bed of roses

noun

1. a situation of luxurious ease; a highly agreeable position.

   Caring for a houseful of active kids is no bed of roses.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bed of roses¹

First recorded in 1800–10

Idioms and Phrases

A comfortable or luxurious position, as in Taking care of these older patients is no bed of roses. This metaphor, first recorded in 1635, is often used in a negative context, as in the example. Also see bowl of cherries.

Example Sentences

The road to where we are now has not been a bed of roses.

From Scientific American

"This hasn't all been a bed of roses."

From BBC

“Chivalry may not have been a bed of roses for those forced to lie in it,” Judge Keenan said about the dress code in her opinion.

From New York Times

Looking back, I realize it wasn't a bed of roses for him.

From Salon

Those pieces included small beds of roses and other items as well as a few dozen “nature carpets”—large rectangles decorated with foam pumpkins, cabbages, and watermelons.

From Science Magazine