Last summer, I took a stem cutting from a neighbor’s beautiful climbing white rose, dipped the stem in rooting powder, stuck it in a little soil in a clear plastic takeout container, watered it, put the lid on (key to maintaining the moist environment starts need) and set it in a window.
It grew roots and added leaves and in about two months, I had a viable little rose start. I put it in this blue pot, set it out on the deck, then forgot about it and it nearly died from lack of watering. But didn’t quite die. I cut off all the withered parts and it grew up again.
Then winter arrived and my attention turned indoors. When the spate of hard freezes hit us last month, I moved the more delicate potted plants from the deck into the garage, including this rose. There had already been a few hard freezes, hard enough to crack the side of this pot (designed for indoor, not outdoor use). But this delicate looking guy turns out to be strong.
There’s a great article about how some plants survive hard freezes on the United States Botanical Garden website. (Side note: Anybody visiting Washington D.C. should visit the botanical garden. It’s a lovely oasis on the capital grounds to decompress after a day of gawking at the wonders of DC).
I love that this plant survived my early neglect and winter freezes. Here’s to things that survive despite all odds.
Susan Palmer's Exquisite Now 