Rose-craft Workshop - Rose-scented oil .. AT MY ROSE GARDEN

Sometimes it is just lovely to make something luxurious from simple ingredients.  Rose-scented oil is one of those time-less luxuries that you can make in your home kitchen, and it is easy and fun to do.  There are only two simple ingredients; you will need  a good quality food grade oil, such as virgin olive oil, and  roses you know are free from nasty sprays.  This lovely infused oil can be used in cooking as well as in home-made cosmetics and toiletries.  

What you will need:

A good quality base oil (to infuse with fresh organic rose petals).  (We use Australian grown and pressed quality olive oil, such as Red Island or Cobram Estate.  Or you may prefer to use almond oil if making small quantities.)

Fresh non-sprayed rose petals (make sure they have not been sprayed with pesticides or fungicides).

Clean, sterilised wide-mouth glass jars with screw top lids.

A wooden skewer.

To make:

Pick several of your most fragrant roses, making sure they are free from toxic sprays.  It is best to pick your roses in the morning before they have been exposed to the full sun.  This will ensure they retain as much fragrance as possible.  Rinse picked roses quickly under cool running water and shake to dry. 

Pluck the petals from your roses to give at least one cup of fresh rose petals when well packed. 

Take your clean glass jar and pack a layer of fresh rose petals in the bottom.

Add enough oil to cover the rose petal layer.  Now add another layer of rose petals and cover with the oil.   Repeat until you have filled the jar.  This method minimises air locks and ensures each layer of petals is well covered with oil. When the jar is filled to the top with rose petals and oil, ensure the rose petals are completely covered with oil.  Push any exposed petals down below the oil with the wooden skewer.  Seal jar tightly with screw top lid.

Now place your jar near a kitchen window where it will be warm but not hot.  Do not place your jar of rose-scented oil in direct sunlight.  The warmth from your kitchen will allow the rose oils to slowly infuse your base oil with a lovely rose fragrance.  Leave the jar for 2 weeks before opening.  

To finish:

Strain the oil to remove the rose petals.  Discard the petals.  Your rose oil will smell beautifully of fresh roses.   (For a stronger fragrance, repeat the infusion process with fresh rose petals.)

Pour your rose-infused oil into another clean glass jar or decanter and store in a dark cupboard. 

Your rose-scented oil is now ready to use in home-made toiletries and cosmetics or simply as a moisturiser before you shower.  

You can also use this oil in the kitchen in numerous recipes.  Use as a dressing over fresh summer salads and in vinaigrette and mayonnaise, as well as in cakes, pies and biscuits.  

There's almost no limit to the uses for this luxurious rose-scented oil!  

Something Beautiful - in miniature ... AT MY ROSE GARDEN

Sighted on an early morning walk, miniature blooms of Leptospermum species, covering the tree in clouds of white blossom.   

Commonly called Tea Tree, this member of the Myrtaceae family is largely endemic to Australia.  Traditionally used by early settlers to make a tea by boiling its leaves in water.  A valuable source of nectar, it is still used in honey production throughout Australia.  

Tea Tree's tiny flowers also make a lovely addition to herbal and rose posies, adding a fragrant touch of the Australian bush - 'Something beautiful' in miniature.

Rose Petal Butter - Tea Rooms .. AT MY ROSE GARDEN

At a time when most of us are on summer holidays, there is time to linger over a relaxed afternoon tea after a morning of swimming, walking or sightseeing.   And a simple home-made touch imbues feelings of timeless luxury without fuss.   Perfect when gathering with friends or family.  

Prepare a simple feast of home-made sandwiches alongside plates of fragrant, summer strawberries.  And for a final flourish, freshly made scones served with rose petal butter on pretty china!    

Rose petal butter can be prepared days ahead.  Here’s how:  

Pick a handful of fragrant, organic pink and red rose petals (best picked first thing in the morning on the day you plan to make the rose petal butter).   Shake and rinse, then pat dry with a clean tea towel.  

Place butter (about 150 g) in a small bowl to soften slightly (to room temperature).    

Add most of your clean, dry rose petals (save some petals for decoration) to the softened butter.  

Mix in the rose petals with a stainless steel knife.  The knife will simultaneously chop the petals and mix them into the butter.

The rose petal butter should be creamy with rose petals evenly mixed through. 

