Classic Beauty

Classic Beauty
            Roses bend under the burden of their grand reputation. Reputed to be difficult to grow, they are the prize exhibit in many gardens. Roses are the symbolic choice for romantic gifts: buy a dozen long-stemmed roses on Valentine’s Day and pay a king’s ransom.
            They appear in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” and most of us have been advised to “Stop and smell the roses!” many times over the years.
            Can a good thing be praised so much that it becomes tired and trite? Roses are a likely candidate.
            We gave that theory a test by visiting the Rose Garden in Golden Gate Park recently. Pink, yellow, apricot, lavender, creamy white, bright red, dream-like blends of yellow, orange and pink all in one flower—there were colors we have no name for. Roses do indeed deserve appreciation. 
            May we stop to smell whatever flower falls in our path, and be grateful for the opportunity to enjoy a quiet moment with something beautiful.
            This week’s Hike Notes from the archives, Rose Garden-Golden Gate Park, brings readers to a special feature area in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park that displays a stunning array of roses.
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This week’s hike from the archives:
Hike Notes 108: Rose Garden-Golden Gate Park