ROSE GARDENS

THE ROMANCE OF A ROSE GARDEN

                                                               By Maxina Williams

There is nothing like the romance of a rose garden to lift the soul. The sheer exhilaration of walking into a garden full of roses in full bloom or to experience the musky fragrance of  wall to wall roses in an enchanting courtyard is second to none.

Roses and romance go hand in hand together and many a first date gets off to an excellent start with a fragrant bunch of red rose buds for the little lady. St Valentine’s Day just wouldn’t be the same without the essential bunch of long-stemmed red roses.
Roses can also be a great peacemaker and can often say what words cannot after a lovers’ tiff. More songs have been written about roses that any other flower.

There is fossilised evidence of roses dating back 35 million years and it is believed that the cultivation of roses began about 5,000 years ago in Asia. Wreaths containing roses have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. Rose petals featured prominently in many a Roman orgy and the emperors were fond of filling their baths and fountains with rose water.

On a more sombre note, in a series of conflicts in 15th century England extending over 30 years, the white rose represented one side of the conflict and the red rose represented the other, hence the name “Wars of the Roses”.

Roses are the best loved garden plants and are now in bloom everywhere. Even in the coolest districts the colour and size of the blooms can be breathtaking. Currently, there are over 30,000 varieties of roses and you can create a fragrant floating sea of roses by carefully selecting your rose colours to blend together in a floral tapestry. They are a very versatile plant in that you don’t have to grow them only in the garden, certain varieties are just as happy in a pot on your porch or patio.

Rose leaves are a good substitute for tea, the hips can be made into a delicious jelly or syrup, while the petals are useful as both a medicine and a cosmetic. Essential oil of rose is both soothing and an antiseptic; aromatherapists use it as a sedative and antidepressant.

There is really nothing more rewarding for the home gardener than growing your very own beautiful roses.


Maxina Williams loves anything to do with gardening and outdoor living.
Article source:gardenswings-n-things.blogspot.com