as old as time

The oldest remains of roses are from the Late Eocene Florissant Formation of Colorado. That’s about 50 million years ago. Today’s garden roses come from 18th-century China. Among the old Chinese garden roses, the Old Blush group is the most primitive, while newer groups are the most diverse.  I think the reason these bush-roses caught my attention today is that the little bit of white at the base of each petal added a depth and dimension that made the pinks and yellows all the more radiant.  Bush roses feel old-fashioned to me–the kind of thing grandma would have had beside her house. But the older I get, the more I love seeing bush-rose borders heavy with June blooms. Ha! I turned 60 two weeks ago. Time to start planting those bush roses for the grandkids, when they come :-)

dark pink and yellow bush roses