Roses are among the flowers in my garden. Three bushes I purchased and planted about 11 years ago. Seven bushes were gifted to me by a friend emptying her yard of roses. I said I’d happily take them; of the fourteen gifted bushes, seven survived the transplanting. And there is one volunteer bush along the eastern edge of my yard. Perhaps a bird delivered it. Perhaps it came from a neighbor’s yard. This volunteer rose is more of a vine that now spans 15 feet of arbor and trellis and is in abundant light pink blooms that even the neighbors notice and admire.
Where I grew up, Minnesota winters required burying the rose bushes to ensure spring/summer survival. As a teen, working side-by-side with dad to protect the roses created a happy memory. Now, living in the high desert of Idaho means that no winter-burying is required – whew.
One of my neighbors asked me to cut her roses when they die-off and at the same time to cut some that I can enjoy in my home. This every third day pruning/cutting brings me a joyful calm and then a week-long enjoyment of roses in the house. Plus cutting roses from my own yard to cheer up my bathroom and the guest bathroom bring good cheer and well-wishes.
Roses in private and public gardens adorn the country, state by state. Songs – think The Yellow Rose of Texas and others – include mentions of roses. Roses are even a part of company logo’s and incorporated in fabrics, cards, wallpapers, and various design patterns.
As a gift to another, the color of the rose you give sends a message. Colors of Roses and their meaning:
- Yellow roses are given as a sign of friendship.
- White roses might carry the meanings of innocence or death.
- Red roses mean love, passion, burning desire or even lust.
- Pink roses represent a mix of innocence (white) and passion (red).
- Peach roses indicate modesty and innocence.
- Orange roses (red and yellow) convey friendship and passion.
Are roses a part of your nesting? What happiness do roses bring to your nest?
As an author, facilitator, community contributor, business owner, and empty-nest step-parent, Jana watches for the ways in which we nest to create HOME and shares her discoveries in the blog Nesting.
Nesting is about the objects and experiences that create a sense of home. Without home, it is difficult to maintain health, find joy, or to be productive during our workdays. Enjoy the Nesting series of blogs on your search for a deep sense of home. –Jana
Jana Kemp
