Well thank you!
'Vivid Rose' was the first peony I ever planted. I purchased it specifically for the name to plant in memory of my grandmother who was named 'Rose'. She was quite a character and 'Vivid' is a pretty apt description too. I didn't know anything about peonies at the time, but when they grew and bloomed I was captivated by their beauty and their fantastic scent. I have since acquired numerous peonies, but I have to say that 'Vivid Rose' remains my favorite in the scent department.
The statue is 'La Brezza' also known as 'The Good Fairy'. The sculptor Josephine Kern was commissioned in 1916 by Mrs. Jessie McCutcheon Raleigh out of a reaction to the horror of World War I. The purpose of its creation seems to fit perfectly into what people hungered for - something to uplift the soul. Mrs. Raleigh commissioned the piece to be "a good fairy that shall be grace and innocence and sunshine, that shall smile back into the sad hearts of the old world, that shall spur people on to their best, and in that way bring them good luck".
I first saw this statue of 'La Brezza' in an advertisement for Florentine Craftsmen in the back of Fine Gardening magazine. I put it on my wish list, never thinking that I would actually be able to purchase it. Years later I was responsible for a project that took more than a year of hard work and extensive overtime. I was already tired of the job that filled my days but this project made it even worse. It was depressing and exhausting, and by the end I sure needed a way to "uplift my soul". Gardening does that for me and I was looking forward to getting back to it when the hectic pace of that project was finally over. When I was awarded a nice bonus I thought it was so appropriate to splurge on 'La Brezza'. It just exudes the joy and optimism that I was needing back in my life.
The vignette of 'La Brezza' amidst the bountiful blooms of 'Vivid Rose' is one of my best garden accomplishments. Thanks again for the nice compliment!
