Apricots in rose petal syrup

All of a sudden roses are starting to bloom. Just a few days ago, there was only a promise of a rose, and now several parts of my garden are proud to present their crowning glory.
I have been waiting for the new roses with impatience, as my supply of the dried rose petals has gone. I love to add the dried rose petals to my tea, and my older son just eats them as they are.

I have picked a few roses to cook a rose petal syrup. Don't ask me for the exact quantities, it was about three handfuls of fresh petals, I haven't a clue about the weight.
First I washed them thoroughly and inspected for any hidden bugs. They are a source of protein, of course, but not exactly welcome in my cooking.

Then I added two mugs of granulated sugar to the pan and added water, just enough to soak the sugar, brought to boil and then lowered the heat. I added a lemon wedge and a vanilla pod (just the empty case, as I used the seeds recently for the cake). All the petals went in. Once they became translucent, the syrup is ready.

In the meantime, cut the apricots in half (a couple of apricots per person) and put in a ceramic dish in the oven, preheated to 180C. I also sprinkled the vanilla sugar on top of the apricots before they went in the oven.
Once they are soft (takes about 15-20 minutes), take the dish out, pour the rose petal syrup on top and put back in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Serve on their own or with a generous helping of the vanilla ice cream (Haagen Dazs is truly the best vanilla ice cream in the world).

The aroma is exceptionally enticing, and the flavours of the apricot and the rose petal syrup work beautifully together.