The only roses that could possibly smell as sweet around my garden are on the Portmerion china. I am way too far south to grow real roses. The roses in my vase came from the Desert Rose. The Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) is a relatively common container plant in my neighborhood. Considered a succulent but enjoying regular water and frying sun this is a perfect plant for South Florida. I throw out my cat’s water bowl on the rose every morning and it has rewarded me with abundant flowers.
The vase is a crystal rose bowl from my mother’s vast collection. I had picked some other flowers to join the arrangement, but decided these were so pretty on their own they just needed a little fine textured foliage accent. The foliage in the vase is some maturing seed heads from my Dill Plant and Asparagus Fern.
Ironically the only thing in this arrangement that smells at all is the Dill seed.
The Shrub Queen 
Beautiful. Roses don’t do well where I live either because of the summer’s heat and humidity (and in my garden, lack of proper attention). Desert Rose is attractive and you’ve displayed it nicely.
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I am not familiar with Desert Rose, but it may not be popular here because of freezes. It is a beautiful plant. Roses will grow here, but they are picky. Hope you were not affected by the fires.
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I have never seen one before moving to Florida, there is a guy in town who grows them from seed which may explain where they came from. Native to the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. It looks like a really funky Pittosporum
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Oh, how sweet – this looks adorable next to the Portmerion plate. Thanks for sharing
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Thanks
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A gorgeous work of art, Amy.
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Thank you, Cynthia. The work is mostly by Mother Nature.
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Adenium obesum as a common container plant! It’s an unusual specimen here. I received one as a birthday gift a few years ago and was warned not to water it much. It died. Perhaps I’ll find another and follow your strategy with the cat’s water bowl!
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It’s funny, there is a guy here that propagates it and its everywhere! The Botany Prof from the local college asked about it. Mine sits due east beside a wall on a concrete paver parking pad, reflected light and heat. The grower was here one day and said he wasn’t sure it was getting enough sun! And to water it.
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Looks lovely next to your rose plate. I am not sure I have come across Desert Rose before. But it reminds me a little of Oleander flowers which are grown as summer container flowers here and taken indoors in winter. Do you grow Oleander too?
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Thank you. They were new to me as well. I can grow Oleander but I don’t have any, I have dogs and it is deadly poisonous. The flowers on the Desert Rose are probably 4 times the size of Oleander.
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Amazing that the chucked out cats water, not a pretty visual image, creates something as pretty as your Desert Rose.
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Indeed.
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Another ‘new to me’ plant – and presented beautifully! Isn’t it interesting that a rather unusual plant can become locally common because someone has a passion for propagating it! I need one to grow close to my cats’ water bowl!
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Now it is in full bloom and really pretty. I guess the cat bowl is just the right amount of water!
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