Kindred Spirits Who Never Met

  While the New Dawn rose was dubbed "Grandmother's rose" by my grandfather, there is another rose in the garden that could have the same moniker.  Another favorite rose is an unnamed (at least to me) cluster rose that ambles across the fence.  Its true rosy pink blooms are only about two inches in diameter but burst out in clusters of ten to twenty blooms.  The flowers tend to stay intact longer than the larger roses and have a heavenly true rose scent.  This rose was my other grandmother's...my paternal grandmother.  She was a hard working farm lady that loved her flowers.   According to my uncles and Pop, this rose was probably her favorite since it was long lasting and bloomed profusely.  

  The rose was given to me by my uncle before he passed away about ten years ago and it now has a place of honor in my rose garden.  My paternal grandmother died before I was born but I share a distinct love of plants with her.  It is as if we are kindred spirits that never met.  

  Both roses are heirloom roses that were grown in cottage gardens of days past.  Cottage gardens were sort of informal gardens where masses of all sorts of blooming plants were planted.  The roses were left to ramble where they may as were other plants both ornamental and edible.  While the gardens were a visual delight, most had a smattering of herbs and vegetables planted alongside of the ornamentals.  Cottage gardens were usually tended by the lady of the house and were her "escape" from the household doldrums.  With lush blooms, the scents alone were usually enough to brighten the spirits but add a cup of tea made from the herbs in the garden and things were simply perfect! For a while, cottage gardens had fallen from favor but it is good to see that they are making a comeback in recent years.  Folks are falling in love with the charm of cottage gardens and roses like those of my grandmothers' are finding their place in the garden once again.