How Nature's Beauty Transforms.. AT MY ROSE GARDEN

We all know the sense of awe and wonder when we see something that is beautiful.   And yes, in our instant social media landscape we can see photos almost endlessly in various formats at any time. Yet, invariably these images are references to the wonders of nature. Even man-made works that are recognised as beautiful, whether it be the work of an artist's painting, the architecture of a building, or the span of a bridge over an expanse of water, almost always reference the natural world.  

I think the ability to admire beauty is born innately within us, something that brings an inner peace, if only for  a second or two.  Who hasn't been caused to pause at the sight of the beautiful in nature;  a glorious sunset,  a view of beautiful mountains, a clear night sky filled with bright stars, a small child's delight at handing over a fist full of weedy flowers?

  

And sometimes beauty that is incongruous with its surroundings causes us to stop in our tracks; as with a single flower blooming in the midst of a jungle of weeds, or one, lone tree bravely growing through a crack in concrete pavement. And viewing that beauty can quiet our minds and cause us to rest our thoughts. For even a short time-frame, we are finally 'in the moment' and at peace.  

But what is it that attracts us to the beautiful that distracts our busy minds and causes us to pause?

Studies have shown that previously unkempt neighbourhoods, riddled with poverty and crime, are transformed when beautiful gardens are created.  Not only is the neighbourhood landscape changed, but the inhabitants are also changed with less crime and an improvement in neighbourly care for each other.

And by now, most of us have heard of studies that illustrate how even just a window view of trees can bring about substantial healing for hospital patients.  

We know from environmental psychology that viewing and interacting with the natural world can improve our emotional health, and even increase our cognition.  The rise of 'nature play' programs with increased focus on the natural world is due to better understandings of the multiple benefits for children of safely interacting with nature .  

In a world where there is so much information that focuses on events of terror and strife, perhaps it is more important than ever that we search out the beautiful.  To on purpose focus our minds on the beauty all around us, in our gardens, our park-lands and any natural green spaces surviving near our cities.

And the desire to bring a little beauty into this world is why I grow old fashioned and heritage roses; flowers that are universally seen as beautiful.  

Our minds are  refreshed when we are able to re-direct our attention to the beautiful in our every day.  In this way, we not only transform our own lives, but are inspired to improve the world around us by;

• creating more gardens to nurture and enjoy, 
• growing more flowers to preserve local bee and bird populations and spraying less toxic sprays, 
• preserving green spaces in our cities, 
• allowing our children to walk barefoot on grass, 
• growing more fresh food in our own backyards and on our balconies, 
• buying locally grown food and flowers that have not used up even more fossil fuels to travel to us, 
• keeping our water-ways free of plastics and rubbish, 
• recycling and composting ...

So many ways to see and enjoy beauty in our every-day, walking around lives.  
What can you do today to see and share a little beauty in your world today?

Give Me Old-Fashioned Roses .. AT MY ROSE GARDEN

I love the old fashioned roses.  It's not just their history that I find fascinating. It's their elegance, their fragrance, the beauty of their buds and blooms that cannot be replicated by the stiff, upright mass produced roses so readily available these days.  The fragrance of the old fashioned roses is rarely brash and harsh, unlike some later creations bred to imitate the earlier roses.  Old fashioned roses have an infinite range of perfume, from the expected old rose scent through to 'dry tea with a hint of apricot' (Graham StuartThomas, 'Climbing roses old and new', 1965)!

Above and below is the lovely Tea rose, Anna Olivier (1872) bred in France.

Of course, among my favourites are the Tea roses.  These are the predecessors of today's Hybrid Tea roses.  Unfortunately, later versions of Hybrid Teas became stiff, non-perfumed blooms bred for longevity in the vase rather than their garden worthiness and beauty; a far cry from the loveliness of the Teas and some of the very early Hybrid Teas.  While recent rose breeders have created roses that combine the qualities of old fashioned roses with vase qualities of later roses, I still prefer the beauty of the earlier Teas.  And in our warm climate they grow well, and flower generously and recurrently.  

Above and below is the bloom and bud of Tea rose, Mrs Herbert Stevens (1910) bred in Ireland.

There is something ethereal and lovely in the way the Teas hold their buds and then open into gorgeous blooms.  And their petals are often reminiscent of the finest silk spun into soft colours.  None of these qualities are evident in mass produced cut roses that are often laden with toxic chemicals and bred to last forever in a vase.  Some lament the tendency of Teas to have weak 'necks' that cause their blooms to droop on the stem.  Yet, I find this quirk charming and lovely; easily incorporated into a bouquet, posy or vase arrangement by a skilled artisan.    

The elegant Tea, Comtesse Riza du Parc (as sold in Australia)

And I love how brides of  the 19th and early 20th Centuries sought out some of these lovely Tea roses for their bridal bouquets.  The silky petals and soft colours were beautiful without detracting from the bride herself.   In our rose gardens at Edgeworth Lley, I grow one of the most popular roses for brides in the late Victorian era; Tea rose, The Bride.  She has the most elegant buds that open out into large, many petalled, sweetly perfumed blooms.  Perfect for a bridal bouquet or posy.  

The full bloom of The Bride (1885) USA

Teas also grow well without the need for sprays and artificial fertilisers.   They are tough, vigorous roses that once established are drought tolerant, perfect for our dryer climate.  Part of the joy of growing these heirlooms is being able to feature them to teach others about the benefits of preserving heirloom flowers and food producing plants.  Growing heritage flowers that have proven over the generations they are tough, means that we don't need to rely on toxic pesticides and sprays, nor artificial fertilisers.  

So, I am proud to grow these lovely heirlooms from the past and help preserve them for future generations.