LOVE, REMEMBRANCE AND BEAUTY IN THE GARDEN : THE ROSE

When love came first to Earth the Spring spread rose beds to receive him
-Thomas Campbell, Scottish Poet, 1777-1844

The rose is beauty, the Gardener, Time.

-Austin Dobson, English Poet, 1840-1921

The rose is undoubtedly the most popular flower in the history of the world as well as one of the most ancient. When I was young I hated roses, white in particular,  because I was made to wear one in church on Mother's Day .  It was a symbol of my mother's death.   

Roses and their various colors are infused with symbolism:  Red for love, white for purity and innocence, yellow for friendship, joy and caring and pink for happiness, elegance and refinement, for example.

The rose is the official emblem of the United States as well as many of our states.   It's an American native found in fossils dating back 35,000 years with Montana and Oregon having the oldest.

Thousands of songs have been written about roses and their inspiration in art, literature and poetry is abundant.  Shakespeare, in the Two Noble Kinsmen said : "Of all flowers, methinks the rose is best. "

I was cured of my hatred of roses at around 10 when my father took me to see the garden of a little cottage where a climbing red rose grew.  I had never seen him cry before but with tears in his eyes he pointed to the rose and said that my mother had planted it many years ago when the house belonged to them.   Since then roses were remembrance to me.

Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved