Damask roses bloom abundantly in Shandong

In Songlin town, located in Linqing city – a county-level city administered by Liaocheng city in East China's Shandong province, a 4-mu (about 0.07 hectares) poplar grove is showcasing a vibrant display of blooming Damask roses. 

It's understood that planting roses under trees can extend their flowering period by up to a month. During the hot summer, tree leaves provide partial shade, protecting petals from sun damage and allowing for an extended harvesting period. 

Once handpicked, the roses undergo traditional processes such as distillation, filtration and extraction to produce pure rose hydrosol and essential oil. (Edited by Zhao Limei and Du Xiaping)

A bee gathers nectar from a rose. [Photo by Hou Changsheng for chinadaily.com.cn]