ROSES

Talking on Wednesdays

ROSES

GENERALITIES

The rose is a type of flowering shrub, they are woody perennials. Its name comes from the Latin word Rosa. The flowers of the rose grow in many different colors, from the well-known red rose to yellow roses and sometimes white or purple roses.  All roses were originally wild and they come from several parts of the world, North America, Europe, northwest Africa and many parts of Asia and Oceania. There are over many different species of roses, over 100 and thousands of cultivars.  The wild rose species can be grown in gardens, but most garden roses are cultivars, which have been chosen by people.  Over hundreds of years they have been specially bred to produce a wide variety of growing habits and a broad range of colours.

DESCRIPTION AND USE

The flower of the rose plant can be different sizes. It may be as small as 1/2 inch across to a diameter of almost 7 inches.[2] Also, roses can be used for good scent. The scent of the rose comes from tiny perfume glands on the petals, which can be seen through a powerful microscope. Sometimes rose petals are dried and packed so that you can use them for decoration or for scent.

Roses can be seen very much in gardens. Sometimes they can be in vineyards as well. In a big vineyard, a bush of roses is planted at the end of each row of vines.  As long as the roses stay healthy, the vine growers can see that their vines are healthy as well.

ROSE FRUIT OR HIP

The fruit of the rose is a berry-like structure called a rose hip. Many of the domestic cultivars do not produce hips, as the flowers are so tightly petalled that they do not provide access for pollination. The hips of most species are red, but a few  have dark purple to black hips. Rose hips of some species, are very rich in vitamin C, among the richest sources of any plant. The hips are eaten by fruit-eating birds such as thrushes and waxwings, which then disperse the seeds in their droppings.   Some birds, particularly finches, also eat the seeds.

Rose hips are occasionally made into jam, jelly, marmalade, and soup or are brewed for tea, primarily for their high vitamin C content. They are also pressed and filtered to make rose hip syrup. Rose hips are also used to produce Rose hip seed oil, which is used in skin products and some makeup products.

SYMBOLISM OF ROSES

1. Red Roses:  Red roses convey a simple message: "I love you". This makes them the ultimate symbol of romantic love and the most popular choice on Valentine’s Day. Other meanings for red roses include desire, passion, courage, respect, beauty and sincerity. A red rosebud symbolizes purity and loveliness.

2. Coral Roses:  Coral roses speak of desire and passion.

3. Lilac or Lavender Roses:  Lilac roses reveal love at first sight or enchantment.

4. Orange Roses:  Orange roses communicate desire, enthusiasm and fascination. They make an excellent choice for a new relationship that you wish to pursue further.

5. Peach Roses:  Peach roses express gratitude, appreciation, admiration or sympathy. They can also convey sociability and friendship and send the message "Let's get together". A pale peach rose symbolizes modesty.

6. Pink Roses:  In general, pink roses symbolize grace, gentility and happiness and express appreciation and gratitude.

7. Pale Pink Roses:   Pale pink roses connote grace, joy, gentility and gratitude.

8. Light Pink Roses:  Light pink roses suggest happiness and fun. Like all pink roses, they also convey admiration and appreciation.

9. Deep Pink Roses:  Deep pink roses say "Thank you". They also express appreciation, admiration, sincerity and sympathy.

10. White Roses:  Second only to red roses in popularity, white roses symbolize truth and innocence. They also represent silence, secrecy, reverence, humility, youthfulness and charm. You can use them to say, "You're heavenly", "I miss you" and "I’m worthy of you". A white rosebud symbolizes girlhood.

11. Yellow Roses:  Yellow roses symbolize friendship and freedom, so are not specifically romantic roses. They convey congratulations, joy, gladness and delight. But they also promise a new beginning, say "Welcome back" and "Remember me", and can convey jealousy and caring. Yellow roses with red tips convey friendship and falling in love.

12. Dead Roses:  Dead roses in any color convey "It's over!"

SOME  MITHOLOGY

The early Greeks (and later, the Romans with their mythological counterparts) inexorably linked the rose to love, beauty, purity and passion. According to the poet Anacreon, seafoam dripping from the body of Aphrodite as she is born turns into white roses; thus representing her purity and innocence. Later, when she is trying to help her wounded lover, Adonis, Aphrodite sheds a few drops of blood onto a white rose and changes it to red; thus representing her desire and passion.

REFERENCES.

. Wiki

.Simple Wiki

. rosaflora-flowers.com

. rosemagazine.com