It has been planted in my yard for a good many years now. It is beautiful in full bloom…my Rose of Sharon. The bush is full and round with pregnant buds; standing about 7 feet tall. The leaves are an interesting shape..somewhat oak leafish but smaller in size. They are green and when the flower buds begin to swell…it takes a few weeks to realize their full birth. First they appear as small, hard, green buds; then, amazingly they start to appear white and twisted; similar in shape to a coned, morning glory flower bud, as it twists itself fully open. It is all the more miraculous when you remember that only months ago…it stood proudly, looking for all the world like a dead, wooden monument to the life it had lived the year before.
On this Rose of Sharon bush…the flower buds turn a deep shade of raspberry, in color. When the flower petals reveal themselves…they open to a fluttery, fluted funnel. Each petal eagerly overlaps the other to make them appear almost as if they are sculpted with those decorative sissors that make scalloped edges. I have decided to expand the Rose of Sharon palette…i have added a light, lilac Rose of Sharon to the yard.
Together, they will be a show stopper in August when they tend to bloom…lasting for weeks with their dedication to painting the yard with their strong, visual presence with splashes of color. The center of the Rose of Sharon is very similar in design to the hibiscus. There is a long, protruding, white, bumpy center stamen, that contrasts with it’s glorious color. On each of the colored petals are veins of a darker hue, than the petal, which just adds depth to the pretty picture.
It is with a sorrowful acceptance, that i tell you there is no hypnotic perfume from these beautiful flowers…their grace and attraction is in their butterfly shaped petals that flutter in the breeze. That breeze that has been pleasantly scented by my other seductive collection of flowers such as the Stargazer, Oriental Lillies. It sweetly spices the air with it’s signature scent. It is like no other scented flower to my way of thinking. It calls to the senses; and, adds to the nightime mystery that is my flower garden. It has a tranquilizer effect for those who take the time to embrace the enveloping sweetness.
One year, I remember mistakenly taking my vacation during their bloom time…and mourned the loss all year long. It is something to nibble on…the feasting of the senses in late July/early August; when the Stargazers set out to stun the world with their shortlived appearance. I give them their due…they are stunning if not a bit dominant during their show time.
The smell is so wonderfully uplifting that you want to bottle it; so that you can capture the moment in time…it truly elevates the human mood to enter into the fragrance zone. The touch of the petals is so soft and cool to the touch that you actually can’t stop yourself from gently rubbing its petals against the skin of your fingers. The sight of the large pink and fushia, star- shaped flower petals, brings the awareness of the scent to your memory, moments before you actually indulge yourself with the smell. Truly, if it could be bottled…no man would be able to resist it’s draw to the woman who wears it; it is that powerful.
Write where you are 