Rose Notes

Recycled Roses

Photo by Susan Donley

Do you love gorgeous magazines? I sure do, and fabulous photos in both interior design and gardening magazines always inspire me––I feel guilty throwing them away. I don't have to any more, because I have a friend who makes them into roses.

Florist, Susan Donley, turns beautiful magazine pages into fanciful blooms.

In December, when I put up a blog photo of a handmade paper flower, Susan told me, “Small world, I’m working on paper flowers too.”

I finally saw her flowers when she recently put the above photo on her blog. I was enchanted. A few days later she brought me one of her recycled roses, as a gift.

It’s green, my favorite color, and my initial is even at the center of the bloom.

Each rose petal is carefully placed on a pretty magazine page and cut out by hand. On my bloom there are cherry blossoms, herbs, hedges, ‘Golden Celebration’ roses, white roses, leaves, orchids, trees, even a little bit of French text, and topiaries.

  Susan and me at the entrance of Florali on the day of my book signing for R is for Rose, 2005.

The next day I went into Susan’s beautiful flower shop, Florali, and bought a recycled rose for my sister. Susan packed it up beautifully so I could send it to Oregon for Valentine’s Day. My sister, Judy, loved it and couldn’t believe Susan had made it.

Handmade, brilliantly beautiful, 'green', recycled, made with love, a great gift.

Rose Gardening Gloves

I never thought the melodic strains of Greensleeves would come to mind while looking at gardening gloves. Isn’t this pair a showstopper? They’re leather and suede––so pretty I’d almost wear them with my good black coat.

They belong to my friend and client, Marilyn Rose (nice name). Thanks to her, I now have a pair of proper rose pruning gloves.

In January, while pruning the rose garden I designed for her, Marilyn began helping me, wearing these beautiful gloves. They were a Christmas present from her husband Fred. I admired them so many times and even took pictures. Marilyn finally said, “Carolyn you can get some for yourself on the way home. Navelets, the store where Fred bought them, is just left of the freeway onramp.”

I went to Navelets, but first I must show you the gloves I wore at Marilyn’s. I’ve probably gone through forty pairs of these gloves since I’ve been growing roses, but do they protect my forearms? No. I’m one of those rustic types who romanticizes my rose wounds. When I found my blood on the petals of a white rose––I thought it was a secret poem between me and said rose––I think it was ‘Evening Star’.

I liked the hardy rubber-coated gloves so much––I even photographed them just out of the dryer. Yes, they’re washable. But that’s no reason to go around with rose wounds.

Last spring, while visiting rose gardener Pamela Temple, I caught a glimpse of her well-worn gauntlets in her mudroom. A faint thought, I should have some of those, went through my head.

Gauntlets? What a word. Webster says, “They are stout gloves with a long loose wrist.”

Navelets was out of stock in my size of the green leather and suede gloves, but they had plenty more to choose from. I settled on an ultra sturdy pair. The next week I tried them out in another client’s garden and wondered how I could possibly have done without them all these years.

The green gloves are made of premium goatskin by Gardenworks. The Womanswork leather gloves are washable and 100% breathable. The rubber coated shorties will always be in my kit, but now, when it comes to pruning roses I’ll grab my gauntlets.

A Gift of Roses – Bands Part 1

In early December, my sister Judy called asking, “Carolyn what do you want for Christmas?” It wasn’t ‘til the next day that I had an answer. That’s when I made a quick call to her with my Vintage Gardens rose list. Three days later –– I kid you not –– I opened the door to the postman’s knock. Beaming, he held a big box with her gift of roses.

At the time, I was photographing ornaments and our Christmas tree, but switched immediately to photographing my sister’s beautiful present.

For those of you who have never mail-ordered VG roses, take a look at how well packed they are.

The box contains four roses: 'Catherine Mermet', 'Maman Cochet', 'Mignonette', and 'Pink Pet'. The green sheet of paper, included in the box, has planting instructions.

When it comes to clothes some people like designer labels. With roses, it doesn’t get any better than a Vintage Gardens label––and they last for years.

I was especially happy that the two famed blowsy pink Tea Roses, ‘Maman Cochet’ and ‘Catherine Mermet’, made the order.

