Monday, June 18, 2007

Rose and Apples are Related

Yup...they are related and if you don't dead head or otherwise prune them the spent blossom will continue to morph into a "rose hip". My Grandmother swore that the jelly she made with them was good for arthritis and other ills. I have read they are high in Vitamin C so who knows. I just know it tasted like apple jelly and was quite tasty.

The rose is an unidentified hybrid tea I spotted on my morning walk today. The hip is from an old wild rose, rugosa variant "hansa" that blooms once and then I let the hips grow. I don't do anything with them, just let them be. In the fall birds feed on them. If by chance we get a cold snap and they go soft and mushy and ferment a bit I watch a bunch of drunken birds feast and fly loop-dee-loops into the nearest tree to sleep it off.

Shot them both while they were still in "open shade" which is shade with clear skies above. This gives for very soft shadows and a slight bluish tinge. The latter you can easily correct out and colors are back in sync and appear natural.

No comments: