A SECOND HAND ROSE

This is known as "Laura's rose" because it was a gift from a neighbour by that name. She is now in her mid-80s and she acquired the rose from her mother, who acquired it from her mother who in turn acquired it from her mother and so on back to the mid-late 1800s. It is said to have originated at one of the noble villas in the area and was given or pinched from there by friendship or servitude.

It's an old rose, obviously. It is not vigorous but likes to grow high. These blooms were at second story height. A beam of the porch is just visible. The buds look, at first glance, to be covered in green aphids but they are not. It's just part of the rose. It is heavily scented, enough to make one swoon if a nose is stuck into it.

We have been hammered by thunder, lightning and ferocious showers all day. This was taken between showers and gusts of wind. I was inordinately pleased to do a rain drop photograph at last. The lower blossoms were beaten down by the rain but these, up near the roof of the porch, kept their composure.

Couldn't resist another rain drop pic. Rain drops on Adam's knickers (fig leaf)