Roses are red...

When my Nan died last February I was allowed to take some plants from her garden. I took a few things but the most important was one of her rose bushes. I have never grown roses before, thinking them hard to look after, so I was kind of terrified that I would kill this one. I placed it in the ground which was still hard and lifeless after a long winter. I hoped hard it would grow.

I looked at it all the time willing it to grow, to be okay, not to die as if there is some part of her in there.

I kept it watered and fed.

I continued to look at it often as if that helps.

I freaked out when I caught Lucas hitting the bush with a large stick over and over with absolutely no idea of this particular plants great importance.

Then there were buds.

I counted them, forty-five in all, my mum told me that's a lot and that I should be pleased. I still have no idea what colour the roses will be but I picture yellow or pale pink in my head.

One morning I found that it was covered in green wriggly caterpillars. I love caterpillars but I relocated them to another juicy site as this ones not for eating thank you.

The next morning I found it covered (and I mean covered) in Aphids. Are you kidding me? Where's a ladybird or twenty when you need one? I spray them off with water but they are soon back.

Am I being tested?

Is locusts coming next?

Then the other morning Isaac called me to 'quick come see...'

IT'S ALIVE!!!!
And it looks like its going to be red.
I jump around the garden like a crazy person. I wonder absently what the neighbours must think...

Within a couple of hours it was this...

Looking more like a dark pink.

You get the idea, I took a lot of photos...

But the show ain't over yet. A few hours later it was full on open, gradually turning purple with white flecks inside. Is it always that quick?

I have never been so happy so see a flower in my life.

I read somewhere that you should feed it with Bonemeal once the flowers have made a show. Which I dutifully did.

And there's no stopping it now...

Okay so maybe I get what all the fuss is about when it comes to Roses. They certainly know how to put on a show.

I'm still watching it carefully though and it makes me miss my Nan every time.

In a good way...