Petal power

'New Zealand'

This hybrid tea rose, introduced in 1989, is very fragrant and absolutely gorgeous in bloom. As the flowers fade, I gather the petals for drying and use them to make rose petal potpourri. 

Opening a jar of rose petal potpourri in the dead of winter is a transporting experience ― all you have to do is close your eyes and you're there ― walking in the garden on a summer morning. 

The delicate beauty of these rose petals is a reminder that time is passing. Late summer is making her debut amid flushes of new bloom and ripening berries.