Top 5 Most Beautiful Roses
The simple elegance and beauty of
roses has not been lost on modern society. Of all the beautiful flowers on the planet, the Rose has
been consistently elevated above other flowers, valued not only for its beauty
but also its symbolism. Typically, roses
signify love, passion and desire.
The rose originated in Central Asia. The numerous historical and botanical accounts of Chinese gardens suggest that our lasting infatuation with roses began here. Chinese gardens of the Han Dynasty cultivated climbing roses that double flowered to produce an increase of petals. The original wild rose flowered singularly and had five petals.
Roses were widely cultivated in
the Middle East and the Ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians all cultivated
Rose gardens. During these ages roses were used as perfume, medicine, food and
their petals regularly served for decorative purposes. The oldest rose is Rose gallica - the French Rose - and was considered by the Persians to
be a symbol of love.
Europeans were introduced to the
repeat flowering rose from China in the late eighteenth century. Since then the
rose has undergone countless hybridisations. The creation of the hybrid tea was
a cross between a perpetual and a tea rose. This marked the start of a new era
in rose breeding.
Before its introduction to Europe
the genus Rosa had up to 150
different species scattered throughout various countries in the Northern
Hemisphere. Today there are around thirty thousand types of roses. Approximately
ten thousand of these are hybridisations. When shopping for flowers online or at
the markets, you will notice just how many different strains there are.
Five of the Most Beautiful Roses
Eden
The Eden Rose also known as the
Eden Rose Climber or Pierre de Ronsard
is definitely one of the most beautiful of the modern roses. The Eden rose
belongs to the Romanticas class of
roses and was cultivated in France. It is a climbing rose, not a hybrid tea, like
most of the romaticas and the large,
pink flowers have a wonderful old fashioned look. Marie-Louise Meilland, of the
French Rose Company hybridised the Eden. In France the rose goes by the name of
the poet, Pierre de Ronsard.
Black Magic
Black Magic is a deep, dark red
rose - one of the Black Roses, so named because the buds appear to be black.
The flower is large, velvety and fragrant making it a popular choice for
weddings. The Black Magic rose is a new hybrid tea, a double-flowering
perpetual bloomer, cultivated in Germany.
Evelyn
The Evelyn, created by David
Austin Roses, produces a large apricot flower of high scent. The Evelyn rose is
an English rose known for its loveliness as much as its particular fragrance. An
‘old rose’ fragrance, the Evelyn is pleasantly fruity giving off an odour
similar to peaches. It is a huge, double
flowering rose with many smaller petals gathered in the centre, spreading out
into larger ones around the outside and creating a saucer shape. Flower
colourings range from peach/apricot to pale pink.
Graham Thomas
The Graham Thomas is also a David
Austin English Rose and produces a yellow fragrant flower. It bears medium
sized, double-flowering heads of a strong, pure yellow colour. This is one of
the most popular English roses with its stunning colour, distinctive shape and
tea rose scent. The Graham Thomas bears its name in honour of the English
horticulturalist, artist, poet and author, Graham Stuart Thomas, well known for
his work with old and new roses.
Flower Carpet Rose Amber
The Carpet Rose, Amber, makes the
top five on account of its beauty and low maintenance as a garden plant. The Carpet roses are disease resistant and
produce prolific blooms. German rose breeders created the Amber through their
work in developing disease resistant hybrids. Amber flowers are small to medium
and range from orange-yellows through to apricot-pink. They have a pleasant,
sweet fragrance. This next generation carpet rose requires little pruning and
is a hardy plant that looks stunning, making it an attractive choice for
gardeners.
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