Vila Franca - Festa das Roses

Today we were extremely fortunate as our host drove us to the small village of Villa Franca and  a church that had the most spectacular festival of roses.  This is absolutely unique,  I guarantee you've never seen anything like it.

The roses and flowers are displayed atop a large, and I mean large, basin/tub/urn. The sides of the basin are hand decorated with flower petals and florist pins. As you looked really closely the detail involved was revealed, the artistry and the patience involved in creating these masterpieces is incredible. 

From what I  could tell most of the decorations told a story that progressed around the circumference of the display urn. Truely mind boggling the detail involved.  Along with the floral displays, the church was also festooned with roses of every colour and hue.

If you click on the photo above and  zoom in on the urn  you will see the size they are as you reference the photographer in the background.

Our host's wife grew up in this village and when she was a young girl they would walk in the festival parade with similar, but smaller, flower baskets on their heads through the streets to the church.

 

All the  arrangements used fresh flowers and foliage / greenery  from local sources.

The graveyard is also decorated with so many stunning floral tributes - sweetheart roses, orchids, protea, bamboo stalk, gypsophila, lillies...a floral extravaganza.

Outside the church there were many family groups sitting in the shade of trees with picnics and later in the day there was to be music, a parade and fireworks.

We were thrilled to have been shown this truely  unique and spectacular fiesta and grateful  to our host for taking time out of his busy day to drive us there and back. A memory to treasure.