By Julia Sikes
July 31, 2024
The Riveting Rose
The History and Guide of a Rose Garden
The History
The rose has deservedly been known throughout history to be the singular most symbolic flower in many cultures over the centuries. Many, many centuries, in fact: supposedly, roses have been on Earth for more than 35 million years. Although today we may associate roses with an English cottage or an American flower garden, roses most likely originated in Asia. Its rich history there began with the Persians, who used the rose in medicines as well as for aesthetic and olfactory purposes. Many religious texts across different Asian cultures also gave the rose spiritual significance. Even in art and literature, roses have been depicted since ancient times there as a symbol of beauty and love.
Other later cultures also recognized the value of the rose and incorporated it into their practices. In Ancient Egypt, roses were symbolic of death and were placed in tombs. They also had a regal connection: Cleopatra VII was attached to the smell of roses and wanted to have their aroma surrounding her in public appearances. (This royal love of roses was carried on into modern times: Empress Josephine Bonaparte of France was so passionate about roses that she created one of the most impressive rose gardens in the world.)
Greek mythology may well be the reason for the connection between love and roses in modern times. According to the myths, Aphrodite herself, the goddess of love, created roses, thereby fashioning the rose as an image of passion and romance. By the time of the Roman Empire, roses still only grew in the Middle East, but they were valued and imported to the Romans. Those who could afford roses flaunted them as a sign of wealth and nobility. The rose’s position as a status symbol in Rome led to the creation of public rose gardens.
Roses declined in popularity in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire, as did art and literature, but they were reintroduced to Europe in the late Middle Ages. In England, roses were a symbol of power: the two most powerful families in England both had a rose as their house symbol, and as a result, there is even a historical war named for roses (The War of the Roses). By the 1600s, roses became so popular that both roses and rose water were a form of legal tender. Shakespeare also used roses as a symbol for love and passion in several of his famous plays.
In 1867, the hybrid tea rose was created. All roses cultivated before that date are considered antique, and roses cultivated after are modern roses. Today, there are over 150 species of rose native to the Northern Hemisphere! From ancient times until now, roses have symbolized beauty, power, and love and loss. Their elegance, history, and significance throughout history make them a wondrous flower indeed.
Growing Your Own Rose Garden
Thankfully, creating a rose garden yourself is not an impossible task! While it may seem daunting, this article will provide tips and tricks to help you create a flourishing garden of roses of all shapes and sizes. They are simple to grow and keep alive, and you do not need prior gardening skills to learn how to care for roses.
A good first step is to decide what you want your rose garden to look like. Roses can grow high like a hedge or close to the ground, and there are many ways to arrange them. Looking at magazines or online will help you form a game plan, and creating a rough sketch of your idea will benefit you later on. Keep in mind that you want to access your roses, so plan for pathways and small enough beds to allow for maintenance. Depending on how much work you want to do, benches and trellises can elevate the look of your rose garden.
Choose whether you want a large garden or a small garden and whether you want it in the front yard or the backyard. Larger gardens do best with large rose varieties and color variations that show up well, while smaller gardens need smaller, light colored flowers with a limited color scheme to brighten the space. To grow climbing roses vertically, train them using trellises. To grow them horizontally, train them along the bottom of a chain link fence.
Next, do a little research on rose varieties that will thrive in your region. You can also choose other traits including size, color, longevity, and fragrance. Keep in mind that roses need 6-8 hours of sunlight a day as well as good air circulation to keep disease at bay. Roses generally thrive in rich, well draining soil, which can be regulated through compost. The soil should have a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. In containers, this means having pots with good drainage holes and high-quality potting soil. The container should also be between 15”-20” in diameter and 18”-24” deep.
To grow roses from seeds, plant them in early spring once there is no danger of frost. Water them well and place them in direct sunlight. Once they are a few inches tall, you can transplant them. While well worth the investment, they do grow slowly–it can take over 3 years for a seedling to develop into a rose bush. If you wish to buy existing rose plants, dig a hole about 3 times the size of the ball of roots, add compost, water, and fertilizer, then loosen the roots and place the rose in the hole. Fill the hole back up with soil, then add a layer of mulch to help retain water. In either case, continue to water them well as they grow–about 1” per week.
Once you have established your rose garden, continue to fertilize, mulch, and water regularly. Keep an eye out for pests, and prune your rose bushes in the early spring. The last step is to spend time in your rose garden and enjoy the beautiful fruits of your labor.
Benefits of Owning a Rose Garden
In addition to their fascinating history, roses bring joy and beauty wherever they reside. They carry meanings of love and affection, and their elegant look and fragrance elevate the look of any space. Roses are among the longest-blooming flowers, and they are hardy and simple to maintain in many varied environments. They have plentiful varieties of shapes, colors, sizes, and fragrance, and they also contribute to surrounding biodiversity. However, these are not the only reasons to keep roses on hand. Yes, they are the perfect way to polish a yard, hide any less than desirable spots, and, once harvested, brighten up inside rooms and give off an exquisite floral scent, but there are many other reasons to have a rose garden.
Caring for a rose garden can help reduce stress and cause you to relax, and the care of rose gardens also leads to moderate, non-taxing exercise. Roses provide food for pollinators and small animals in the winter and improve the atmosphere of the area where they are planted. Roses can also be edible! Rose hips especially can be used in tea, and rose petals can be used in treats like ice cream. A rose can also be a sweet gift to bring to a friend as a thank-you or as a cheer-up. Finally, selling roses also leads to a nice extra income. Whether it's just to friends, neighbors, or couples or whether you want to create your own flower stand, harvesting and selling roses is a low-maintenance way to earn a little spending money.
The Rose Garden Tearoom
It is no wonder that this fascinating flower is the namesake of the Rose Garden Tea Room. Located inside the Highland Village Painted Tree, this tea room offers high tea as well as lunch. It is famed for its special Rose Tea. For an elegant experience highlighting not only the rose but many other delightful delicacies celebrated at tea time, make sure to pay the Rose Garden Tea Room a visit! Relax, enjoy the many treats and teas, and make some lasting rose-related memories.