Cats, Roses...and Books!: The #Roses In My #Garden

My middle name is Rose. I was given that name because my godmother's name was Rose. Maybe that's why I've always loved roses so much. My mom's favorite was the Peace rose. After I met my husband, I realized how much my mother-in-law loved roses. Her rose gardens lined the perimeters of their house. The night I was engaged, my fiance-to-be left me a yellow rose decorated by a diamond engagement ring. As a romance writer, it just seemed natural to take the rose as one of my symbols and logos.

What I like most about roses are their beauty, their delicacy, their scent. For the past few years, I've dried rose petals to make sachets for family and friends at Christmas. It was a way to make roses last through the winter months. Each year we add a new rose to our garden. When I find one I like, my husband says--"And where are we going to put it?" We always find a spot.

This time of year at first blooming, the roses are the most abundant and beautiful. During the past week, instead of using a tape recorder to write, I took my legal pad to the patio and enjoyed the roses all around me, emanating their different scents. So I thought I'd share them with you! Here are some of the varieties gracing our gardens this year.