Today, eight months after the city fell, roses climb through the ruins and trees bear fruit, but the city remains virtually dead.

To the north of the path, large-leaf vines and white rambling roses climb along the castle walls.

It explodes with 84 different varieties of snowdrops in January, spring sees the arrival of hellebores and by June roses are climbing through the trees.

Bare wooden trellises affixed to the porch rails at intervals suggested that roses or morning glories might have climbed there once.

Trees are strung with tiny white lights, and rambling roses climb the walls along the walk, nestling against borders of pink petunias and cascading ivy.

And though I was there in November, roses were everywhere, like pink and yellow weeds, climbing church walls, spilling into cafes.

It was plain, but roses climbed its side and the adjacent land was neatly planted.

Fat yellow roses climbed the weathered cedar shingles at the back of the house, then flowed in lush billows over the roof trellis.

She lives in a brownstone apartment with a garden where turtles swim in a makeshift pond and plump roses climb a wooden trellis.

Wildflowers include common knapweed and lady's bedstraw, while brambles and roses climb the tombs in wilder areas.