Autumn rose

It's autumn. Here in Southern California it's not as dramatic a departure from summer as it is in more temperate states. But one of the things that comes with autumn is a fresh new flush of blossoms from roses that had previously been sulking in the heat of August. Now that the evenings come sooner, and the temperature drops in the night, the roses seem to awaken, stretch a bit, put out some green buds of growth, and blossom.

This rose is in full boom this October, in a big clay pot on my deck. It's a Hybrid Tea rose called "Julia's Rose," and it was given to me by my friend Shirley.

"Julia's Rose" was bred in 1976 by the Wisbach Plant Company, in England. The blooms are loose and aren't particularly full - they're called "semi-double."

"Julia's Rose" is among those unusual roses sometimes described as "coffee roses" - its color is a subtle tan/mauve/parchment color - perhaps the color of a cup of cafe au lait. Its color changes as it ages, and changes with the weather - sometimes dark tan, sometimes pale pink, sometimes a greyed buff.

I like to think it's the delicate, ever-changing hue of tender, sun-kissed, human flesh. And when the flowers are at their peak, the loosened petals part

and reveal, like French knots tied of silken embroidery thread, coral and gold, the anthers and stamens at the center.