Thank goodness, after two hellish weeks we finally have power again. Suffering a nor’easter hot on the heels of SUPERSTORM SANDY, we had all but given up hope.
The garden is a mess, littered with fallen trees, branches, leaves, and blackened plants. So it is with both wonder and delight that I can report that one shrub, the floribunda rose ‘Pretty Lady’, is in pristine condition, blooming away and wondering what the fuss is all about.
Funny thing, I never intended to buy this extraordinary rose. Years ago, after watching a DVD about an English rose garden, I went searching for a hybrid tea named ‘Lovely Lady’, a favorite of the garden’s curator. It wasn’t available on this side of the pond, so eventually I stopped looking.
Then sometime later I saw R. ‘Pretty Lady’ listed in a mail-order catalog. Not remembering (as is my wont) that my quest was for ‘Lovely’ not ‘Pretty’, and for hybrid tea not floribunda, I ordered it.
Happy I did. Rosa ‘Pretty Lady’ is a marvelous find. She is fragrant, very disease resistant, and a nonstop bloomer with lovely pale apricot-pink flowers and lustrous, dark green foliage. ( Check out pre-storm and post-storm photos below). Fate works in strange ways, doesn’t it?
copyright 2012 – Lois Sheinfeld
copyright 2012 – Lois Sheinfeld
copyright 2012 – Lois Sheinfeld
copyright 2012 – Lois Sheinfeld
Slowly but surely we are recovering from the storms, and I’m looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with family. If you also have turkey on your mind, here’s a tip: Before roasting, use the aromatic stems of rosemary to spread marinade on the bird and then throw the stems in the pan to flavor the juices. Much better than synthetic brushes which are impossible to clean.
Moreover, according to Bancke’s 1525 “Herbal”, rosemary gladdens the spirits and delivers one from evil dreams. “Smell of it oft,” Bancke further advised, “and it will keep thee youngly”. (Who wouldn’t want that?)
And when ancient Greek scholars sat for examinations, they wore garlands of the herb to improve their memories. Hasn’t quite worked yet for me, but hope springs eternal.