Sunday, May 17, 2015

everything's coming up roses

May is rose month in our particular corner of the world. Our main rose is the damask 'bella donna' (from before 1848) that I found growing on the side of the road that led to the city dump. This was about 25 years ago and I have hauled her back and forth across the country many times. She has such a lovely fragrance that we were happy to plant her offspring around the yard and be happy with just that.

About 7 years ago we took up the practice of pegging the canes; bending them down to a near horizontal angle in order to produce more flowers. This spring we have Almost more than we can deal with, plus the fact that for the first time we are daring to go out of town while she blooms.

For the most part I had always just distilled her; this year we are trying all sorts of new things, many of which will be waiting for us to come home to, so we are experimenting with ways to preserve her.

This is her story.








she has been distilled


and enfleuraged



and dried


and frozen



and evaporated


and reduced.

She will be with us all year.



4 comments:

  1. Fantastic blog article - all the way through. Exceptional

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  2. Thank you Michael! She is dearly beloved. : )

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  3. A beautiful ode to transformation...a testimony to your passions and talents and how they are made visible for all of us to enjoy! Gratitude, tizi

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    1. Thank you Tiziana!! And who would know better herself than a fellow flower fanatic! :D I am just as impressed by your own magical processes. XOXO

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