Graham Stuart Thomas
Those two Teas, remind me of a special moment I experienced in the home of Graham Thomas, in 2001. While Graham led my friend Susan and me down the hall to his study, we passed what I think was his bedroom. It was a small room on the left. I saw a soft narrow bed with a coverlet in a green jacquard, geometric weave. It reminded me of a mossy forest floor. Above the bed hung a lush watercolor of pale pink Tea Roses in a bowl. I’ve often loved the thought of him sleeping there –– he was a charming and sensitive gentleman. I was there to interview him for my book R is for Rose.

'Mignonette' was on my list because I have, and love, 'Pâquerette'. These two are the first Polyanthas. It’s fun having certain special and close family members in the same garden bed.

When I saw ‘Pink Pet’, this past spring, in Marilyn Wellan’s Louisiana garden, I had one of those “I must have it” moments. It was a healthy, robust, shiny-leafed, pink bloom producer, that is also a Polyantha.

I added the green bow for the picture taking.

Even though they’re ready for dormancy, don’t they look wonderful? Are you thinking the roses are awfully small? The black pots, called deep-root or band containers, are 3-inches wide by 6-inches long. Don't worry, these roses are on their own roots, and will quickly grow into mature shrubs. I’ll write more about band roses in a future post.



Vintage Gardens ships year round, and they also ship roses in gallon cans. Give them a call at 707 829-2035.

Thank you Judy!

Rose Gifts

ROSE DARJEELING TEA

I think it’s fair to say that all rose lovers enjoy rose inspired gifts. Recently, I’ve been the recipient of rose gifts so fabulous I must pass them on to you. And I’m happy to write that each product is linked to a commercial website.

I’ve become addicted to the beautiful Rose Darjeeling tea shown above. Joanie Helgeson served it with rose ice cream at a recent luncheon, and sent me home with the tea packet. Today, I opened a fresh bag that arrived by mail order. The fragrance of tea and roses rushed from the bag, and as I poured hot water over tealeaves and rose petals, additional rose scents steamed into the air. The rose petals infuse a lovely perfume taste that balances perfectly with the robust Darjeeling flavor. I drink mine with 1% milk that once in a while has a dash of half-and-half.

ROSE-MINT LIP BALM

It looks big here, but its lipstick-size.

I’m not a fan of flavored lip balm––roses and cherries––no thank you. I was always content with plain old Chap Stick in the black tube, until my friend Mary gave me a tube of Rose-Mint ayurvedic lip balm . Once I tried it, I wanted my lips glossed with roses and mint 24-7. Its subtle scent and cool creaminess has a natural botanical feel. Mary found it in a little shop in Oregon––I’m glad it’s available online.

ROSE WATER

Agua de Rosas comes in a 125-ml. bottle.

Mary brought me back this lovely rose water from a visit to San Miguel de Allende, in Mexico. On the bottle it says. “Relaxing and refreshing as cologne, facial treatment, or room freshener.” I like to keep it in the fridge during the summer. On hot days, there’s nothing like a cool spray of rose water. The small company that makes it has a fascinating website. Check it out.

VASES

The celadon vase in the rear is actually an artist’s brush holder.

When it comes to roses, there’s no such thing as having too many vases. Priced at $1 each, there’s opportunity to try new shapes, use them as party favors, or at place settings, and give as gifts. The two shown here came from Daiso, the phenomenal Japanese dollar store. There are nine Daiso stores in the US. Online shopping won’t work here; you really have to be in store to find what you want. If there’s a store in your area, I highly recommend the Daiso shopping experience. They have 90,000 product lines!

MY CALENDAR
This is the calendar back, see the cover in the right column above.

If you and your rose friends enjoy a daily rose photo, order my 2009 Rose Calendar . I’d dreamed of creating a calendar for many years. When my book R is for Rose came out, a company in Maine asked if they could create calendars from pictures in the book. The 2009 calendar is their second production. This year, there’s a bonus page devoted to rose arranging info.

ROSE ICE CREAM

The best way to eat roses!

Rose-flavored, you say? I felt a little unsure about tasting the bright candy pink ice cream Joanie served. However, the strong perfumey rose flavor turned out to be so yummy I asked for seconds.

I planned on not having a picture for the ice cream, but the day I was working on this, my husband said he’d be going into the city and told me that he wouldn't mind stopping by Bombay Ice Creamery. Thanks Leroy! Yes, sorry out-of-towners, this is a San Francisco treat.