Saudi Arabia has been a place to work for most of us. However, the Kingdom also has places where we can experience the beauty and calmness of nature. In the Garden of Hejaz, we can literally stop and smell the roses.
It has been a dream to see Taif, the “city of roses” during spring. Taif, a city and a governorate in the Makkah Province in Saudi Arabia, is located at an elevation of 1,879 meters in the slopes of the Hejaz Mountains. The Hejaz range, running north and south along the eastern coast of the Red Sea, is a part of the mainly rocky Sarawat Mountains. This prime position gives Taif a cool and dreamy weather, making it one of the best summer destinations in the Kingdom. Some royalties call this city their home when the weather in the Central region gets too warm. Mountain resorts dot the raised valley.
Taif is an agricultural town known for its farms cultivating pomegranates, figs, grapes, and honey. And also for growing the main reason why we visited Taif during springtime this year: roses. Particularly the 30-petal Damask roses which are more delicate and intensely-perfumed compared to traditional roses. The origins of Taif’s roses are clouded in mystery; however, it is said to have been brought by traders from the Balkans and Turkey who wanted to grow the flowers near Makkah. Another legend speaks of India as the cradle of the oil-rich flowers.
With over 900 rose farms in Taif that produce more than 300 million flowers every spring, the “city of roses” is a sight to behold during harvest season. The rose season in Taif starts in the valley of Wadi Mahram where the roses blossom first, then in the higher area of Al Hada, and finally, in the Al Shafa mountains. Some rose farms open their land to visitors and tourists to see and smell the flowers in the morning.
It’s my first time visiting a rose farm last April and it was quite a precious experience. The cool and fresh air welcomed us as we entered; all the greens a contrast to the urban jungle of Riyadh where we came from. Trees of apricots welcomed us, their small, green fruits within our reach. The roses were already harvested before sunrise to preserve their fragrance. The handpicked roses were piled in baskets under a tree where we could touch and smell them. The petals are so dainty and of the softest pinks: all we wanted to do is lie down on a bed of roses, literally, and bathe in their glorious, robust, and intoxicating aroma.
On another tour, we were brought to a rose factory where farmers with their sacks of roses arrived to have the flowers weighed in antique scales and sold. The decades-old factories then use traditional methods, sometimes recently modernized, to distill thousands of petals and turn them into rosewater or rose oil. The process has been done for ages and while the factories have expanded throughout the years and the cost of roses have gone up, the quality of these waters and oils is still unparalleled. Various luxurious perfume houses and brands use Taif’s rose oils in their products making roses an essential piece of Taif’s economy and culture.
Our next goal is to see Taif’s Rose Festival which is celebrated in one of the city’s famed parks. The Al Rudaf Park celebrates the city’s most iconic product with exhibitions and presentations of songs and dances. A flower carpet that spreads over 700 square meters and uses 100,000 flowers is the highlight of the festival.
Enjoying the Taif Rose Season is a must for all. It was very relaxing to see the “iconic jewel of the Garden of Hejaz”. So the next time you stop and smell the roses, make sure you are in Taif.
