Greetings everyone and a warm welcome to all my new subscribers,
Tomorrow is the first day of Spring here and there is a sense of expectation in the air.
The roses that were bare sticks a few weeks ago now have shrugged on colourful new clothes and are showing a vigour which is almost palpable. The air is fragrant with hyacinths and early flowering jonquils, and trees are bursting into blossom.
Spring is the season of optimism, a time to leave your cares behind and to find enjoyment in simple pleasures.
I hope you enjoy what I have put together for you this month.
Did you know that the red foliage of the new growth on roses contains anthocyanins, which may protect the new shoots from harmful effects of UV damage, much like the anthocyanins in berries have the potential to reduce the signs of skin aging in humans?
I make sure to eat berries every day!
It is not usually the case that we get excited about a mutation, but in roses, a natural mutation can lead to a change in growth or colour on an existing rose variety, this is called a sport. I am currently excited because I have a very lovely pale apricot bloom (pictured above) on my Lorraine Lee rose, could it be a sport?
The picture below shows the colour of all the other blooms on the bush.
What I propose to do is this. I have marked the branch with a ribbon so that I don’t cut it off. I will observe this part of the bush through several bloom cycles to see if the sport is stable. (Some sports merely revert to the regular characteristics of the bush). If the branch keeps producing these delicate apricot blooms, then I will need to successfully grow a cutting from it, and just
possibly I may have a new rose variety on my hands…fingers crossed!
Before I became a member of a rose society, I used to paint roses not knowing or worrying about their names.
I soon came to learn, however, that amongst the rose growing fraternity, there is a requirement to know the names of roses, and so I decided to paint only officially named roses.
The name of the rose opens a doorway to the story behind the rose, and I must admit I enjoy learning the stories and rich history behind the roses.
But with a name comes an expectation and a responsibility, to paint an accurate representation of that particular rose.
Today I share with you a collection of my unnamed and unfettered rose paintings, from times gone by, I hope you enjoy them.
Please note: The titles of the paintings are my own creations, not the names of the roses!
Through The Looking Glass
When I studied textiles as part of my Bachelor of Applied Science university degree many moons ago, I remember we were all agog over the colourful creations of artist and textile designer Kaffe Fassett. Still boldly creating all these years later, Kaffe Fassett has been honoured with a rose named after him. Bred by Christian Evers and introduced by Rosen Tantau of Germany in 2017 it is a pink shrub rose with lilac shading which
ages to a fuchsia/magenta and has a strong lemon fragrance.
This month I cam across a beautiful book, Kaffe Fassett's Bold Blooms. Inspired by flowers his whole life, in this book, Kaffe wants to bring others a little closer to seeing flowers the way he does. He says flowers help us realise that there is more to life than mere survival.
I find Kaffe's use of colour and pattern, and the sheer breadth of his creations, incredibly inspiring and I have picked out a selection of works to show you from charming watercolour sketches to embroidered chairs.
Transferware Jugs, Bowls and Plates
A needlepoint enthusiast, Kaffe 'paints' blooms using a palette of coloured wool threads. Here is how he describes the experience:
'I deeply enjoy the process of sitting still - back to the window with daylight pouring over my shoulder - dabbing coloured stitches like paint onto my canvas while I listen to plays on the radio.'
Click on the image below to listen to Kaffe speaking about his passion for colour and design.
In today’s virtual garden tour we are off to Monet’s Garden – Giverny in France. I particularly like how it describes how Monet gets all excited about gardening and buys lots of books and magazines to learn. Sound familiar? Click on the image below to watch.
Postcards From My Readers:
The Divine Miss V
I always love to hear from my readers and especially when I receive photos from my four-legged rose friends. Thank you very much, Leona, for sending me this heart-warming picture.
And now I must away, I have Spring cleaning to attend to.
Just joking, I must go out and check how my roses are growing!
Until next time I hope you have a spring in your step and a song in your heart.
Love and roses,
Michelle
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My Novel: Rose Garden Reverie
A story of transformation set in a rose garden with rose care tips throughout the seasons.
The soft cover book is 110 pages long and costs $20 (Australian Dollars) per copy via the button below with free shipping worldwide.
Also available from online book sellers.
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May the beauty of nature inspire you everyday
Michelle Endersby Art
www.michelleendersbyart.com
phone: 0400 473 173
[email protected]
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