteI've been reading through some of your recent posts. I cut my finger badly as you did a year ago and had to lose the extra...it takes a while for the tenderness to go away!
I just posted about a friend in VA near Richmond last week and am preparing a new post about another in North Carolina. Her "rustled rambler rose" sent me off on a search and I found your blog! She did the same as you with her rose. I didn't know this could be done.
I'm enjoying looking through your blog, sorry about your recent family loss. That is so wonderful how you got to bring home a rose from a family member.
Liz
What a wonderful story, truly this is what rose growing is all about! I am very sorry about your uncle.
ReplyDeleteMy condolences on your loss. The gift of a rose is a memory that is made and not soon forgotten.
ReplyDeleteConnie- that is such a beautiful story-- and so is the rose. I hope it grows so that you can have it in your yard.
ReplyDeleteI have a beautiful planting of sweet peas- I got them from her mother who got them from her great grandmother- who got them from her mother---- I say that they are my legacy of bloom--
Vicki