I don’t even like roses all that much, but our friends MC and Lolys were visiting from Mexico and a visit to the Rose Garden was on the agenda. Lolys was searching for a black rose, which led to the discovery that there is an index of all the roses, with a diagram to help find them. We sought out every rose with a name that indicated darkness. It was late in the day, so my photo is far from representative. Instead, click here to see what it really looks like and read cultural info. This source refers to it as ‘Dark Night’, but I like my name for it better (did I misread the label at the Rose Garden, or was I simply blinded by romantic tendencies?)
Here are the happy tourists with one of their guides.
As long as we’re in the Rose Garden, I may as well show you a few of the other specimens that caught my eye. It was the way they caught the light, rather than their intrinsic beauty, that caused me to click my shutter, so no names were noted.
The setting is as much a reason to visit the Rose Garden as are the roses. There are fountains, and paths, and a megawatt view of Mt Hood framed by towering trees. Yay for visitors who blast us out of our ruts to soak in the iconic Portland landmarks we often take for granted.
And hooray for Danger Garden, who came up with the idea of featuring a plant each week that is the gardener’s pet (for that week only, so we needn’t have a stroke trying to decide).
I very much enjoyed checking out the Rose Garden last year when we visited Portland for the first time. They do have some beautiful and well-tended roses.
Alison~It was on the Fling schedule, but then I was caught up in visiting. It was nice to have this more leisurely stroll. As an honorary Portlander, you HAD to go there.
That is a striking rose and I like your name for it too. It’s fun to be a tourist in your own town for a few days. A nice time to take a new look at familiar sights.
Shirley~I’ll bet you get visitors who want to sight-see in San Antonio. It would be high on my list of cities to visit if I were a travelin type of gal.
Ha! I’m not big on roses either, but somehow, during the course of the summer, thereof them weaseled their way into my garden. And, I got a cutting of a green rose that I’m trying to keep alive! There is something very elegant about dark roses. I once saw a super-dark rose that I thought was pretty amazing. It was called Black Baccara. Check it out! http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/F01c9_black_baccara_1.jpg
Anna~Zowie…that one’s a stunner, all right.
So true about not visiting places close by unless it is with visitors! When we fist moved to Italy we visited somewhere almost every weekend, now………. I’m just happy in the garden.
Christina~Me too. No matter how much fun they are, I kinda resent anything that tears me away from the garden.
Your name is much better. So you will you be adding a ‘Dark Knight’ to your garden?
Loree~I’m in the “thinking about it” stage. For now, I’ll just admire.
I read this post on my phone at work last night and glad I waited until today to comment as those rose flowers look totally different on the larger screen.
I’ve just ‘got into’ roses and as I’ve no room for anymore, thankfully Dark Knight won’t fit in with my colour schemes. It’s a nice one though
Angie~I always wonder how people can get a true picture on those itty bitty screens. I know what you mean about admiring things that just won’t fit your own vision. It’s kind of liberating, don’t you think?
That is a lovely garden though the really dark foliage is not my cup of tea. I do like roses, but mainly either the wild roses or shrub roses that have single or semi-double flowers.
Those are certainly the most care0free roses.
I stopped buying roses some time ago. Majority of my roses were given me by relatives and neighbors. But, I do love their blooms, mine and not mine, and the dark ones especially – they have some drama!
I profess to be a non-rose gardener, but somehow a few have snuck by me.
Oh my… Amazing roses! I love them! I have a garden and I will definitely plant there some roses. They are amazing! Regards!
Emma~Roses do have a way of ingratiating themselves.