Flower(s) / A cloud poured its blue over the orchard

This story is part of a long-term photographic series exploring relationships between flowers and local communities. It is centred around the Damask rose, where each spring families and workers come together for the harvest in the Valley of Roses.

For just under two months each spring, the Damask rose blooms across the oases of Drâa-Tafilalet – the legacy of one of the most remarkable migrations in botanical history. Beyond its beauty, the flower is an economic lifeline: harvested by women and families, distilled in local cooperatives, and transformed into oils and waters that sustain livelihoods throughout the region.

Moving between artistic and documentary registers, Teresa Freitas traces not only the flower itself but also its wider significance: the resilience of a community, the legacy of care passed through generations, and the intimate connection between nature and survival. The work embraces a post-documentary approach, with a strong focus on colour and a poetic sensibility that shifts away from literal reportage, seeking instead to reveal the fragility and endurance of stories rooted in place.