Sunday, May 31, 2015

wild roses



The beaches of the northeast are often rocky and gray. But these marvelous rugosa roses grow wild in abundance. And they are so fragrant! Imagine the scent of roses mingled with the smells of the sea, blowing in the breeze, while waves crash against the rocks.





In my previous post some of you expressed a preference for simple,
low-petal count roses. The bigger
ones weren't blooming on my recent trip to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden,
but these sweet ones were, climbing trellises and welcoming bees.

















 I have a couple of those in my garden too. They haven't bloomed yet, but here's a picture from another summer. My peonies are still tight buds. I noticed they were sticky, and discovered the most interesting thing in an old botany text--that it is related to the color of the flower. Inside the plant cells are vacuoles filled with cell sap: water, sugar, and salt. The pigment dissolves in the sap. So I imagine the sap acting as a stain, though I'm not sure that's accurate. But what is accurate is that nature is mind-blowing. I try to pause frequently and allow myself to fill with the wonders of nature--flowers, thunderstorms, bird song. It helps me get through the hard parts.







26 comments:

  1. It is mind blowing...we were just sitting outside watching a thunderstorm through the trees. The air got very still and the rain dropped right through the branches. A thunderstorm at bed time is the best! :)

    That's interesting about the sap in peonies. I've never heard that before. I wonder if peonies grow in the south...I haven't seen any, unfortunately.

    Can we have a look at that painting in the last photo?

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    1. Yes, thunderstorms are magical! I think it's hard to grow peonies in the south. Susan at Southern Fascinations has had some luck with them--but I think they took a year or two to establish. (A link to her blog is on my sidebar.)

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  2. Ants chew off the sap to help the buds bloom - they do here, anyway. Lovely photos. I almost smelled the sea and roses mingled as you described them. See, spring did come to New England.

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    1. Yes, those buds have been covered with ants and all kinds of minuscule insects. This is the first year I've watched the buds so closely--it's fascinating.

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  3. I love all roses. the simple ones as much as the wild and voluptuous ones. the stronger smell of some can get too much, though. on a recent trip to the beaches in Brittany we saw a lot of wild roses too. and you are right. the smell of sea and roses is something!

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    1. I love them all too. I want to visit some rose gardens this summer.

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  4. i love the idea of the sap acting as a stain, a dye. nature arting away lol

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    1. Isn't it cool? I'm going to read a little more into it.

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  5. Hello Jennifer, Yes, these are the kinds of roses that say "summer in the country" to me. In Ohio we often get banks and hedges of the little white ones.
    --Jim

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  6. I love your description of the smells, it's so vivid that I can smell it! I have a coffee table book on houses in Martha's Vineyard, all the front gardens have tons of roses similar to the ones in your photos. It must smell just as you describe. My peonies just started blooming this week and of course we got heavy rain yesterday so they're on the floor.

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    1. Many of the house on MV are weathered gray shingle and the roses look especially lovely against them.

      Hope you were able to bring your peonies in! (peony pictures soon?)

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  7. Your wild roses look beautiful Jen. The buds make delicious rosebud jam too!

    Happy week!

    Madelief x

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    1. Thanks, Madelief. And a happy week to you. xo

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  8. Jen... I can only imagine the fragrance of roses and sea breezes... Blissful and beautiful! I read a blog the other day and thought of your peonies. 5 tips to prolong the enjoyment ..from The Gracious Posse. Maybe you know these, but just in case...
    http://thegraciousposse.com/2013/05/five-tips-to-prolong-your-enjoyment-of-the-peony-season/

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    1. Thanks, Susan--I look forward to it. Peonies take forever to open, and then they go so fast. Ever since I opened that botany yet to uncover the mystery of sticky peony buds I've been curious about the inter workings of flowers. I have a hard time processing scientific info--be I find it thrilling when I can make sense out of something.

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  9. As much as I am trying to live in the spring, 90 degrees or not, I secretly long for the beach and your photos and prose are spot on.

    Just beautiful.

    xo J

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    1. These days I especially love them in the morning and evening. And the endless horizon. Maybe it's because we feel like we're on the edge of the earth, there's nothing out there messing things up.

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  10. Beetles got to my roses before I got to them!!!

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  11. I am one of those preference for simple,
    low-petal count rose peeps! Thanks for sharing these beauties. This is a new thing for me. I'm liking them more and more each time I see them.

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    1. Rugosa and bonica roses are very easy to grow. though I don't think you' want to give up veggie room!

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  12. Oh, these flowers are beautiful !
    As always, your pictures are gorgeous !
    Greetings

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  13. Oh how beautiful! I'm with you on the importance of just stopping to stamd and stare.

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