True to my style, when I get into a hobby, I dive in DEEP. That’s how I went from Zero to 50+ Rose Bushes in one season…and planted numerous other flower varieties as well. Now that 2025 has come to an end, I’m reflecting on the journey…what I’ve learned, what I want to do more of this year and what I definitely shouldn’t do again – ha!

For now, I’ll start with my top 5 lessons learned from my first year trying to be a flower gardener:

Roses require WAY more work than you think…especially fancy varieties. 

I’m a girly girl, so I like the super girly florist roses that are great for cutting…fragrant, colorful, and full of ruffles. However, those tend to be quite the divas and require a lot more regular maintenance to protect against pests and funguses, which can only be done at certain times of the day, lest you hurt the pollinators. 

You don’t have to start small, but don’t try SO many different varieties. 

Not only did I dive in deep on roses, but I also planted dahlias, lisianthus, yarrow, snapdragons, babys breath, ranunculus, zinnias, cosmos, explosion grass, asters, and stuff I can’t even remember (because they died). I got overwhelmed with which plants needed what and when. Eventually, I gave up and let whatever would thrive naturally live.

Plugs are GREAT for beginners. 

I wasn’t super successful with starting things from seed this year…mostly because our house projects had us starting our garden plans way too late in the year. However, being able to buy plugs/starts was a GREAT way to get a head start on growing some beautiful flowers without having to start from seed. 

Bare Root roses need a lot of babying. 

I had no idea what I was getting into with bare root roses. But from the first soaking to the misting the canes and keeping them shaded until they leafed out…it felt like we had 30 little babies to take care of with the constant attention they needed. I know more heading into this next season, but woof…it would have been nice to be more prepared.

The joy of growing a garden is truly unparalleled. 

I started growing my own flowers because I like to make arrangements. But now, the drive comes from something much deeper: because it’s simply transformational. Walking through our gardens is as peaceful an experience as I can hope for… whether it’s in the morning with my first sips of tea or the middle of the day when the stressors of life are on the edge of too much. 

And I can barely put into words what it feels like to see a truly healthy ecosystem of bees, butterflies, dragonflies, lady bugs, lightening bugs, praying mantises and more come to life once again. It reminds me of my childhood…before cities sprayed the air and neighbors doused their lawns in countless chemicals. 

Now, when I’m hanging in the pool or playing with the pups out back, I am immersed in this beautiful sanctuary we nurtured with our hands. And THAT is incomparable. 

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