As I did with the Japanese honeysuckle, I decided to leave this multifloral rose bush in place to provide some shelter for the birds and other animals that have been using it. I cut it off at the base, and although I expect it to resprout, I'm hoping it will be shaded out. I will likely have to continue to cut out the new growth but, at least, there will be no rose hips to spread more of these monsters around--well, not from my yard anyway, though they are in the surrounding areas. :(
During my struggle with them this year, I found myself thinking about blogging about them. I found myself thinking about them as MF rose bushes--I had to laugh when I realized the double meaning. It is quite apropos.
My first year, even before I was blogging, I found myself waxing poetic about my battle with these monsters. With their sharp thorns and many whip-like branches, I felt like I was battling the Hydra. Although I was wearing a thick winter coat, there were times I got scratches (my battle scars) and even had some thorns embedded in my thumb and finger that I couldn't remove with tweezers. Dragging the sawn-off bushes to my brush pile the moster continued to attack me with its thorns, but I felt heroic knowing that I'd defeated the beasts. Later, when the ground had thawed, I was surprised that, with a pick, I was able to remove the massive roots. Luckily, my soil is rather loose.
This year, I had fewer scratches and less of a battle because I left the bush where I'd found it. I like to think the birds appreciate that I left their perches and refuge intact. The chickadees tend to chatter at me, scolding me, I think..or maybe they are thanking me for the black oil sunflower seeds I put out. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment