Monday, July 25, 2011

Arriving home after two weeks spent working on the cabin
we found the garden had gone on without us. I have as you may
guess a thing for roses. I was raised in Windsor ON sometimes
called the City of Roses and my father raised them. I now
have between 25-30 depending on the winter and various sales.
I have a few delicate roses David Austins, Gallicas
( they rarely bloom) and a couple Hybrid teas. Mostly
now I raise Parkland and Explorer roses that are hardy
to our area.


Morden Blush


Morden Blush (detail)


To the right William Baffin and Morden Snowbeauty

William Baffin and Morden Snowbeauty (detail)

"Attar of Nishapur gazed on a rose,
addressing it in words which had no sound,
as one who thinks rather than one who prays:
‘Your fragile globe is in my hand; and time
is bending both of us, both unaware,
this afternoon, in a forgotten garden.
Your brittle shape is humid in the air.
The steady, tidal fullness of your fragrance
rises up to my old, declining face.
But I know you far longer than that child
who glimpsed you in the layers of a dream
or here, in this garden, once upon a morning."

                            The Unending Rose
                          To Susan Bombal

                                                          Jorge Luis Borges

7 comments:

Lené Gary said...

You have an incredible garden, Guy. Wow! I smiled at your observation that it went on without you while you were on vacation. That must bring heart tug when you're clearly as passionate as you are about your flowers. : ) Hope you're enjoying the season.

Smiles,
Lené

Guy said...

Hi Lené

Thanks for your comments. That is the way with summer here, it seems so short we are always in danger of missing one milepost while looking at another. All the best for the season.


Guy

Guy said...

Hi

I should mention that the phrase "The Garden Going On Without Us" was the title of a book of poems by Lorna Crozier - 1985 (nominated for a Governor General's Award)

Guy

Kathie Brown said...

Wow! What gorgeous roses and I love that poem at the end! I have never heard of it or the author. All are exquisite!

Guy said...

Hi Kathie

I must say I do love roses, thanks for your comments.

All the best.
Guy

Hilke Breder said...

Marvellous post, Guy. I always had a fascination with roses, their history, their provenance... Your photos are beautiful, especially the second one - I can almost smell the scent and feel the petals on my face. J.L. Borges' poem is exquisite. How did you find it?

Guy said...

Hi Hilke

Thanks for your comments.

I have a three volume set of Borges, poems, stories, and essays. Often when I have a photo and no idea of what quote or author I would like to use for the blog post I pick up a book I have not looked at for awhile and read snippets until I find one that appeals to me. I really like this passage from Borges' poems and so I decided to share it. Also this keeps me reading/rereading books I enjoyed in the past especially poetry.

Regards
Guy