Hooray! I made it back to the Rose Garden at Golden Gate Park for the second time this blooming season! On my previous visit in May, I found so much to admire in just the front “half” of the garden (starting from the primary entrance off JFK Drive) that I decided to leave it there and save the rest as encouragement for a return trip. As such, I started this tour from the “back door,” which is actually the end point of a dirt path that winds through the redwoods of Heroes Grove.
I was rewarded with blooms even before stepping foot into official Rose Garden territory. On my climb up the gently sloping path, I began to spot a few varieties of climbing and bushy roses, as well as dainty clusters of Queen Anne’s Lace amid tangles of tiny white and purple wildflowers.
Reaching the main grid of rose plantings, I meandered about without too much of a sightseeing plan. I really just like to go wherever my eyes and nose tell me to in any given moment. Consequently, I spent quite a bit of time simply taking in deep breaths of “Bishop’s Castle”, a David Austin English Rose that offered up a surprising amount of fragrance given the various stages of bloom and wilt present on the bushes.
Of course, there were still plenty of peak-blooming roses all around. A special mention goes out to “Sweet Inspiration” which, from blushing bud to gracefully unfurled blossom, certainly lived up to its name.
Inevitably, though, a single variety always seems to stand apart from the rest. Last time it was “Julia Child” in all her buttery splendor; this time it was impossible not to crown “Carefree Spirit,” which was aflame with frilly clusters of cherry red and hot pink (and many more burgeoning buds). Not a visitor walked by without giving it proper notice!
As sunset hours approached, I plopped myself down in front of her majesty to indulge in a bit of watercolor play. Admittedly, it was the promise of this activity that initially prompted my latest visit to the rose garden. I’ve long admired “urban sketchers” and creative folks who effortlessly while away the hours with a sketchbook in very public spaces such as tourist sites and cafés. I, on the other hand, have long considered the camera to be my “paintbrush” and am rather attached to my at-home tabletop painting practice.
Lately, however, I’ve realized the potential value of taking “color notes” in the wild to aid my photography (editing) practice. Having to mix up a specific shade to match what my brain (instead of my camera sensor) was taking in immediately alerted me to the variety of hues present in each subject that would otherwise be very difficult or even impossible to pick out later in post. As for achieving a “likeness”—well, folks, we’re not painting portraits here…Perhaps I’ll include an ink pen or fine line marker to the art kit to be able to add in more details on future sketching missions. For now, however, I’m happy with my playful blobs.
All in all, another delightful trip to kick off a “summer of roses”! I’ll be sure to report back as I savor more of it, so do stay tuned!
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