USING ROSES

ROSES FOR THAT SPECIAL OCCASION

The rose has always been a symbol of affection, we often give rose flowers to loved ones for birthdays, valentines day or just to say I LOVE YOU. The humble rose can also mean much more. Many a rose has been developed to commemorate an occasion, such as the rose named 'Wedding Day'. We can use the names of roses or the year in which they were released to commemorate our own special occasions for example, if you had been invited to a 40th birthday in 1992 a rose that would have been suitable is the 1952 Scarlet Fire, or a rose named with their name such as ' Felicia', 'Penelope', 'Sonia', or 'Julia's Rose'.

You might perhaps want to choose a rose for that special wedding anniversary, for example for a golden anniversary a rose called 'Golden Showers' would be ideal. When you put your mind to it a rose can be chosen to suit any occasion.

Consider the following suggestions:

The birth of a baby try 'Great News'

To ask for forgiveness give a gift of the 'Peace' rose.

Try a rose with long stems and rich coral orange flower such as 'Romantica' as a romantic gift.

For a welcome to a new home 'Sweet Home'.

As a congratulation for obtaining a new position how about 'Madam President'.

To a dear friend or loved one 'Dearest' says it all.

To that special person in you life 'First Love'.

For a win in a sport 'Gold Medal' is a great way to celebrate.

If it is the year that is important ask your nurseryman which rose was

released in that year.

Some examples are;

1937 'Nancy Hayward'

1942 'Spring Gold'

1957 'Gay Vista'

1950 'Doreen'

1968 'Iceberg Climbing'

1971 'Devotion'

1987 'Lovely Lady'

1986 'Elina'

1990 'Old Fragrance'

ROSE RECIPES:

Rose based foods are highly nutritional as rose hips provide high levels of vitamin C, as well as being a medicinal cure for a number of ailments. Rose oil is used to cool a hot inflammation, rose water is used to cool and refresh the weak and faint spirits, and to soothe sore red eyes.

A decoction of red roses made with white wine is very good for a headache and pain in the eyes, ears, throat and gums.

Here are some recipes for you to try.

ROSE PETAL JAM

Gather rose flowers giving preference to the dark colours as these have the strongest flavor. Remove the petals and cut of the white base

To each cup of petals add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar.

Boil until the sugar hardens on the spoon.

Add 2‑3 drops of lemon juice and a pinch of tartic acid at the jelling time to prevent the jam from becoming bitter.

Place the jam into sterile jars and seal.

ROSE PETAL HONEY

Collect and prepare your rose petals as for jam.

Mash 250g of petals and boil in 1\2 litre of water for 15 minutes.

Strain of the solids and add to 1kg of liquid honey.

Boil down to a thick syrup and then place in sterilised jars.

ROSE WATER

Collect fragrant rose petals and then bruise them and cover with water in a saucepan. Heat gently for a few minutes. Strain off the petals and bottle the fragrant water.

ROSE TEA TONIC

Place a teaspoon of flowers in a cup of boiling water and let stand for an hour or so. Strain out the petals and drink when cold as a tonic.

ROSE HIP SYRUP

Pick the rose hips and remove the spent flower end. Place 2kg of hips in a saucepan with 1.5 litres of water. Bring to the boil and boil until soft.

Mash until pulpy then add another litre of water and bring to the boil while stirring.

Once cooked strain the pulp through a fine cloth and squeeze, collecting the squeezed out liquid in a container of some sort.

Return the residue to the pan with another litre of water. Repeat this procedure twice more.

Boil the collected liquid with 1\2 kg of sugar for every litre, boil for 5 minutes and place into sterilised sealable bottles.

ROSE VINEGAR

Fill a earthen ware container with fragrant rose petals, press them down and fill the container with wine vinegar. Cover and leave for several weeks. Strain and place into bottles that can be sealed.

ROSE CRAFTS

Rose pot pourri.

Pot pourri making is a cottage garden craft that is once again very popular. A rose pot pourri can add a delicate fragrance to a bedroom, or a bathroom. Rose pot pourri is best made from deep red roses as these have the strongest scent but any rose can be used to make pot pourri. The most important rule when making pot pourri is that the roses are first dried by either hanging them in bunches or laying them on wire trays or spread out on news paper. Once dry break the petals from the base of the flower and place all the parts into a decorative container. To enhance the fragrance add a small amount of rose oil.

Drying roses

Dried roses will last indefinitely and are great in dried flower arrangements, as deep red roses and pinks keep their colour. When drying choose semi ‑doubles or doubles. Cut off the stems and lay the blooms into oven dry fine sand, face up. Start with sand in a container of approximately 2.5cm deep ensuring that 2.5cm space is left between each flower. Slowly add more sand so that all parts of the flower are covered with another 2.5cm of sand.

Seal the container and leave for 3‑4 weeks in a warm dry place. Once dry remove from the sand and gently shake the sand out of the flower. Insert florist wire into the base of the rose and cover with florist tape.

