Pruning Roses - destructively constructive!

One of our lecturers once made a fellow-student sit and think about an activity that was both destructive and constructive. She could come up with a few, like weeding the garden, for instance. But the one that Ms P (cue bottle-green-polyester-clad Amazon, hair tightly swept back into a severe bun, specs on the edge of her nose) specifically wanted, was pruning roses.

In her opinion, it perfectly summed up the idea of something bad needing to happen so that good could come of it all in the name of therapy.  In other words, she was being cruel to be kind, which is another way of being destructive and constructive at the same time!

I recently spent the afternoon doing exactly that in the garden. Yes, I know it is rather late in the season to be pruning the roses but I got a little fooled by the outrageous flirting of the Spring which still will not come...  The new growth was already sprouting forth and I had to force myself to ruthlessly cut it away, while visualising the beautiful roses it would bear come summer time.

It was a deeply satisfying activity, even though there is a real danger that I may not be quite as green-thumbed as I should be...! Anyway, I hope that Ms P will be proud of my efforts and that much good will come of my destructive hours...