MAY: Roses

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" - William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet.

I come from a family of Roses. My mother’s name is Rosalia. My father named his daughters Rosemarie, Rosamond and yours truly – Rosanne. I used to get flack for it. Most Filipinos have Spanish sounding names – often two with the first one being Maria – Maria Teresa, Maria Concepción. I had a classmate called Nina Angelica and Dulce Fe. I was stuck with a one Irish name so I did get creative as only a 11-year old can. I split my name to Rosa Anna. And added Maria in front for good measure. You have two names? I have 3!

When I started working in Hongkong, I was told a couple of times, “That’s not REALLY your name, is it?” because people choose their own English names.

Years later when I was clearing the old house in the Philippines, I took away my father’s hardbound yellowed books. In one of them, I found an entry where he had chosen and marked our names. I still have the book.

There are roses named after our names too. The American ‘Rosalia Rose’ is a deep pink of tiny flower clusters. The Australian ‘Rose-Marie’ is a beautiful white cup-shape. The English Hybrid Tea rose ‘Our Rosamond’ is a two tone pale pink petal with a deeper pink edge. The German ‘Rose Rosanna’ is a salmon pink rose.

Roses are classic. What I love about the roses here is that often in the gardens of old houses and old buildings including a castle in Stein am Rhein, I find massive ancient rose bushes. Roses are stunning anyway, but add the height and breadth of an ancient vine and it just takes my breath away.