It's been almost a couple of weeks and I'm still upset. A large and beautiful rose bush which I have cared for (I will admit I did little pruning this past summer and fall due to an injury and my husband just didn't get out there like he said he would.) on this property for over a decade has been violated and nearly annihilated and in a terribly unprofessional, messy way.

My family and I have rented this property for over 10 years so we do not own it. The landlord is a real jerk who has always seemed to like to maim trees, kill beautiful flowers, etc. but I won't get into the past assaults so as to focus on the present one. Said jerk hired a 'gardener' (read: buddy of his/jerk with a chainsaw) to trim down a tree in the front yard. Well, he topped that beautiful conifer, did not trim it at all otherwise and it looks ridiculous now (but that's another thread...). He hacked away too much at a tree outside my bedroom window which I had lovingly brought back to glory after the landlord had basically cut it down to a low stump.

But I had no idea this 'buddy' of his was going to take a chainsaw to the rose bush. When I got home that evening, I was horrified and even wept on top of being oh so angry. I couldn't assess the full extent of the ravaging until the next morning. He left splintered, incomplete cuttings in places, didn't often cut in the proper spots and just left a veritable wasteland where the roses used to be. I cleaned up his messy way of trimming things the best I could with what little is left. There are just some stems growing over the fence some from the neighbors and some very short stems poking out of the ground. There is a tiny, separate rose bush to the right of the dear lilac I also love but that is it. I hope he dare not come back and if he does, I will be giving him a piece of my mind.

I need advice on what to do to help the roses recover quickly as I am assuming they can. I am wondering what to expect as to the length of time as to them becoming full and beautiful again. I figure I will buy some organic rose food and begin using that come March. In short, I am asking all you rose pros out there to help me out (herbs and geraniums seems to be what I'm most knowledgeable in, but I do have a 'green thumb in general').

Thank you for any advice. I appreciate it so much and I know the roses will too.

Note: I come bearing photos: I'm including a couple 'Before,' a few 'After' photos of the roses and one of the tiny, lucky bush which the jerk left untouched:

Wow!! I'd been screaming bloody murder at the landlord for all that or plotting payback on his property.

How sad! I think you have already done what is needed - tidying up the "pruned" canes and clearing the debris. It will recover, but it will take more than one season.

@Starmouth, what @porkpal said. Most likely, the rose will recover. I don't know what kind of flowering you may expect this next spring as you don't state whether it's spring flowering or repeat flowering. If it's spring, you may not get much, if any. If it repeats, you probably will get a decent flowering next year. You've already "cleaned it up" and provided some fertilizer so I'd just leave it alone over winter to do its thing. It appears to be a climber so you may want to practice some training as it develops more wood next year to improve its looks and encourage more bloom from it. Unfortunately, you probably should just swallow your anger and leave it alone with the landlord. Yes, you've paid the rent for a decade but it doesn't belong to you. It belongs to HIM. If he's a jerk, your complaints about what he had done to the plants may back fire and stimulate more actions you wish he hadn't taken. Take a deep breath and let Nature take its course. You don't need any further irritations so don't tick off the landlord. It's HIS house, HIS yard, HIS plants so just enjoy them the best you can and let his stupidity roll off your back. I know it's likely easier said than done, but realistically, what else can you do without giving him ammunition to take actions against you? It ain't worth it.

pepper23 said: Wow!! I'd been screaming bloody murder at the landlord for all that or plotting payback on his property.

Admittedly, I was thinking to t.p. and egg his house like some teenager out making mischief. Well?! It would be better than nothing. There are always voodoo dolls...(Joke - kind of...)

(Sorry for the slow response everyone...I've been in my annual winter slump on top of feeling under the weather so have only just gotten back to this site and thread.)

porkpal said: How sad! I think you have already done what is needed - tidying up the "pruned" canes and clearing the debris. It will recover, but it will take more than one season.

Alas, it is sad. I make use of the roses for all sorts of things too so I guess I'll have to make due with what the smaller bush can afford to offer me and, also, am thinking I will purchase some potted roses for the late spring and summer.

Thank you for reassuring me that the roses will recover. I figured it would take more than a season for sure. To be honest, I really hope I'm not living here for much longer. Still, I want to do all I can for the bush in the meanwhile.

roseseek said: @Starmouth, what @porkpal said. Most likely, the rose will recover. I don't know what kind of flowering you may expect this next spring as you don't state whether it's spring flowering or repeat flowering. If it's spring, you may not get much, if any. If it repeats, you probably will get a decent flowering next year. You've already "cleaned it up" and provided some fertilizer so I'd just leave it alone over winter to do its thing. It appears to be a climber so you may want to practice some training as it develops more wood next year to improve its looks and encourage more bloom from it. Unfortunately, you probably should just swallow your anger and leave it alone with the landlord. Yes, you've paid the rent for a decade but it doesn't belong to you. It belongs to HIM. If he's a jerk, your complaints about what he had done to the plants may back fire and stimulate more actions you wish he hadn't taken. Take a deep breath and let Nature take its course. You don't need any further irritations so don't tick off the landlord. It's HIS house, HIS yard, HIS plants so just enjoy them the best you can and let his stupidity roll off your back. I know it's likely easier said than done, but realistically, what else can you do without giving him ammunition to take actions against you? It ain't worth it.

Oh yes, I was remiss in saying the rose bush is one of repeat flowering.

I won't be saying anything in all likelihood at this point. At the most, I might throw some slight shade as to his 'gardener' friend which would likely be over his head (because I'm a feisty one). As I noted above in response to another fellow gardener's post here, I really just want to move if/when possible. This place has gotten too small in more ways than one. Ideally, I will have my own property soon enough where I'll have both the say and ability to do as I please, to have things as I want them. I'm certainly working and striving towards this. I have become oh so tired of being under other people's thumbs (a brown vs. a green ones and otherwise).

Thank you for your well-thought out post and advice in all regards; I appreciate it.

Good luck landing on your own plot of earth as quickly as possible. I'm happy I was able to offer you something which helped. Fingers crossed for you!