Roses In Memory ...

Mak loved roses. She had a few bushes of pink coloured roses which were always blooming with flowers. She used organic fertilizer - water saved from cleaning fish), soil taken from burnt rubbish and fertilizer which was water saved from washing rice. I was the caretaker and gardener of her rose bushes. When I went off to college and Bapak passed away soon after, we had to relocate. She never grew any more roses after that. She never explained why. Yet, her talcum powder, her EDT or anything always had rose fragrance that we always associated the smell of roses with her. Thus, when she passed away, I refused to have anything that smelled of roses. It reminded me so much of her. Even though I love roses especially when we went to Cameron Highlands ... just to see and touch the flowers were enough to overcome the longing for Mak's memory.

When I got married and had children, I had no time for gardening. I had to juggle so many tasks at a time - mother, wife, cook, maid, driver, teacher, examiner, counsellor and other tasks that just left me no time for any other leisurely pursuits like gardening. Nevertheless, there was always time for a book .... hmmm ....

Hence, when we moved into this new abode with some space for a garden, I started imagining having the roses again. Thus, when my very few close friends decided to come over for housewarming, they had the decency to ask me what I wanted as a gift. I asked for a potted pink rose plant. This was what I received. It was beautiful that I could just looked at it and enjoyed its beauty ... This was back in October.

So, I decided to buy more rose plants as company to my pink one. One marketing day a month ago, I bought two more pots. That was in November. One whitish yellow and one in red.

The roses were very particular and sensitive to direct sunlight. The buds would wilt and bend forlornly. I was so unhappy and put them at the corner where they would not come into contact with direct sunlight. I talked to them and when we went off to KK, I made sure Zura, whom we entrusted the house keys to, to make sure to water them only once a day. They bloomed beautifully. Roses or any flowers for that matter, make you smile and feel good with yourself. Well, for me anyway.

Now I am ready to embrace the roses back into my life. I started buying rose fragrant talcum powder and EDT. It makes me feel Mak is around to guide me with the gardening. She had never left me anyway. Anything good I do in this world is always for her and Bapak.

What has happened to the pink roses? It has now started to grow new shoots ...

Now I have added the kekwa flower, jasmine, Japanese roses and the kesidang plant. It takes time for them to grow ... but soon enough, I will have a garden of flowers just as I used to have at my old house in Peringgit where I grew up. Hmmm ... maybe I should get another pot or two more ... ;-)
"Roses speak a language of love that only the heart understands".