We've Been Swindled!

Depending upon the acidity of your soil, the lovely pale pink hydrangea you planted with tender care just might turn into an unexpected -- and perhaps, undesired -- shade, such as blue or lavender or some combination thereof. This might dredge up a wide variety of feelings, from complacency, or delight, or downright disappointment.

But ... does the same thing happen to roses?

Last September, I bought a rose bush for Don for his birthday. His life (as he knew it) had fallen apart; he felt like he was wandering in a proverbial wasteland. He needed something -- anything -- to focus on, something that would bring beauty and joy to his life.

At our second house in PA, we had a stunningly beautiful rose garden -- Don's domain. We had several bushes, but one was his absolute favorite. The large, full blossoms were unlike any other we had seen before -- a burst of orange, salmon/pink, and yellow. It literally, truly took your breath away. Don tended that bush with tremendous care.

So as I strolled about the seemingly hundreds of rose bushes for sale at a local nursery, I almost jumped out of my shoes when I saw the very same rose bush we had in PA. It's providence! I would have yelled had I been more extroverted. But since I am not of that persuasion, I shouted with glee inside my soul as I picked up the bush and brought it home. We planted it in the perfect spot, between two existing rose bushes along the fence (one red and one yellow), and Don has been taking great care of it ever since. We have all been longing for this time of year, when the bush showed great promise, full of many buds just waiting to explode with their phenomenal color. Any day now ... any day now ...

"Your roses bloomed!" my mom announced this morning. I jumped for joy, grabbing my camera to take the first snaps of our favored bush.

So ... So ... So ... What happens when you expect to see one thing, and end up seeing something very different?

This is the bloom I was expecting to see:


And this -- this! -- is what I actually saw on our beloved bush.


WHAT THE HECK?!

We have been utterly and completely swindled. So now what? I'm almost embarrassed to write this, but I am SO terribly, terribly disappointed! So much so that I want to give this bush away and try again! Is that crazy? Maybe. The thing is, it is exactly like the red bush we already have in the garden -- the very same! How boring is that, two identical red bushes right next to each other? Seriously, I am so tempted to dig this thing up right now and find it a new home. Any takers?

No, a rose by any other name does not smell as sweet. Or at least, it sure doesn't look the same.