We typically associate roses with Valentine’s Day as a sign of love – usually red roses – little did we know there was so much more to them than that! The rose dates back thousands and thousands of years, and has been a popular flower throughout that time because of its fragrant beauty. It is evident that the rose has always been treasured; historians have even found rose wreaths with Pharaohs in ancient Egyptian tombs.
Red Rose
Roses were also used in celebrations, make-up and perfume, and for medicinal purposes by the Romans and early Greeks (who believed it was a form of aphrodisiac).
Natively the rose grows in Asia, with smaller numbers of species native to Europe, north America and northwest Africa. Today the rose grows everywhere as a result of wealthy cultivators breeding and cross-breeding them to alter their size, shape, colour and scent.
There are now over 100 variations. You can have a rose bush, shrub, tree or plant, or for the smaller gardens there’s always the miniature rose or the types that are great for beds, pots and boxes. That’s not forgetting the roses that climb or trail to decorate the walls of your house.
White Rose
This deliberate crossing of rose breeds began around the 19th century, and has created different rose species within the three main groups: the Old Roses, Modern Roses and Wild Roses. Due to the many different types of rose, it is hard to pinpoint an exact time of year they bloom. Each one is different – some bloom once a year, some twice from May through to October (also dependent on the weather and the care they receive).
Roses have always been significant in England, most importantly with the “War of the Roses” in the 15th century. This created what we know today as our national emblem. Over the years, roses and rose water have been used for a great number of things including to stave off drunkenness by dropping a petal or two in your wine, to fight off the Great Plague in the 17th century, and even as legal tender amongst royalty. The rose-hip (the rose’s edible fleshy fruit) also has its uses – it’s high in vitamin C and can be made into jam, jelly or marmalade, as well as brewed for tea. The rose can provide so many wonders, it’s no surprise it was brought to England all those years ago!
Pink Rose
The rose has always been a flower associated with beauty and its Latin name ‘Rosa Perpetua’ (meaning ‘unfading beauty’) sums it up quite well. Many have adored the rose and its meanings, and many will continue to do so for a long time yet.
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