Roses have a long and colorful history. They have been symbols of love, beauty, war, and politics. The rose is, according to fossil evidence, 35 million years old. In nature, the genus Rosa has some 150 species spread throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from Alaska to Mexico and including northern Africa. Garden cultivation of roses began some 5,000 years ago, probably in China. During the Roman period, roses were grown extensively in the Middle East. They were used as confetti at celebrations, for medicinal purposes, and as a source of perfume. Roman nobility established large public rose gardens in the south of Rome. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the popularity of roses seemed to rise and fall depending on gardening trends of the time.
The rose is a legend in its own.The story goes that in the Roman Empire,there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe, Her beauty drew many jealous suitors who pursuited her relentlessly . Exhausted by their persuit Rhodanthe was forced to take refuge from her suiters in the temple of her friend Diana. Unfortunately Diana became jealous. And when the suiters broke down her temple gates to get near Rhodanthe,, she also became angry and turning Rhodanthe into rose and the suiters into thorns..
White Rose of York
During the fifteenth century, the rose was used as a symbol for the factions fighting to control England. The white rose symbolized York, and the red rose symbolized Lancaster, as a result, the conflict became known as the "War of the Roses."
Roses were in such high demand during the seventeenth century that royalty considered roses or rose water as legal tender, and they were often used as barter and for payments. Napoleon's wife Josephine established an extensive collection of roses at Chateau de Malmaison, an estate seven miles west of Paris in the 1800s. This garden became the setting for Pierre Joseph Redoute's work as a botanical illustrator. In 1824, he completed his watercolor collection "Les Rose," which is still considered one of the finest records of botanical illustration.
It wasn't until the late eighteenth century that cultivated roses were introduced into Europe from China. Most modern-day roses can be traced back to this ancestry. These introductions were repeat bloomers, making them unusual and of great interest to hybridizers, setting the stage for breeding work with native roses to select for hardiness and a long bloom season. Many of these early efforts by plant breeders are of great interest to today's gardeners.
Carefree Delight shrub rose hedge
Roses are once again enjoying a resurgence in popularity, specifically, shrub roses and old garden roses. Gardeners realize that these roses fit the lifestyle of today's gardeners who want roses that are not as demanding with regard to disease control, offer excellent floral quality, have excellent winter hardiness, and fit into shrub borders and perennial gardens without seeming out of place.
To be successful in growing roses in Midwest gardens, one needs to be aware of some basic considerations. Attention to plant selection, a basic knowledge of the wide array of classes available, basic culture information, and information about potential disease and insect problems will go a long way in making roses an enjoyable addition to the garden.
Nur Jahan and roses.
Nur Jahan was the wife of the Mogul Emperor Jahangeer. She must have been something to see. Like Josephine, she was the widow of a soldier (Sher Afghan a rebel against Jahangir, as it happened) and already had a daughter by that man when Jahangir first saw her (1611). They were married within two months.
Rose of attar is the basis for an entire world of perfume. The story goes that Nur Jahan’s mother, the 16th century perfumer Asmat Begam, noted a layer of scum accreted on the surfaces of jugs when hot rose water passed over it. Curious, she gathered this stuff and realized that rubbing a bit of it on her hands was far more effective than mere rosewater. For her services to Moghul perfume, she was presented with a string of pearls.
It sounds about right, but since all anecdotes are improved by attaching them to someone more famous, this story, suitably modified, went to Asmat Begam’s daughter, Noor Jahan.
In this version, Noor Jahan had a spat with her husband and once passions had cooled down a bit, she decided to throw a party as a make up gesture. To this end she ordered several large vats of rosewater prepared and woe betide anyone who tampered with them. In the heat of the day, she nodded off. The sun broke down the roses’ essential oils and when she awoke, she saw a layer of film on the surface. She assumed someone had thrown fat in the tanks until she tested the stuff. Immediately she rubbed the scum all over her clothing and ran off to tell her husband about this wonderful discovery, and we can hope, found better things to do than throwing a mere party.
Or so they say. In any event, Noor Jahan was exiled to a quiet retirement at Lahore, surrounded by gardens and free to pursue her mother’s passion of making perfume – easier than hunting tigers, if nothing else.
People have been passionate about roses since the beginning of time .In fact it is said that the floor of Cleopatra’s palace were carpeted with delicate rose petals. And that the wise and knowing Confucius had a 600 books library on how to care for roses.
‘Wherefore art though rose ? in the reading of Shakespere of course. He refers 50 times throughout his writing.
-vss
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