La vie en Rose is a famous post WW2 song written and sung by the singer, Edith Piaf. Her producers originally dismissed it as foolishness, but Piaf recorded and released it following the War. By 1948, the song made her internationally famous. It sold a million copies in the US alone. Timing is everything. Literally translated as Life in Pink, this was the song everyone wanted to hear in a world starved for love and renewed happiness. You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK_8dnfj-Ng
Some of the many shades of pink.
I share the story of this song because aspects of it are especially pertinent today. Specifically, the color pink. The idea of life in pink, or life in happy hues, suggests a world view where everything appears joyful and cheerful. Life seen through a rose-colored lens is full of happiness.
The color pink is a relatively new color in our Western world. It used to be thought of as pale red – as if a lesser color. But by the 20th Century, it became associated with women and compassion. In color psychology, rose pink is an intuitive color that inspires kindness and hope. You can see how it became part of our vernacular of looking at the world through rose-colored glasses.
To be honest, as a child and a young woman, I was never a fan of the color. It felt weak and too feminine. If I wore the color, I did so with black. When I was drawn to using it for my daughter’s wardrobe and room, I did so because it was an expression of love and nurturing. But overall, I felt it wasn't a color I needed in my life.
Until a few weeks ago.
I can’t explain what it is about pink, but sometimes women turn to this color later in life and embrace it in a way they could never do when they were young. Maybe it’s the acceptance of frailty. Or maybe it’s the ability to love something without applying preconceived notions to what it means about us. But so it is that a few weeks ago, while wandering through a plant nursery, I zeroed in on a Pink Chiffon Rose of Sharon.
The Rose of Sharon, also known as Shrub Althea.
Coming home from the plant nursery.
The plant was pink and frilly, but not like a classic rose. If a rose is a ball gown, the Rose of Sharon is a dancer's costume. Chiffon is a perfect name for it because of the motion associated with that fabric. Light, elegant and airy, it reminds me of a ballerina in motion.
British ballerina Margot Fonteyn in a tiered chiffon gown. Ondine, 1958.
But to me, it's the color that's captivating – light shell and rose pink with darker pink streaks, it feels restful and calm, which is what I crave right now.
My Pink Chiffon Rose of Sharon will go into a pot so I can admire it until it tells me where it will live in our garden. The important thing is that it brings joy to my life and hope that someday soon, we'll get back to more love and happiness in our world.
Here are the plant specifications.
Plant: Shrub
Family: Hibiscus
Hardiness: 5-9
Medium growth rate, will grow between 8 - 12 feet tall with an 4 -10 spread
Requires partial to full sun
Tolerant of various, well-drained soil
Comments