From a Tuscan Hillside: A Rose is a rose is a rose

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

A Rose is a rose is a rose

Roses in May

In a 2013 post Roses are pink , Le Ripe's roses were introduced; here is the next chapter.

My inherited cultural references being at least partly British, I usually associate the optimum blooming of the rose with the month of June, but here at the 43rd parallel north things start getting exciting in mid May; this year some summery weather has accelerated the excitement.

A generous gift and many acquisitions over our years in Tuscany means that we have some lovely blooms and they seem to improve each year.

I used to think that roses looked better in a vase. How wrong I was.

That was because I had in mind the bare, stiff limbs of the standard rose, but now I know that roses come in all shapes, from bunchy, abundant shrub to arching, elegant climber, from delicate and tiny to showy and generous.

Which is only to describe a few of an almost limitless variety.

Here is a recent photo gallery from the Corriere della Sera on Italy's rose gardens.

Disclaimer: a few of the above rose names may be inaccurate since we lost some of the precious labels last year. However, a rose is a rose...

1 comment:

PubliusMay 27, 2015 at 1:36 PM
What a beautiful floral display the "Roses In May" report, posted on May26th,2015, provides,and all wonderfully photographed.What spectacular roses abound at Le Ripe.
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Situated on a hillside, Le Ripe in Chianti has an orchard with heritage fruit trees, an organic vegetable garden, a row of 18 olives, wild figs, wild grapes, dozens of lavender bushes, a medieval hortus conclusus,a shrubbery, English roses and drifts of bulbs, all requiring labour and love but giving much pleasure in return.

The farm buildings, once home, stable, sty and byre, now renovated, host our friends and family. The cottage, a former barn, and two apartments in the main building, once stable and stall, are rented to guests who come by the week or longer. For more information on staying at Le Ripe, see our rental website.

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From chocolate cake disasters to Komodo dragons and liquorice allsorts, pogo sticks to paragliding cats, a night at the opera to ice-cream bashing, the Savages are good value for money: there is chaos and confusion for everyone in SaVAgE DAyS.

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