Let's Go Flower Tasting! Have a light trip to Grand Blossom Grange

When visitors walk into the big organic rose garden, there is the smell of the fragrance of roses, freshly picked organic roses available to hold in hand, and the aromatic dish made with rose ingredients served. This is a journey full of floral scents for relaxation of body and mind. It is perfect for BFF, bosom buddies or couples to enjoy this romantic light trip for flower watching, flower tasting, and flower picking.

Grand Blossom Grange in Jiuyu Township, Pingtung County is the largest organic rose garden, with an area of 4.5 hectares in Taiwan. The owner, Tiande YANG spent years of efforts and built an eco friendly environment with healthy soil. From a farm growing organic roses to a complex industry featuring roses, he set up his own organic processing factory and developed various rose-related products. In the blooming season from November to next April, the grange is open to tourists, free of admission. Here tourists can taste the delicate cuisine made of roses and for every 100 dollars spent, they can bring a stalk of rose home. There is also handcraft activity to make rose products. It is truly a 5-sense experiential trip.

(In Grand Blossom Grange, a large amount of water is widely sprayed so to lower the eggs laid on the surface of leaves as a measure of pest control.)

The edible roses in Grand Blossom Grange are grown by means of natural sod cultivation with a large amount of water sprayed for pest control. Unlike the ornamental roses with longer anthesis, the rose varieties, Grand 1 and Grand 2, grown in the farm well adapted to the tropical clime in Pingtung are edible organic roses. Grand 1 carries the fragrance of Litchi and is mostly used for aroma blending while Grand 2 has a rich smell and tastes slightly bitter. From its budding to unfolding blossoms, it takes only 2 days when each big rose is in its full bloom, which is like the dazzling sunshine in the southern Taiwan.

(The edible rose varieties and it takes only 2 days from budding to full bloom.)

The surrounding area is a vast uncultivated land owned by Taiwan Sugar Cooperation, so it is hard to imagine there is a cozy and romantic Grand Blossom Grange just in a turnabout. The roses smells the richest fragrant every early morning before sunrise, and the farmhands start working to pick the fresh flowers to make all kinds of processed products. There are also many other organic produce such as tomatoes of different varieties, passion fruit, banana, cabbage and a plethora of vegetables for meals served on the farm. And tourists can also purchase these organic produce without food safety concerns.

(We passed by a vast deserted land before arriving at the entrance of Grand Blossom Grange.)

(The fresh flowers collected by the farmhands in the rose garden every early morning.)

(The orange red tomato path leads to the ornamental rose garden. Tomatoes here are for picking and sales.)

(The rose garden is behind the dining area under the big canopy and the dining table in the shape of an oxcart carries a pastoral feeling.)

Many dining and leisure areas are in place and each has its own unique setting with roses around. There are also many weeping jasmines and various flowers. The verdant landscape with blossoms renders a relaxing atmosphere for dining, moreover, the dishes made of the roses are tasty with unique flavors and every course is a surprise.

(Bountiful food ingredients for the rose hotpot, and most of the organic vegetables are home grown. Even the slices of meat are presented in the shape of a rose.)

(The recipe of this marinated chicken with a slightly spicy taste and rosy smell is advised by a chef from Hongkong. With the fragrance of roses, my mouth couldn’t help watering.)

(The salty pork with roses is a Hakka style dish. It is not greasy due to the combination of fresh vegetables, onions, roses and pork.)

(The braised pork rice with rose that astonished all when it was served.)

(The pork sauce with traditional flavor as the topping for the noodles made with rose polyphonels is a creative yummy dish.)

The rose smoothie with the fragrance of lemons shows a bright and beautiful color.)

The edible roses not only are beautiful garnish, but also carries rich nutrients such as polyphonels, flavonoid, anthocyanin, nutramin, and lentinan. The nutritional value of the edible ones are higher than those of their ornamental counterparts. The water distilled from roses can effectively help contain skin moisture and slow down aging process as well as calm down emotions so to relax body and mind. It is indeed the more you eat, the prettier you are.

Coming to Grand Blossom Grange, tourists have to try DIY rose polyphonel chocolate with their significant ones and leave a romantic memory. Mixing the rose polyphonel and dried rose petals with the melted white chocolate before pouring them into the mold. Wait till it cools down and separate the chocolate from the mold. You will taste an abundant flavor of rose and the milky smell of chocolate in each of them. The slightly bitter taste of roses well balance the sweetness of the white chocolate, a relish resembling to an adult life. At the end, every one can bring 4 rose polyphonel chocolates home. By just spending NT$250/person for participation, you can get the lovely chocolate present made with your whole heart.

(DIY rose polyphonel chocolate is designed for BFFs or couples to experience together.)

(Pouring the chocolate with rose polyphonel into the mold.)

(Here is the rose chocolate full of one’s ingenuity and love.)

After meals and the DIY event, tourists headed to the sales center, got the baskets from the farm owner, and wore the straw hats. In a blink of time, they were the flower picking girls ready to pick roses in the rose garden.

(Wearing the straw hat and carrying a basket to pick flowers.)

Only the red roses are open to the public. Don’t touch roses of other colors which are specifically saved for aroma blending. It requires a little trick to pick the roses. Choose a flower in almost full bloom and hold the calyx with your hand before you twist it downward, and the velvet like red rose is in your hand. Moving back and forth in the big rose garden and selecting roses of one’s own preference really gives one anticipation of happiness.

(Busy bees are often seen collecting nectar in the rose flowers. As an employee, I can relate to their busyness so I didn’t want to interrupt its work. This one is yours!)

The freshly picked roses were brought home to relish. Remember to put them in the fridge to keep the petals fresh and wash the dirts away before savoring. Steeping the petals in 1/3 of hot water and 2/3 of cold water to make rose tea which emits slight fragrance. Upon the first sip, I smelt whiffs of floral scents followed by tastes of slight sweetness. And multiple flavors can be felt afterwards.
Asides from flower picking and flower tasting, you must not miss shopping for rose related products. For snacks, the first choice is egg rolls with rose polyphonel which is the Y2020 champion of the top ten souvenirs in Pingtung. You will taste the flavor mixed rich rose scents with the smells of eggs and milk in its crispy texture. There are also rose polyphonel and rose jams which go along well with bread and milk. The most popular skin care products are the rose essence and the soap bars as well as various a series of rose products. It is a total skin care solution from inside out for women who want to stay beautiful.

(In the dining and beverage department of Grand Blossom Grange, tourists would find plenty of tasty choices, such as meals, beverages, desserts and breads. Breads are only available on holidays.)

Egg rolls with rose polyphonel is selected as the top 10 souvenirs of Y2020 in Pingtung. Photo Courtesy: Grand Blossom Grange)

(Bread or cookies with rose jams are tasty. Photo Courtesy: Grand Blossom Grange)

(The organic rose essence is 100% extraction from rose and the star product in Grand Blossom. It is all natural and chemical free.)

The farm also carries home grown bananas, tomatoes, all sorts of organic vegetables, tofu pudding with roses and lemon aiyu jelly. Groups over 20 people are welcome to make reservations. And package tour is offered at a cost of NT$250 per person, including trial tasting and a guided tour on the farm.