My grandmother and mother grew this rose and every spring I look forward to its appearance in my own garden. The rose of my childhood, my family used to wear this rose each year on Mother’s Day Sunday.
Virgie’s Old-fashioned Rose
It was Virgie, my mother’s first cousin and my gardening mentor, who passed along this rose to me, soon after I was married. The rose grew at my previous Wave Road garden and when we moved a few miles away to our current location, my daughter valiantly helped me fight thorns and dig roots so we could bring the rose to our new home.
[I shared a piece with my daughter when she and her new husband moved into their own home, one of many things that did not fit into the back of a station wagon when they later moved to California—yet I loved that she grew it for a time.]
VIrgie’s Old-fashioned Rose
Virgie contributed not only this rose, but numerous other things that still thrive in my garden: Dusty Miller, Tradescantia (Spiderwort), Phlox divaricata (Woodland phlox), Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant), Spiraea prunifolia (bridal wreath spiraea).
Other plants I have had to replace, but that she taught me to love are Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’, Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion) and Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William).
One I regret leaving behind is Calycanthus fluorides (Carolina spicebush, eastern sweetshrub). Several gardens on last week’s garden tour featured sweetshrub.
So, anyway a tribute to family and to a family rose on Mother’s Day.
Virgie’s Old-fashioned Rose
pbmGarden 
Happy Mother’s Day Susie; it is Mother’s Day here in Italy too today; the day is celebrated in the UK during lent; I don’t know why it should be different, there it is usually daffodils that are given and received. Your rose is beautiful and the story behind it lovely.
Thank you Christina. I have two or three daffodils blooming, but roses are much easier to find this time of year around here. This weekend the garden has been magical, with everything in full bloom.
A beautiful story. Passing plants down through the family keeps a memory alive.
Thank you. So many plants in my garden remind me of a relative or friend who shared them with me.
What a special story, and I appreciate your sharing the beautiful photos on this holiday. Happy Mother’s Day to you too. The flower blooming in my garden right now is Bleeding Hearts, and if I could, I’d attach a photo here just for you. 🙂
I’d love to see your Bleeding Hearts Judy, such pretty flowers. Happy Mother’s Day to you.
Happy mother’s Day!. You have a beautiful rose with so many happy memories, may it carry on for more generations.
Happy Mother’s Day to you Pauline. Thank you for the sweet sentiment.
It really is a beautiful rose, with such lovely memories too. Have a great Mother’s Day!
Thank you Cathy. It’s wonderful to have memory plants return each year like old friends.
A beautiful rose with a beautiful history attached!
Thank you Sweetbay. The rose is something I look forward to so much each year.
It’s lovely that you’ve been able to hang on to a plant that had so much meaning to your family, Susie. Happy Mother’s Day!
My father made a fanned, wooden trellis for my mother’s rose that I just loved as a child. I should look for something similar. Thanks Kris!
Oh Susie what a most prized a precious flower given with love to each woman. I love this story. Happy Mother’s Day, a bit late, and thanks for sharing your special rose with us.
Thanks Donna, I treasure having flowers like this to remember people by. It’s such a welcome visit when they bloom each spring.
I have a rose in my garden that was in my grandmothers and then my mothers garden. These plants mean so much more.
Delighted to know you also nurture an heirloom rose Brian. Lovely.
Such a pretty rose and how lovely to have the continuity of keeping a much loved rose in the family over the generations.
This rose has meant a lot to me over the years.
I had a “Sweetheart” rose in my Chapel Hill garden that came from a cutting from cutting from my grandmothers. Family flowers are so special.
Your GC garden must have been wonderful John. Hope someone is caring for it lovingly now.
There’s a part of me that would like to know and a part that doesn’t want to.
Beautiful rose to go with some beautiful sentiments. Calycanthus has been at its very best this week, and flying out of the nursery.
I was tempted yesterday at a garden center by Calycanthus, but left with mostly annuals for pots of color.
Such a beautiful rose. Happy belated Mother’s Day. Sorry, it’s a little late. I’ve been busy at work lately hence a wide gap between each reading and blogging.
Thanks for the kind remarks. Sorry work is keeping you so busy. Hope you can take time for yourself (recharge and relax).