This Group of Gardening Bandits Rescued the Heirloom Roses of Texas

Sharp pruning shears, plenty of insect repellent, a sure cure for poison ivy, stout boots, some dollar bills, an honest-seeming face, the words for ‘friend’ and ‘don’t shoot’ in several languages, plastic bags, a supply of willow water, someone to drive the getaway car, and a sense of mission.”

These are the surprising qualities that Pam Puryear, founder of the Texas Rose Rustlers, looked for in the people she recruited to save antique roses nearly 40 years ago.