Roses In History
"The rose is one of the oldest flowers known to man, and still one of the most popular. Nebuchadnezzar used them to adorn his palace and in Persia, where they were grown for their perfume oil, the petals were used to fill the Sultan’s mattress. In Kashmir the Moghul emperors cultivated beautiful rose gardens and roses were strewn in the river to welcome them on their return home. Roses later became synonymous with the worst excesses of the Roman Empire - the peasants were reduced to growing roses instead of food crops in order to satisfy the demands of their rulers. The emperors filled their swimming baths and fountains with rose-water and sat on carpets of rose petals for their feasts and orgies. Heliogabalus used to enjoy showering his guests with rose petals which tumbled down from the ceiling during the festivities.
The Rose is the flower of love. It was created by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers, but of a lifeless body of a nymph which she found one day in a clearing in the woods. She asked the help of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who gave her beauty; Dionysus, the god of wine, added nectar to give her a sweet scent, and the three Graces gave her charm, brightness and joy. Then Zephyr, the West Wind, blew away the clouds so that Apollo, the sun god, could shine and make the flower bloom. And so the Rose was."
~ Sheila Pickles: The Language of Flowers (New York: Harmony Books, 1989)
Types of Roses
The following are the most popular and most commonly used in the home garden.
The hybrid tea rose is the most popular, blooming more or less continuously from late spring until frost. Excellent for cut flowers and most have fragrance. This type needs winter protection in colder and exposed area.
The floribunda roses give a continuous cluster of flowers from late spring to late fall. They are hardier than hybrid teas and are good for mass plantings or low hedges.
The grandiflora roses are long-slemmed, hardy plants. Growing tall, the grandiflora makes a nice background plant.
Other varieties of interest include miniature, climber, landscape (shrub) and tree roses.
Language of Roses
A rose language was invented as a means of communication between lovers who were not allowed to express their feelings in the harems of the Middle East.
Red Rose symbolizes love, respect, courage, and desire.
Dark crimson roses are given as a symbol of mourning.
Pink represents grace, elegance, appreciation, and gentleness.
White roses stand for innocence, purity, reverence, and humility, but can also mean secrecy and silence.
Yellow roses denoted jealousy in Victorian times, but are now given to express friendship, joy, gladness, and freedom.
Orange roses convey enthusiasm and desire.
"Blue" roses are associated with fantasy and the impossible, as no blue roses truly exist in nature.