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A rose must be pruned to bloom beautifully.”_ And maybe we do too
I just spent the evening with my plants, and I had to share this with you all.
Some of them are waking up, some are resting, and some are teaching me patience all over again. This is what a real plant parent journey looks like — not just the perfect blooms, but the bare branches, the new leaves, and the tiny cuttings that might become something big.
What’s happening in my pots right now
. The Roses You can see them in the top row — tall, woody, a bit bare. Spring pruning hits hard 😅 I cut them back a few weeks ago and right now they look like sticks. But look closer! Tiny green leaves are already pushing out. That’s the magic. Roses in Gujranwala take a moment after pruning, but once the heat settles in they explode with growth. I’m just checking soil, giving morning sun, and waiting.
“A rose must be pruned to bloom beautifully.” And maybe we do too.
2. The New Leafy One Middle row — this little shrub is going crazy with fresh green. I’m not 100% sure what it is yet, maybe a type of duranta or clerodendrum? The leaves are bright, the stems are soft, and it’s growing faster than anything else right now. It feels like the overachiever of the group. I’m letting it enjoy the morning light and keeping the water steady.
3. The Coleus Bottom left — my absolute favorite right now. Look at those colors! Pink, yellow, green, burgundy all on one leaf. Coleus don’t need flowers to be stunning. They are the flower. In our Lahore/Gujranwala spring they love bright indirect light. Too much direct sun and the colors fade. I’ve been pinching the tips so they get bushy instead of tall and leggy.
4. The Baby Cuttings
Bottom right in the terracotta pot — this is where hope lives. Those tiny stems are rose and other plant cuttings I propagated a few weeks ago. Some took, some didn’t. That’s gardening. The ones that made it are putting out their first tiny leaves. I water them very lightly and keep them in shade. Fingers crossed 🤞
3 Things I’m Learning This Season
Not everything blooms at the same time. The coleus is vibrant today. The roses are quiet. The cuttings are just starting. If I compare them, I’ll miss the joy of each stage.
Pruning feels like loss, but it’s growth. Cutting back those rose canes was painful. But look — new leaves already. Sometimes you have to cut away to make space for better.
- Small wins count.
One new leaf. One rooted cutting. One coleus leaf with perfect pink in the center. That’s enough to make my whole day. My Spring Care Routine for These Guys
- Light: 3-4 hours of gentle morning sun for everything. Afternoon sun here is too strong already.
- Water: Check with my finger. Roses like a deep soak once a week. Coleus likes to stay slightly moist. Cuttings get just a mist.
- Feeding: I’m holding off on fertilizer until I see more growth. Right now they’re still waking up.
- Talking: Yes I talk to them. “Good job, little coleus. Come on roses, I believe in you.” 🌿 Why I love sharing this here
Hive is full of people who get it. You understand that a bare rose cane isn’t failure — it’s potential. That a tiny cutting in soil is an act of faith. That plants teach us to slow down.
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”
And today, I believe in tomorrow because I see green where there was bare wood last month.
I don’t have a big garden. Just a few pots on a balcony. But it’s mine, and it’s growing
Drop your photos below. Let’s cheer each other’s new leaves on 💚
Gardening quote I’m keeping with me this month:
_“The earth laughs in flowers._ — Ralph Waldo Emerson
And sometimes, it whispers in new leaves too.
