Palisade is a small town, really a suburb of Grand Junction, with a population of slightly more than 2500 people. Being in Mesa County, it's not surprising that the town is surrounded by numerous mesas, including Grand Mesa. In fact, the only reason I went into Palisade was in an effort to get a good shot of a huge mesa that was getting really great light. Unfortunately, by the time I found a good place for the photo, the good light was gone. That didn't stop me, however.
Palisade is primarily an agricultural community, with orchards and vineyards being the foremost types of farming. I saw mostly peach orchards, but I suspect there are other fruits, as well.
I followed the town's designated Orchard & Vineyard Scenic Byway, laid out to lead visitors through the fields and the historic town. There were a great many vineyards, each holding a wine tasting on this sunny afternoon.
Along the way, I came across a gorgeous rose garden in the front yard of a residence, so I stopped to admire the roses. The lady tending the garden, Donna, was very gracious in allowing me to take photos, but she refused to take credit for the beautiful garden, explaining she had lived here only a short time. The roses were the product of the previous owner. Anyway, here are just a few of the rose photos.
I soon learned that roses are very popular here, and I suppose it makes sense that roses would do very well in this climate. One cute little cottage with a nice bed of roses caught my eye.
Folks back east may not recognize the "swamp cooler" on the roof of the house. This evaporative cooling system, used quite a bit out here, is an alternative to air conditioning.
The downtown area appeared to be very charming, but I didn't have time to check it out. That will have to wait for another opportunity.
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