  

Rinse a small ceramic bowl or mould with cold water.  Do not dry (this allows the butter to be released easily for serving).  Pat the rose petal/butter mixture into a small ceramic bowl or mould. 

Cover with the remaining rose petals (this will form a seal and later a base for the butter).  Cover with cling film.  Refrigerate if using in the next few days, or freeze for later use. 

 To serve; remove cling film and invert mould onto a pretty plate.  (To release butter from mould, place a warm cloth over mould.  You may need to insert a hot knife around edge to help ease butter out of the mould).   

Your rose butter will have taken on subtle hues and aromas of the fragrant rose petals.  Serve with warm date scones... A simple touch of luxury that is just delightful.    

Something Beautiful - Create a pretty posy .. AT MY ROSE GARDEN

AT MY ROSE GARDEN, we have decided that every week this year we will do, see or create something beautiful. 

This week’s something beautiful:   

The Christmas and New Year season can often bring back memories of lost loved ones, along with feelings of loneliness and sadness.  Perhaps you know of someone who needs a little cheering up.   Gather fragrant garden roses and create a pretty posy, as a surprise gift.  (And by creating this posy, you cheer yourself up too!)  .. Something beautiful to do and create this week! 

   

Here's how we made our pretty posy:

Pick your roses in the cool of the evening the night before you plan to create your posy.  Each rose is different, but as a general rule of thumb, pick your roses when they are just about to open, or partially open.  Place roses in a container of cool water up to their necks in a dark place overnight.  This will condition the roses and help your posy stay fresh for longer.   

To add colour, extra fragrance and texture to your posy, gather sprigs of herbs and foliage.  We often include common herbs, such as lemon thyme, spearmint and rosemary, which all have a strong, spicy perfume.  These can be picked at any time of year as foliage, as well as when in flower.  The strong perfume from these herbs if stored with roses can induce them to open their blooms too soon.   For this reason, condition your sprigs of herbs and foliage in a separate container of water away from the roses. 

Heirloom, English rose

G. Nabonnand, Tea rose

Wife of Bath, English rose

For our posy, among the roses we picked was the pink, highly fragrant English Heirloom rose.  We added the softly fragrant Tea rose, G. Nabonnand, with soft peach/pink blooms.   And for a final touch of luxury, we added the myrrh scented English rose, Wife of Bath.  For hints of bright colour that contrast well with the soft pink roses, we inserted stems of purple salvia.  Pale pink flowering stems of spearmint added here and there throughout the posy gave a touch of spicy fragrance.   To finish off the posy tie with a pretty ribbon!

Now you have created ‘something beautiful’. 

Something Beautiful for 2015 - Heirloom Roses .. AT MY ROSE GARDEN

The New Year brings an anticipation of new and exciting things for 2015.  

With approximately 52 unblemished weeks in the year ahead, here AT MY ROSE GARDEN, we plan to see, do or create ‘something beautiful’ each week.   

And the unfurling of a new bud of the Tea rose, Triomphe de Luxembourg, depicts 'something beautiful' perfectly.    (Note - While this rose differs from the original rose of this name, it continues to be known as Triomphe de Luxembourg in Australia (Chapman, Drage, et al). 

Typical of many of the Tea roses that sulk if transplanted, our rose did not do well after being transplanted from an overcrowded position to a sunny, more open aspect.   Now, after 2 years of sulking, it is offering us forgiveness with its voluptuous, lilac pink, slightly perfumed roses.

The opening of the plump, pointed buds is a lovely sight and definitely ‘something beautiful ‘to see.  

Sepals are just parting to reveal the plump, pink bud.

    More of the bud is revealed as each of the sepals fold down.

Now that the sepals have opened, the lovely petals are revealed as they curl at the edges to form a plump, luscious bud.

The crimped and curled petals of the bud promise a glorious rose when in full bloom.

The pale petals fold back further to reveal more of its pink centre.

Now the rose bud is showing off with its folded petals revealing a lusciously plump, lilac pink centre.  Nearby buds at various stages of unfurling provide a lovely sight.  

And the full blown rose is something to behold, with pale, almost dusk petals revealing a lilac pink reverse, dusted with crystals.  Exquisite and definitely ‘something beautiful’ to see. 

We hope you too are inspired to see, do or create ‘something beautiful’ for each week of 2015.