The History of Roses
In matchless beauty on the plain, The Rose (mankind will all agree), The Rose the Queen of Flowers should be."
Sappho, 600 BC 
The mystic rose has a history as colorful as the many cultivars now being grown. It was admired and cultivated even before history was recorded. Through time, this "Queen of Flowers" has become the flower of kings and queens.
Native to all areas except South America and the tropics, the rose's popularity blossomed in the East where civilization began. It was included in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the world. According to Greek mythology, Cupid bribed Harpocrates, the God of Silence, with a rose and thus the custom of suspending a rose from the ceiling at meetings demanding secrecy was begun. Matters discussed were sub rosa, or under the rose.
Commercial rose production was extensive in Rome and Egypt and all the colonies of the Roman Empire were encouraged to supply the demands of the local officials. Cleopatra used the rose in Egyptian ceremonials and it gradually replaced the lotus in importance. The Romans learned to love the rose after their contact with the Persians and the Middle East and helped to distribute it through their conquests.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, cultivation of the rose was limited to monastic gardens where it eventually became an emblem of Christianity. The rose was reintroduced to Europe by the Crusaders returning from their missions to the Middle East.
In the 13th century, King Edward I of England chose the rose to be his emblem. Later, the House of Lancaster took the red rose as its badge, while the House of York claimed the white rose. These two factions divided the country in civil strife, later known as the War of Roses. The rose became the Royal Emblem of England when Henry VII of Lancaster took Elizabeth, heiress to the House of York,as his wife.
Empress Josephine of France contributed to the rose's popularity by establishing an extensive rose garden at Malmaison near Paris. Begun in 1804, it contained all known species and cultivars by 1814. Napoleon's armies sent the native roses from the lands they conquered while rose enthusiasts from all over the world sent seeds and plants to make Josephine's garden complete.
In the United States, the Indians of the James River Valley planted wild roses to beautify their camps. The pilgrims of 1621 planted red, white and damask roses in their settlements. George Washington's Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello had extensive rose plantings, but it was Henry William Stiegel, manufacturer of early American glassware, who was the first avid collector of roses in America and as early as 1773 had established a large collection.
The rose's symbolism is as interesting as its history. Throughout time it has come to mean different things to different people. The Germanic peoples had originally associated it with death, the Christians with religious feelings. It was only after contact with the orient that the rose came to mean worldly love.
At the turn of the century, with the advent of florist shops, flowers were very important during courtship. A gift of red roses signified love, white roses--purity, yellow roses--jealousy, pink--friendship, burgundy--unconscious beauty, deep red--bashful shame, a single rose--simplicity, and a red rose together with a white rose--unity.
Today the rose is grown all over the world. Though the "Queen of Flowers," it is at home in even the simplest landscape. Its cultivation is a hobby enjoyed by millions, its majestic beauty is enjoyed by all.
