Roses - flowers for the Ages

Roses have been around for a very long time. Rose gardening is not so long. Fossil evidence shows rose to 35 million years old. Until about 5000 years ago roses grew wild. Cultivation probably began in China. The Romans were fond of roses. They cultivated them in the Middle East. In England in the fifteenth century, roses were symbols of two parties became involved in a war for control of England.

 The symbol of York was a white rose, while the symbol of Lancaster was the red rose. Thus, the war became known as the "War of the Roses". The seventeenth century saw rosewater used for perfume and roses were in high demand. During the eighteenth century cultivated roses were introduced in Europe.
There are four basic generations of roses to us from the beginning of time to the modern age. They are: Species Roses, Old European Garden Roses, Hardy Repeat Flowering Old Roses and Modern Roses. The original rose on the planet is the kind of rose, genus Rosa, with 5 petals and very colorful hips. These roses bloom once a year in early summer.

Today there are a species of the genus Rosa found growing wild throughout the northern hemisphere. They come in various sizes, including ground cover for large upright plants and creepers. Rosa rugosa is probably the most popular commercial variety today.

Old Garden Roses are the European hybrid roses that were seen in European gardens in the eighteenth century prior to the attack of Rosa cheniesis. Cheniesis was discovered in China. Cheniesis is first known that flowers repeatedly from early autumn to late summer. Old European Garden Roses are fragrant and hardy. They are not as highly disease resistant, as is often reported. The five classes of the old European garden roses are: Gallica, Damask, Alba, Centifolia, and Mosses. Hardy Repeat-Blooming Old Roses are almost all rose. They provide excellent winter hardiness, disease resistance, beautiful flowers and wonderful scent. They do not however, provide recurrent summer bloom.

The development of the tea / cross hybrid perpetual rose in 1867 ushered in the era of the modern rose. Jean Baptiste Guillot was the breeder and the rose was 'La France'. The hybrid tea rose was born. The most popular modern roses are the hybrid tea, floribunda and grandiflora. Roses have been on this planet for 35 million years.

Until the eighteenth century with the advent of the old European Garden Rose, the rose species, genus Rosa, was the only one who was dandruff. Repeat-Blooming Old Roses were next. In 1867 Jean-Baptiste Guillot developed the hybrid tea rose early modern era rose. Today, the main varieties of roses are hybrid tea roses, floribunda and grandifloria. Roses add a special beauty to our lives. Growing roses today is not a difficult task and it is very worthwhile.