The splendor of roses in Daydreaming on the Porch
- Nov. 22, 2020, 1:07 a.m.
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- Public
A single rose can be my garden… a single friend, my world.
Leo Buscaglia
Who doesn’t love roses? They are one of Nature’s most sublime gifts.
What would Valentine’s Day be without roses? Many consider them to the most perfect and fragrant flower, and it would be hard to disagree, although I have my own favorite flowers, including roses. My mother loved them, and when I was caregiving I always had cut flowers in the house for her. Each week I have a small bouquet of flowers delivered and placed next to a framed picture of her because nothing brought her more happiness than flowers. The one I received today has about a half dozen small red and yellow roses.
Sadly, I’ve lost most of my sense of taste and smell over the years, but I can still fairly detect the sublime fragrance of roses, honey suckle, ligustrum, tea olive, and gardenias.
I’m fortunate to live only 10 minutes from a large city park whose gardens are filled with roses most of the year, except for winter. Each time I’m there for my late afternoon walk I pass those roses and they have been especially beautiful the past month or so. Here it is late November and I’m still taking pictures of them.
Most of them appear to be varieties of old French roses, as indicated on my plant identifier app (Highly recommended: PictureThis). This rose is also called Gallic rose and Provence rose.
I’m including a link to an album of rose photos from Hampton Park Garden taken over the past couple of months. The last rose in the set is a classic example of a French Rose.
In this awful year 2020, what a distinct pleasure to be reminded of the miraculous beauty of Nature.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/camas/U76x74
ConnieK ⋅ November 22, 2020
One of my all-time favorite Leo Buscaglia quotes: "If you can't be part of the solution, can you at least NOT be part of the problem?" Did you ever hear his thoughts on an experiment he tried on one of his classes: he put a fall leaf on each student's desk and then sat back and watched their reaction as they filed in and took their seats. What followed was an interesting and introspective analysis of the varying reactions from casually brushing it off the desk to holding the leaf up to the light. Loved hearing that man speak. I think you would have held the leaf up to the light. :)
Lady of the Bann ⋅ November 22, 2020
May be it's not so much you have lost your sense of smell as the roses have lost their scent. Shop bought roses dont seem to have any. Lovely to go to a garden and find some that are really special.
mcbee ⋅ November 22, 2020
My ENT doctor put me on sinus irrigation for ear problems many years ago. The first time I used it I had a sudden vivid sense of smell again. Who knew walking outdoors that fresh air has it's own lovely fragrance. I don't use it everyday anymore but everytime I do it ramps my smell back up to the fine tuned category.
Jinn ⋅ November 22, 2020
I live roses . I have several in my garden and they are glorious all summer :-)
Sabrina-Belle ⋅ November 22, 2020
I love roses. My father loved them too and taught me how to care for them when I was young. His favourites were red ones and I have a beautiful red rambler planted in his memory in the corner of the garden. I also love my salmon pink Samaritan rose named for he charity I volunteer for, and my Peace rose. My favourites are yellow ones though. I've always had one of those in my garden.
Oswego Sabrina-Belle ⋅ November 24, 2020
Roses that I can see and photograph much of the year give me much hope and pleasure, reminding me again and again how much beauty there is in the world.
Newzlady ⋅ November 25, 2020
I enjoy looking at roses of all colors, but I do NOT enjoy the fragrance.
Kristi1971 ⋅ November 28, 2020
I do not have a sense of smell...never had one, so I have no idea what a rose smells like. I admire roses for there beauty. Their beautiful petals, rich colors, and such softness to the petals. :)
Marg ⋅ December 09, 2020
I love roses! I don’t buy flowers regularly because they’re a bit expensive but Nikki often buys me red roses on my birthday so that makes it special. Only thing I don’t like is having to throw them out!