In our garden on this afternoon

Rainbow colored rose / A rose by any other name ...

It is said that a rose is a rose is a rose ...

First Prize rose

And, yet, said the French artist Henri Matisse:  "There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose, because before he can do so he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted."

White rose

I would like to think that the same could be said for photographing roses, too.  After all, no two roses are the same shape or color.

Orange rose

Here's to the colorful roses in our backyard garden. ... Cheers.

All photographs by Michael Dickens, taken in my backyard garden on September 19, 2011. Copyright 2011.