War of The Roses

The Multiflora Rose is gone. I have fought in The Three Hour War of The Roses, and I have WON!

It was my fault that I even had to fight. You would think with the greenbrier, nettle and other thorny stingy “nasties” on our property, I would have had more sense! Friends warned me. One even gave me an article written about the Multiflora, scourge of the imported plant world. But I was so sure this “wild rose” would smell just as sweet as the ones on the road banks in Pennsylvania, and make rose hips just as large, red and tart.

Over the years, the Multiflora presented a few sweet smelling flowers and even fewer tiny little rose hips, but what it mostly did was spread.

Today as I walked from the driveway to the south side of the house, my way was blocked by an army dressed in green and armed with steel thorns, and I could almost hear the collective shout, “HALT!”

I declared war.
Three hours later, I am a bloody, muddy mess, and tomorrow I will be in misery. But the Multiflora is dead, and waiting its funeral pyre on the burn pile. I dug roots covering a 10 foot square area, some as large as 3 inches around.

Edited to add: When I was all done and cleaned up, I realised I wanted a reward. Like ice cream. But then I went out to look again at what I'd accomplished, and discovered what I really want is Black Eyed Susans! So I'm going to Hidden Grove tomorrow and buying up what they have left. Instant, Fat Free reward!