MY FAVORITE ROSE GARDEN
This will always be my favorite rose garden…it’s not about the magic or the size of the garden or anything you can actually see that makes it my favorite. Last year I went here on my dad’s birthday and I did the same this year…he passed when I was 3 years old and last year it felt like a better way to spend the day than in a cemetery and I decided this year that I would just make it my tradition.
So here we are surrounded by some of my usual favorites and some new ones. It was a grey day which I don’t love for photographing roses for reference for my paintings but honestly…I did get some good shots including ones of these Poseidon roses which I finally memorialized, click here to see her.
Poseidon Floribunda Rose
The rain had only stopped a short white before I arrived so most of the roses were dappled with rain drops and I knew that would make for some magical paintings. I was inspired by the idea of who essential that rain is for the health and growth of the roses and it made the gray of the day not feel as depressing and but necessary.
Cape Diamond
Cinderella
I’m particularly excited to paint the Cinderella roses above. I was drawn to them last year but didn’t get any photos I felt were compelling enough to paint. But this year I one thousand percent was sure to. I spent a lot of time in front of them getting all the right angles and eventually I bee joined the party (mom, don’t worry I had my epipen in my pocket, this isn’t my first rodeo) And I captured that tiny bee doing what bees do crawling in and out of the rose….it honestly was awesome. Sometimes it’s the smallest things that tug on my heart.
Sophia Renaissance
Earth Angel
If you’ve been here for a minute you may remember some of my pieces of the Earth Angel rose above…last year the idea of this beauty while I was thinking about my father and having a name like angel really meant something to me. I did at least 3 pieces inspired by them so I was eager to see them blooming this year. Unfortunately there wasn’t nearly as many as last year and they seemed smaller? Oh well…that’s the way it goes but there was so much more to make my heart happy it really didn’t phase me.
The Fairy roses below are miniature…normally I’m not a fan at all…I will pass them by in the garden or Trader Joes (who seem to have miniature roses a lot) but this little girls were at the peak of perfection. Clustered in the most divine shades of pink…some buds not open yet, others unfolding like little pink clouds. I died a bit in the best way possible. I have like 1200 photos of the and I immediately knew I wanted to paint a LARGE piece filled with tons of blossoms as opposed to my usual vision focused in on one bloom.
The Fairy
This spot always delivers and it’s less than an hour from me so maybe next year I’ll make multiple visits? Yeah, that sounds like a plan. Until next year Montclair Rose Garden.
Catherine