Some Mondays are so Mondayish, and sometimes the urge to garden is so powerful, that I don’t even stop to change out of my work clothes. I had one of those days this week, and when I realized it had been a long while since I shared here about my roses, I decided to write about it.
One of the reasons I love knitting is that, after years of a very cerebral job, it felt nice to have something to do with my hands. It’s also really satisfying to work and see the visible results of that work. Knitting is still my number-one relaxation hobby, but sometimes I need to use different muscle groups or get up out of my armchair. Gardening has helped fill that need.
Rose Gardening is a Tactile Escape
Gardening in general, and rose gardening in particular, is very tactile, with lots of different sensations (some of them more painful than others–buy gloves, friends!). You can easily see the progress you make. It’s rewarding. And at times like these,, where things feel uncertain in the outside world, I feel extra comforted by the touchable nature of plants.
At first blush, roses don’t really serve much purpose beyond ornamentation. Sure, you can make rosewater and perfume and sachets with them, and tending to them is good for the mental health, but they’re not like a vegetable patch, you know? And yet, I find that I don’t enjoy growing vegetable the way I enjoy growing roses. Sometimes, it’s nice to have something whose purpose is just to be beautiful. The roses are happy to oblige.
My favorite pruning snips: the Felco F-8. Many other rosarians also swear by the Felco F-2. My current favorite leather gardening gloves: the Wells Lamont Women's Water-Resistant Leather Work Gloves My favorite guidebook: The Rose Gardening Guidebook from David Austin