STOPPING TO SMELL THE ROSES

I have learned roses come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes and can exist in various climates.  Roses are named after Presidents and celebrities.  Rose gardens are a challenge of many a gardner; including my husband.  Their beauty is enhanced by the local honey bees frequenting the hybrid bushes we planted in a circular shaped bed in our back yard.  A ring of roses!  Bees are attracted to the nectar and scent.  To collect the pollen they grab the anthers and vibrate their thorax against them to release the pollen.  Their buzzing intensifies during this process.   The bees are also attracted by the color of the roses.

I love roses!  My mother introduced the rose to me at a very young age.  She had several rose bushes outside the front of our home.  She pruned them, watered them, and clipped them placing them in a vase with fresh water and put it on top of my dresser.  I was the only one of six children she did this for.  I enjoyed the smell and looked at the delicate petals; amazed by nature's artwork of color and texture.  The  stems covered with prickly thorns as a reminder of the source of divine creation for their protection. The smell of those roses lasted for several days.  I kept them until stems became limp and the petals had fallen off.  For my sixteenth birthday, my boyfriend gave me two dozen red roses.  I felt so special and enjoyed breathing in their intoxicating fragrance for over a week.

Although, we may not be able to grow a garden of roses because of the climate zones we live in (you can check out the USDA Hardiness Zone Map for your area at https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ ).  They are available at florists via the local neighborhood store, retail grocer, or online stores to have them shipped to your front door.  Enjoy the beauty and smell the fragrance.  Life is too short to avoid the connection of the senses to these beautiful plants.  Even though you may not be able to afford or have the time and space for a garden perhaps just taking time to enjoy the beauty of something around you.  Take in the fragrance/smell, focus on the color or texture, touch the object to feel it, and absorb the mental imagery.  Images last far longer than words.  Break away from your daily tasks at intervals - for just a few minutes - to enjoy beauty.

I also have several orchids in my office.  One variety, Cattleya, have wonderful fragrances.  Another variety, Oncidium Sharry Baby, is known for its chocolate fragrance and does not take up as much space or as large nor temperamental as the Cattleya.  I do like the challenge of the latter.  I have a mirror, windows, a black carpet with a gold leaf-like pattern, and a variety of lighting fixtures to provide additional ambiance.  Throughout the day, I take a few minutes to look at them and focus on their beauty.  I am inspired and feel good as I return to my work.