Why Roses?

Hi friend,

I’m not sure when it was exactly it was that I fell in love with the rose, but I’m by far not the only one who has been smitten by its alluring fragrance, lovely ruffled petals, and its overall beauty. The rose is worthy of being admired for more than its appearance; despite the delicate petals, the rose is a tough plant that can survive freezing temperatures and still thrive in high heat. In my garden, entire rose bushes have endured being mowed down by the deer and still bloom profusely a few months later.

The rose has been admired and written about by so many who have painted them so beautifully in words as early as 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia where their petals were used to create a treasured scented rose water. Confucius wrote that the Emperor contained over 600 books about the rose and cultivation practices. Oh, how I’d love to see such books. I imagine they had the most beautiful watercolor illustrations.

The contrast of their velvety soft petals and their aggressive-looking thorns leads to the rose being used as a symbol for love and romance, the wheel of life, pain, and war, in the same way, that rulers throughout history have used the image of the rose to represent them.

The flower has been used to make infused oils for decadent foods and drinks. They have been an ideal ingredient in perfumes and lotions that have filled dressing spaces for thousands of years and continue to be a delightful indulgence.

As for me, I’m captivated by their beauty and have made it my mission]to capture their likeness in both painting and clay, even if the challenge seems beyond me.

About 20 varieties of roses bloom in my potager now. My favorite roses are Latour and Olivia Austin and they are often the subject of my paintings. I have a few that I have my eye out for, including Silver Lining and the replacement of the Constance Spry which the deer had as a snack a while back.

What is it that you love best about roses? Do you have a favorite rose/s or place where you order them?

Thank you for reading my ramblings.

Hugs,

Carolina