All in all, the rose must surely be the world’s favorite flower. Fossilised forms dating back thirty million years have been found over a vast geographical area. Ancient civilizations used them extensively for many reasons: decorations, medicines, cosmetics and cooking. Confucius, Homer and Sappho wrote about them, they are mentioned in the Koran and the Bible, and the Roman Empire was mainly responsible for spreading them to Europe from their armies’ conquests in many lands, importing hundreds of thousands of plants and seeds.

Later, the crusaders took back several species to their homelands and, later still, the great trading nations, principally The Netherlands and Britain, through the Dutch East India and British East India companies, introduced China Roses to the European continent.

Napoleon’s wife, the Empress Josephine, created her famous garden at La Malmaison with the help of a dedicated British nurseryman, John Kennedy, who held a special passport which allowed him to travel between England and France even while they were at war with each other. Imagine the questionable diplomacy which allowed men on both sides to agree to that-roses over philosophies! We can work together for a garden, but... something wrong there. Nevertheless, the garden is recorded as one of the world’s greatest with its varieties of roses numbering around two hundred and fifty.

Because of these conquerors, traders, plant explorers and hybridizers, an unimaginable variety of this magnificent plant is available to us today. Whenever I visit public gardens, or those of family or friends, I write down the names of their roses and vow to buy them all for myself. Of course, in reality I can’t possibly do that, but all that information does start to sift itself after a while, and I find I keep returning to the same varieties–and put them on my Christmas list!

If you have any sense of history at all, while sitting in a garden watching bees and butterflies hovering on those beautiful blooms, you cannot help but romance about fountained Persian gardens, Roman mansions carpeted with petals, victorious armies being pelted with them as they marched through their great cities, soft-eyed poets throughout the ages seeking to explore the unity of beauty and love.

In our own age there are others: several years ago I saw a gardening program on American television about a gardener in Edwards, Mississippi, known locally as Dr. ‘Dirt’ because of his love and dedication; he saved old varieties and species of roses from the gardens of people who had died or moved where the land was to be cleared for development. I’m not sure, but I think he also took cuttings from old cemeteries for the same purpose, ensuring that they did not die out, and I know others have done that, too. His name was Leon Goldsberry, and I remain as awed today as when I watched the program then at the thought and quiet purpose of his interest.

The rose precedes man and civilization and when I cull and arrange them, I sometimes have the feeling that they’re saying, “Ah! If you only knew.”

The serenity of which thought leads me to a lovely piece from my favorite childhood book, “The Wind In The Willows”, by Kenneth Grahame. A sweet friend with a beautiful mind reminded me of it a few years ago when she produced it as the Inspiration thought for our garden club monthly meeting. It is about Mole.

‘The country lay bare and entirely leafless around him and he thought
that he had never seen so far and so intimately into the inside of things
as on that winter day when nature was deep in her annual slumber and
seemed to have kicked the clothes off.’

Miscellaneous Tips

There are several organic tips for dealing with, and preventing, mildew and blackspot on roses:

• ½ portion each of Milk and Water;
• Spray the whole plant.

• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 2 teaspoons Cooking Oil
• 1 quart Water
• Mix and spray

• 30 mils. White Oil
• 3 level teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• A few drops of dishwashing detergent
• 5 litres Water
• Mix and spray.