Long Description
Roses throughout history have been symbols of love, beauty, war, and politics [think War of the Roses (the Yorks and Lancasters, not the movie)]. According to fossil evidence, roses are 35 million years old. Garden cultivation of roses began approximately 5,000 years ago in Asia. During the Roman period, roses were used as confetti at celebrations, for medicinal purposes, and as a source of perfume.'
"It wasn't until the late eighteenth century that cultivated roses were re-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."
The Old European classes of roses are: Gallica, Damask, Alba, Centifolia, and Moss, all of which are known for their cold-hardiness and strong fragrances. Unfortunately, they only bloom once each year, and are prone to diseases. The modern roses are more disease resistant and are repeat bloomers throughout the season. These include the Hybrid Teas, Grandiflora, Floribunda, and Miniatures, but sadly color and form took precedence over fragrance.
Rose breeding has become extremely competitive with annual competitions to select the best varieties. There's even a fascinating book, Flower Confidential, describing the intrigue behind getting flowers to market, the mysteries of competitive flower breeding, and the quest for the elusive blue rose.
There is no exhaustive list of all of the rose varieties. Fortunately, the Royal Horticultural Society has awarded 117 of these the Award of Garden Merit, narrowing the list down to a manageable size. One of the best known breeders is David Austin, whose roses have won an impressive 28 AGM awards.
Puzzle
Here are some of my favorite roses. See if you can find them in the Woodland Park Rose Garden.
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| Paul Transon |
The Mayflower. |
Chinatown |
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| The Generous Gardener |
Graham Thomas TM |
Madame Alfred Carriere. |
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| Albertine |
Kiftsgate |
Delphinidin |
