Sunday, March 22, 2015

Sunday Snapshot ... Hollywood Cemetery Rose Work Day

Saturday was the day that I look forward to, and plan for, all year ... the day when volunteers gather to provide annual maintenance to approximately 100 of the roses at Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery.  The weather was glorious, the volunteers were excited to be a part of the event, and the roses are always better for the pruning and attention that they receive.  I love coordinating the event ... and I am always very relieved and exhausted when it's over.

This year, I took two photos ... two ... that's all.  I left my camera in my car, because I didn't want to haul it around and/or worry about it while I was working. 




I didn't take a photo of this rose before we started on it.  The "Crenshaw Musk Rose" is one of the most historically significant roses at Hollywood Cemetery.  It didn't look its best last year because I forgot to do any work on it ... there were weeds growing around and through it, and lots of winter-killed and bloomed out canes clogging the plant.  It took us almost two hours to do this, as three of us carefully worked our way from the bottom to top, outside to inside, evaluating and reshaping the entire plant.




Pruning like this is appropriate for a vigorous, repeat flowering rose like the Musk Rose.  It maintains the rounded, upright shape of this rose.  I would never do this to Hollywood's once-blooming roses like the Hybrid Chinas and free-standing ramblers ... it would ruin their shape and rob them of most of their personality.  (Yes, I believe that roses have personalities.)

The staff at Hollywood Cemetery does a great job of helping me prepare for the arrival of the volunteers, and the Friends of Hollywood provides yummy boxed lunches for everyone.  I ate mine in the sunshine, while chatting with some of the volunteers.




At the end of the day, I was spent.  Goth Gardener was there, as she promised.  We ended the day with another Silly Selfie ... one that documents our extreme level of fatigue.




It is such a relief to be finished with this.  There are a few roses that didn't get worked on, and I will inspect and do what I can for them in the next couple of weeks, and review and document the other roses to help prepare for next year's Rose Day.  

My attention now will be to focus on my OWN garden.  I'm energized and raring to go ... once I rest up from yesterday.

Happy sunny Sunday, Everybody.

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Sunday Snapshots are posts that are devoted to a moment in time that represents a slice of life in Hartwood, or wherever else I happen to be.

15 comments:

  1. I have scratches and cuts all over my arms, a bit of sunburn, and achy muscles... Yep, that is pure garden happiness :D

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    1. Rule #1 with rose gardening ... wear long sleeves.

      I'm sore and tired, and happy to have spent the day with you. We did good stuff! Thank you for being there

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  2. A good job, well done! There is nothing like seeing a group of people work on a project like this---with a common goal in mind. Loved this post- xo Diana

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    1. This is such a fun day! Everyone arrives excited and ready to work, and they feel honored to be trusted to work on the cemetery's roses. The cemetery management and staff and I very much appreciate their effort ... the roses do, too.

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  3. What Diana said... common goal! Well done!

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    1. I am always relieved and elated for the day to be OVER. Now I can stay home and work on my own stuff with a clear conscience.

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  4. Happy Sunday! Glad it was a good cemetery work day day.
    Rest now.

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    1. My idea of resting this time of year is spending time working in my own garden. Nothing fuels the soul quite like whipping the garden into shape so it look its best as the season progresses.

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  5. Sounds like a fun and productive day! Good for you.
    Amalia
    xo

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  6. Glad you had such a good day at the cemetery.

    Love the selfie, and seeing you enjoying lunch.

    Happy Spring and working in your lovely gardens ~ FlowerLady

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    1. I have always shied away from having my picture taken. When my father in law passed away a few years ago, it was difficult to find photos of him to document all the phases of his family, as he was almost always the one behind the camera. I told myself that I wasn't going to be like this from then on, and I've been working on it. Silly Selfies with friends is part of the process. :)

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    2. Ha ha ha NOTED! I see more silly selfies in thy future :D

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  7. Connie, how wonderful you do this for these lovely roses at Hollywood! I hope to join you one year---my daughter came from NH so I knew I wouldn't be able to help this year. Hopefully next year! ♥

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    1. Martha, you still have the chance to work with me on Hollywood’s roses if you are available on a weekday. There are roses that weren’t done, and I plan to make a trip there one day next week with a To Do list to see how much I can accomplish.

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