In Honour of William Morris

 Hello friends,

Today I'm presenting some pictures of a special rose named in honour of the William Morris, whose art I have long admired. 

I'm sure you'll recognise many of his designs...

William Morris (1834–1896) was the 19th century's most celebrated designer, famous for his wallpapers and textile patterns. His wife Jane (Burdett) embodied the Pre-Raphaelite ideal of beauty. She was a model and muse for him, and also for Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

I love this quote of his...

'Speak not, move not, but listen, the sky is full of gold. No ripple on the river, no stir in field or fold, All gleams but naught doth glisten, but the far-off unseen sea. Forget days past, heart broken, put all memory by! No grief on the green hillside, no pity in the sky, Joy that may not be spoken fills mead and flower and tree.'
                                                                        William Morris

I'm sure he would have loved this rose named after him.

Here's the first bud of Spring. As the rose matures, it gets much bigger and fills out with densely packed petals, then it softens in colour as it ages. I love it at each stage. 

The rose has a beautiful scent to match.

I found this lovely pale pink cloudy vase below at a market, and it's perfect for this rose. The scrapbook paper background reflects a similar style rose, and a vintage baby dress with rosebuds next to a lacy deep pink evening dress made a lovely foreground in the golden early morning sunlight.

In the picture below, one of my cushions had a similar rose featured on it, and this made an interesting background against op-shop dresses in shades of pink to match.  

I added some texture layers in Photoshop to make this dreamy image below.

Have an inspired week...

Hugs,

Jesse XX

The Sweetness of Roses and Friendship

Hello friends,

My garden has given me some outstanding roses, and I've been reflecting on how friends are like roses - roses awaken our senses and nourish our spirits with their gorgeous scent and beautiful blooms, and friends bring special moments of connection with others that we can cherish.

'A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world.'

                                                                                        Leo Buscaglia

Having close friends makes such a difference in our lives. There are some who are like our soulmates, people we may not see often, but when we get together we just pick up from where we left off, offering a warm connection, enjoying listening to each others' life stories, and a mutual affirmation of who we are and where we are in our journey. 

Whether or not you have a loving partner or family, friendships can offer a safe space for us to be ourselves, and the chance to reach out and grant that same gift to others.

'There is no friend like the old friend, who has shared our morning days... friendship is the breathing rose, with sweets in every fold.'
                                         
                                                                                 Oliver Wendall Holmes

Our long-time friends who have stood by us over years are like the best wine, laid up to mature. Sadly, we, or our friends, may move far away, making it hard to see each other, but just knowing they are there helps us to feel that we are not alone - just a note or a card or a phone call away...

The connections we can make online can also nurture us, and we can reach out to others to affirm them, too. We mustn't underestimate the power of our online comments - for positive or negative affect.

So thank you to those special people who have taken the time to read and respond with thoughtful and heartfelt comments - you have left a special gift at the bottom of so many of our posts, and helped make our day brighter, like the scent of a rose.

Here are a few of my favourite roses from last Spring...

Mother's Love (palest pink), John F Kennedy (cream) and First Love (pale pink)...

Summer Memories (cream) and the full-scented William Morris...

William Morris again...

Climbing Cinderella...

Champagner...

An apricot and gold selection...

First Love...

David Austin's Windermere in my favourite vase...

A collection of vases from last Spring's bounty...

Come on Spring, I can't wait to see my garden blooming. My rose-pruning is finished and I've started mulching. 

I'm joining Wen's Simply Neutrals Tuesday Party # 47. Join us over at her blog AppleApricot for a gathering celebrating life's neutral colours...

Sending love,