The Last Rose of Summer Blooms at Charred Oaks Inn …

'Tis the last rose of summer, Left blooming alone; All her lovely companions Are faded and gone; No flower of her kindred, No rosebud is nigh, To reflect back her blushes, Or give sigh for sigh.

The signs of fall are all around the horse capital! The leaves are turning bright orange and gold; the monarch butterflies are heading south; the apple trees at the Eckert Boyd Orchard are laden with beautiful fruit; the cool mornings trackside at Keeneland are magical as the horses’ warm breath add to the mistiness in the air as they workout under the skilled hands of their jockeys; and restaurants, bakeries, coffee bistros and doughnut shops extol the fact that everything pumpkin is “in”!

Here at Charred Oaks Inn, a Lexington, Kentucky area bed and breakfast, our leaves are indeed turning, our resident squirrels are busy collecting walnuts, our guests are enjoying the last days of the fall race meet at Keeneland, our last rose of summer is blooming and while I like pumpkin - apples, cranberries, pears, cinnamon and bourbon are “in” in my kitchen!

Every year I look for the last rose of summer for several reasons. One reason is simply because it seems to be the prettiest one. Another reason is that it reminds me of my Mom. She too would always keep an eye out for that last sweet blossom and she would sing the song ‘The Last Rose of Summer” and it was beautiful. And the last reason, was because it was penned in the time of one of my favorite periods in history – the Regency period (most likely it has to do with being an avid Jane Austen fan).

"The Last Rose of Summer" is a poem by the Irish poet Thomas Moore. He wrote it in 1805, while staying at Jenkinstown Park in County Kilkenny, Ireland.

Charred Oaks Inn is open year round, minutes from downtown Lexington, Keeneland, the Bluegrass International airport, Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Home and the Kentucky Horse Park. All guest rooms have king size four poster beds, private en suite bathrooms, Smart TVs with DISH, free WiFi, mini fridges, single serve coffee makers, and plush robes. Some rooms have fireplaces. Parking is secure. A stay includes a made-to-order gourmet breakfast served in the inn’s dining room or in your room, afternoon refreshments and a homemade dessert each evening.