HAPPY NEW YEAR III

BLACK ROSE

I had always though the existence of a truly black flower was a myth. That all such attempts were darkest blue or somewhere in-between  approximating such true darkness . . . . this is not the case I found last week. I trust it's not a hoax and wish it to be true, for these are truly beautiful

Pure black roses do exist. The roses appear to be completely black, with the signature green stem. Called the Turkish Halfeti Rose, they only grow in exceptionally small numbers in the village of Halfeti, Turkey. 

The local Turks seem to enjoy a love-hate relationship with these rare blossoms. They consider the flowers to be symbols of mystery, hope and passion, and also death and bad news. Unfortunately, the black roses of Halfeti are an endangered species. They have been under threat of extinction ever since the residents of the village moved from ‘old Halfeti’ in the 1990s, when the Birecik Dam was constructed. We should try to rescue them or at least ensure they do not die. Could we get cuttings and grow them here?