That seemed ideal, until I came back and found Charlie abusing the gardening trick. I asked her, "Did you do that?" She began slinking around. Nobody fakes contrition better than she does.
The next day I found the first rosebush almost torn out of the ground. I just pointed my finger at the rose. Charlie seemed to be truly sorry, because wood mulch is so aromatic and fun to move around.
The coming week seems to be paradise for roses new and old. Enchanted Peace - from last year - is already six feet tall and budding. Rain is predicted most of the week, making up for truly dry clay soil. The rain-barrel cheering squad will ask me how the barrels and buckets are doing.
I emptied the containers, just in time to refill. The honeysuckle was very slow in climbing, so I used the official rain-barrel to get it growing. "You paid for a weed?" Yes, I never got it going in the back, so we put up cow squares to give them a better chance with sun, a rain-barrel, and doting care. They will spread like the wild strawberries, thanks to the birds eating and spreading their seed.
