Roses are Red (My Love)

Roses are Red (My Love)

By Bobby Vinton

A long, long time ago

On graduation day

You handed me your book

I signed this way:

"Roses are red, my love.

Violets are blue.

Sugar is sweet, my love.

But not as sweet as you."

Ahhhhh, does that song bring back memories for anyone?  It was a long, long time ago.  Bobby Vinton released that song in 1962!  How's that for a walk down memory lane?  Well, the subject of today's blog is just that ... ROSES!  On our way to Otavalo for an overnight trip, Michael, Gary and I went in the morning so we could stop by Rosadex (or La Compania), a rose plantation, in Cayambe. 

Ecuadorian roses are highly appreciated as the best the world has to offer due to the variety and quality produced.  The Cayambe Valley is crossed by the equator which provides the perfect hours of sunlight for growing roses.  This means the roses from Ecuador are considered the best in the world due to their incomparable quality and beauty, and unique characteristics:  thick, long stems (some up to 59" long!); big buds; and vivid colors.  Also, the biggest difference of the Ecuadorian rose is its lengthy life in the vase after being cut. 

The best variety of roses are grown on the slopes of the volcanoes of Ecuador, at high altitude, where the sun illuminates them 12 hours a day throughout the year. Because Rosadex roses are grown on fertile lands of the Cayambe Volcano they grow up in an environment rich in nitrates, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium.  The high-altitude of the equatorial regions near Quito also offer powerful solar radiation that makes flower grow to be heartier, with thicken stems and even, vibrant colors. Rosadex ships roses all over the world -- to Russia, Asia, the United States and more.  They take great care in how they are packed, hydrated and shipped only in refrigerated containers all of which keeps the buds from opening.

At La Compania in addition to the plantation they have a chapel dating back to the 17th century and a hacienda which dates back to 1919.  We enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the hacienda after our tour.

 

This is the "House" or "Hacienda".  It is built in the French neoclassical style.  The ceiling, floors, wallpaper, rugs and furniture are original of when the manor was built a century ago by the ancestors of the family that owns it to this day.  The furniture, wallpaper, rugs and European decorative elements contribute to create the ambiance typical of the grand "haciendas" of the 19th century in the Ecuadorian highlands.

The chapel (below) dates back to the beginning of the 17th century and belonged to the Jesuit order thus its name "La Compania de Jesus.  It was owned by the Jesuits until 300 years ago when King Carlos III of Spain expelled the Jesuits from his country and colonies.

 

 The house has a striking permanent rose exhibition.  Over 3,000 rose stems of a great variety of colors are displayed in beautiful classical arrangements in the different rooms as you will see below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This is the dining room in which we had lunch (at a smaller table, though!).

 

 

 

 The tour of the plantation was fascinating.  I never realized that rose farming was so scientific.  They took us into one of the many "greenhouses" where the roses are grown, cultivated, and harvested. 

 

This photo shows how they are stored after being harvested from the bush until they have been picked-up and transported to the sorting area .

 Here is a row of rose bushes.  You can see how tall the bushes get.  Michael is about 6'2" and these bushes are taller than him!

 Rose are wrapped and then hung from this "dolly" for transporting.

 This is the "warehouse" where sorting, packaging, and shipment get-ready takes place.

 

 This is a sorting bin.  They are sorted by length of stem and color.

 

This worker is packing the roses for shipment.  25 roses go into each package.  They are layered so that the buds do not sit on top of each other.

 

 

 

 More sorted roses.

 

 

 Here they are getting ready for shipping.

 Roses packed like this are the highest quality roses.  Costco orders this type of rose.

 

 These roses are less expensive and are the type you can buy at supermarkets.

 

The roses here are on display in a retail area.  So many BEAUTIFUL, GORGEOUS roses to see! 

 

 

 

 

 

And now you can get these outstanding roses delivered direct to your home!

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These pictures show the beautiful grounds surrounding the hacienda and chapel

 

 Don't you just love the rose petals in this fountain?

 

 

 

 

Song of Solomon 2:1-2
"I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys. Like a lily among the thorns, so is my darling among the maidens."