High desert roses

We recently were in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and spent time at the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens. There is a small but very impressive rose garden. Eight to Ten foot high bush roses, substantial climbing roses and hidden shrub roses grown within other hard-scrabbly plants. All of them with substantial rose-hips. The color palette is entirely different than in the water-rich north, varied but not showy. I really enjoyed the subtle beauty and danger of the plants. Everything around here will cut or stab you and then turn you around until you are wandering and thirsty and lost until you become a part of the desert. That’s how it works. I am looking forward to going back in the summer when this world is in bloom.