Welcome to the Rose-atoe Patch

My dad used to be quite a gardner.  While he had quite a green thumb and could make virtually anything grow (Including some dead plants I'd thrown out when I lived at home. Later when the plants were healthy and beautiful I asked where he'd gotten them - he took great joy in explaining that those were the plants I'd thrown out!), the two things he was most proud of were his rose garden and the tomatoes he planted in pots all over the deck in the backyard.

While the roses thrive and have lived on for years, the tomato plants kind of went by the wayside several years ago.  They have to be planted every year and take a lot of management throughout the season and dad just wasn't really up to it any longer.

About a month ago, my mother in law, Vicky, noticed something growing in the rose garden.  "There's a tomato plant growing in the roses!", she exclaimed.  I'd seen it too, but thought it was a week and said as much.  She reiterated that it was definitely a tomato plant.  I went over and looked at it again and, sure enough!  She was absolutely right - it was a tomato plant!  At that point, it was pretty small and we didn't really think it would survive amongst the roses.

But.  It's survived and thrived!  Now, a month later, the tomato plant is absolutely huge.  It's branched out and has little vines growing across several of the rose bushes.  The other day when I looked at it and snapped some photos, it had a couple of small tomatoes - still green but they were definitely hanging in there.  I just went out this evening and looked and those tomatoes from the other day have more than doubled in size - and there are many more, plus lots of yellow buds that, provided they don't get knocked off, will bear tomatoes!  It looks like this one giant plant will produce a pretty healthy crop of juicy, delicious tomatoes.  YAY!  It's just this girls' humble opinion, but I think there is absolutely nothing better in this world than a home-grown tomato.  Especially one that is still warm from the sun.  Mmmmm...delish!

We definitely think that dad is looking down and having quite the chuckle that his two favorite things in the garden have combined themselves into one area.  He would love it and marvel over it every day.  Mom would just be glad that she's not on tomato picking duty ;o)