"Jubilant Climbers"
It's Floral Friday, and today's shot is from the Gage Park public rose garden. These lovely climbers are fairly mature already and climbing nearly 7ft high and it's only June. Why is this significant you ask? I'll tell you. Apparently a few unscrupulous people over the years have coveted these beautiful roses that the city staff work so diligently on, and when no one's looking, out in the park late at night... they STEAL them!!!!
Yup. Dig them right out of the ground in early spring. The staff come out in the morning in April or May... and whole plants are missing before anyone has a chance to enjoy them! Me and my Nikon included. And according to a reliable source, the most popular night to take them is right before Mother's Day! So if you've gotten the lovely surprise of your kids planting roses in your garden without a heads up and you live in the Hamilton area.... well, I'd ask a few follow up questions.
The other amusing part is that the climbers are grown in pairs, flanking the pathways... so often the rose robbers pluck out the matching plant opposite it too! This gets my goat! (sorry, arbitrary inclusion of an antiquated exclamation) I mean really. These are beautiful flowers, maintained all year round by caring staff for us to walk through for free, to enjoy, to photograph.... but NOT to touch. Let's respect our green spaces folks, and the people who work so hard to make them beautiful for us. And if you so desperately want a rose bush, just ask the staff. I'm sure they'll start you off a little snip if you're so interested. Or, you could just spend ten bucks at the local greenhouse. There's an idea.
Whew... sorry for the rant. But I'm so tired of people waltzing through life with no regard for who else will be hurt by their actions. Let's get out there and enjoy our public spaces AND keep them public. Eventually, the city may give up, and remove them altogether. Then I'll rant for sure.
Thanks for the ranting ramble. Get some roses in your cameras this weekend! And have a great weekend.
you said it Christine. Well done and clearly ranted!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLori