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 .