Rose perfume

Roses need to picked early in the morning with the dew still on them. Choose blooms that are just opening rather than full blown ones. Attar of Roses or rose perfume is traditionally made from Damask roses, but any fragrant rose will do. Use a pottery container not metal or glass. Line it with petals and sprinkle with a thin layer of rock salt. Repeat the layers until the container is full. Seal the container and leave it undisturbed for at least 3 weeks in a cool dark cupboard. After this time strain the liquid through a fine cloth into a glass container and seal once again. Stand the liquid in the sun for 6 weeks so that it settles. When it is reopened you will have a concentrated rose perfume.

 

SELECTING ROSE VARIETIES BY COLOUR

RED ROSES
Black Beauty	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard rose	Fragrant velvet red flower
Mr Lincoln	Hybrid tea	Bush, sometimes standard	Deep red double cut flower rose
Mme G Deibard	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard rose	Weather resistant bright deep red
Europeana	Floribunda	Bush or standard	Deep crimson open rosette flowers, fragrant
Fiona	Shrub rose	Ground cover	double blood red slightly fragrant
Grande Duchesse	Shrub rose	Shrub	tomato red flower
Charlotte	Old fashioned		slightly fragrant
William Lobb	Species rose	Moss rose	semi double purple magenta, fragrant
Altissimo		Climber	single blood red slightly fragrant
Crimson Glory		Climber	double deep crimson, very fragrant
Scarlet Gem miniature		Miniature	bright red, popular pot plant
WHITE\ CREAM ROSES
John F Kennedy	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard	white large double, blooms fragrant
Pascali	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard	white with cream centre resistant to black spot and mildew
Virgo	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard	pure white semi double, fragrant
Champagne	Floribunda	Bush or standard	lovely cream tones, with reflexed petals
Iceberg	Floribunda	Bush or climber	pure white double, very fragrant
Sea form	Shrub rose	Ground cover	small white weeping standard blooms
Pour Toi	miniature		white with creamy yellow tinge at the base
Madame Alfred	Old fashioned	Climber	double white flushed
Boule de Neige	Old fashioned	Shrub rose	ivory white double very fragrant
YELLOW ROSES
Diamond Jubilee	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard	deep buff yellow, very fragrant
Helmut Schmidt	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard	pure clear yellow free flowering
Northern Lights	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard	primrose yellow, sometimes flushed pink, very fragrant
Friesia	Floribunda	Bush	bright deep yellow, very fragrant
Gold Bunny	Floribunda	Bush	soft gold blooms
Canary Bird	Old fashioned	Shrub	single canary yellow species rose bush, fragrant
Mermaid	Old fashioned	Climber	single primrose yellow, fragrant
Royal Gold		Climber	double deep yellow, slightly fragrant
Rise 'N'Shine	Miniature	Shrub	deep yellow large blooms
Yellow Doll	Miniature	Shrub	creamy yellow good pot plant
PINK ROSES
First Love	Hybrid tea	Shrub or standard	lovely soft pink semi double
Olde Fragrance	Hybrid tea	Shrub or standard	highly scented cerise, produces an abundance of blooms
Prima Ballerina	Hybrid tea	Shrub or standard	rich rose pink double flower
Bella Rosa	Floribunda	Shrub or standard	salmon pink flowers
Dearest	Floribunda	Shrub or standard	soft rosy salmon, very fragrant
Frilly Dilly	Patio rose	Small shrub	shell pink flowers
Cornelia	Old fashioned	Shrub rose	double apricot pink very fragrant
Rosa cenifolia	Old fashioned	Shrub rose	double rose pink
'Chapeau de Napoleon’			fragrant
Cecile Brunner	Old fashioned	Shrub rose	double shell pink or climber, slightly fragrant
Candy Rose	Old Fashioned	Shrub rose	semi double pink no fragrance
Dorothy Perkins		Rambler	double rose pink no fragrance
Rosy Mantle		Climber	double deep rose pink fragrant
New Penny	Miniature	Shrub	semi double blooms deep pink that fade with age
Angela Rippon	Miniature	Shrub	double blooms are pale carmine pink
BLUE\MAUVE ROSES
Blue Moon	Hybrid tea	Bush, standard, or climber	deep mauve blue, very fragrant
Lady X	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard	soft mauve double, fragrant
Shocking Blue	Floribunda	Bush or standard	very fragrant
Lavender Jewell	miniature		deep lavender double fragrant flowers
Veilchenblau	Old fashioned	Climber	semi double violet fading to light grey, fragrant
ORANGE\APRICOT
Apricot Nectar	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard	rich deep apricot
Copper Gem	Hybrid tea	Bush or standard	coppery apricot fragrant
Ginger Meggs	Floribunda	Bush	carrot red blooms, fragrant
Lovely Louise	Floribunda	Bush	coppery salmon buds, salmon blooms
Orange Honey	Miniature	Shrub	soft honey orange yellow base, fragrant
Holy Toledo	miniature	Shrub	bright pinkish apricot
Orange Cascade	Miniature	Climber	climbing orange yellow buds, fragrant
Woburn Abbey		Climber	copper orange yellow, very fragrant
Felicia	Old fashioned	Shrub rose	double apricot pink, very fragrant
Buff Beauty	Old fashioned	Shrub rose	double flowers, apricot, fragrant

                              

 LEARN MORE:

Roses Correspondence Course (click for details)