Did you know that there are so many kinds of roses? Did you know that roses are edible? Did you know that the best milkshake is made from roses? These are things I did not know until I visited a rose farm in Pretoria, South Africa. Most people in South Africa will be familiar with Ludwig's Roses. My parents got their rose petals for their wedding from Ludwig's Roses.

Situated just outside of the suburbs of Pretoria, you are treated to hundreds of different roses and a kitchen where the chef is inspired by roses. Various other products are also made from roses which you can eat.

There is also what the farm calls "The Rose Mile". Rather self-explanatory, but just to reiterate it: the farm has a mile-long stretch of road full of roses!

So please come along with me on this virtual journey in which I will show you the mile of roses, what you can eat and drink, some of the art to be found on the premises, and the bunch of interesting roses that you can find here! I hope you enjoy this virtual tour/journey with me.

Ludwig's Roses

Ludwig's Roses has a very rich history that cannot be dealt with in one single post. If you'd like to read more about them, please read on their About Page. However, it will be enough to say just the following:

These people have an obsession with roses.

Walking between the roses, I felt my own green fingers tingling, I wanted to jump in and help! I love their obsession with roses.

As you enter the original farm, you are treated with so many roses along the road. I mean, if you farm with roses you have enough to decorate your road as well!

You park across from where all the cuttings are growing. It is a sight to behold. I have never seen so many roses in my life. But again, if they have enough roses to make a Rose Mile, you can imagine the scale of this farming operation.

Again, I think most people in South Africa know about them. Supplying nationwide, having stores nationwide, and being the sponsor of various local Television programs' flower arrangements, they are a big and successful company.

One can only hope that you will also one day achieve so much success that you can buy acres of ground to grow your own plants on them! One can only dream.

The Rose Mile

I took a time-lapse video so that you can also experience this Rose Mile with me! Please watch it below:

The Rose Kitchen and Everything Roses!

Think everything roses. Food wise. What a sweet delight!

Think rose coffee, rose tea, I know it sounds funny, but it is on the menu to prove its existence!

We obviously ordered the rose milkshake, but we also ordered the refreshing rose soda! What delights. Who would have guessed that rose syrup could go so well with tea and milkshake?

And how could we not have the waffle with ice cream, Turkish delight, and rose syrup?

There are various other delights you can buy made from roses. We South Africans love rusks, so why not try some rose rusks?

Or some rose jam?

There was even some rose rock salt! They advise one to add some to freshly baked bread lathered with butter. I think that can work! Maybe I should have bought some and tried it, but my tastebuds do not like where this train is heading.

Rose art

I love the idea that locals produce art inspired by the roses and that they showcase it on the property. I think they could have added more, but here is a sample of some of the rose art:

The Venue: Potential Wedding Bells

I think most people who are affectionate will hear wedding bells when they go to this venue. Just around the corner from where the roses are grown, various structures give the illusion that weddings have been held here.

There is also a beautiful wall covered with plants. I obviously took way too many photographs of my girlfriend next to this wall.

The Main Event: The Various Roses

This post is seriously lacking photographs of the famous roses. Please enjoy this showcase of various roses. From roses with only one set of petals to roses so thick with petals you cannot even count them all. Some roses that are so small and some roses that are so big. Please enjoy!

This must be the most interesting rose of them all. Only a single petal thick, it does not remind one of the more common roses.

A densely packed rose! But what strange formation though.

I found the color difference between the underside and the topside of the petals so interesting.

Again, tightly packed rose petals.

A massive rose with tightly packed petals!

Four massive roses tightly growing next to each other.

One of the smallest roses I have ever seen!

Even more tightly packed petal rose.

This climbing rose has I think almost thousands of flowers. It is something special. I am sad that we missed them all being open. See below how many are still closed:

It is amazing how circular this rose is.

And see how densely packed this rose is as well!

I only touched upon how many roses there are! It is amazing what we humans can achieve.

Postscriptum, or Here we shall remain

I wish I could stay there. I walked between all the roses with the smell wafting in the air and the milkshake still on my tongue. But all dreams need to come to an end.

I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of a spectacular place with me. Maybe you can buy a rose for your lover someday and it might come from this farm!

All of the photographs are my own, taken with my Nikon D300 or iPhone. All of the musings are my own.

Safe travels!