Although Roses are not vegetables or even a fruit, there are some deliciously delightful edible gifts you can make using them – like ‘Rose Honey’. A Word of Caution: Be sure to not use petals or hips that have been treated, sprayed or dusted .  It is also a good idea to ensure that both the petals and the hips  you are going to use are fresh and do not have any diseases.

Certainly, instead of just making these as gifts, do what we do at Rose Cottage and make sure you make enough to keep some for your own enjoyment.

Rosa canina (lit. Dog Rose)  mature into an oval 1.5-2 cm red-orange fruit, or hip. It is recognised for being high in certain antioxidants and its high vitamin C level (rose-hip syrup). The hips are commonly used to make tea, honey,jams,syrup and wine.

How To Make Rose Honey

Tools: Saucepan – Fine Strainer – Sterlized Jars – Wooden Spoon

Ingredients: 4 oz rosehips  – 1lb jar of premium honey

Method:

1. Thoroughly wash and tail 4 oz of rose hips

2. Place a cup of water in a saucepan and boil the rose hips for approximately 15 minutes

3. Using a fine strainer you can now push the pulp through it into a small glass bowl

4. Get yourself some ‘premium quality honey’ and fold 1lb of it into the pulp

5. So, get comfortable beside your stove and boil away continually stirring the mix until it resembles a lovely ‘jam like consistency’

Image via Wikipedia

6. Now you should already have found yourself some attractive looking glass jars.  Make sure you have properly sterilised them so that you can now just fill them up with you freshly made ‘Rose Honey’.

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You probably already know that Dried Roses can last pretty much indefinitely.  However, if you don’t handle them or their arrangement carefully their delicate lives could be compromised.

Best Type of Roses for Drying: Semi-Double Blooms

How To Dry Roses

Tools:

* Biscuit or other 2 to 3 inch deep container

* Oven-dry fine sand

* Adhesive tape

* Fine Brush (one of those lovely thick ‘blusher/face powder’ brushes is ideal)

* Medium Florist Wire and Green Florist Tape

Method:

1. Cut off the stems and allow the flowers to first become quite dry

2. Place a layer of oven-dry fine sand on the base of the container then on it place the flowers beautiful faces upwards about an inch apart.

3. Now this is where your delicate blooms need your ‘gentlest of actions’. Carefully add more of the oven-dry fine sand, taking care that you cover all parts of the flowers.

4. Are ‘Air Pockets’ a good thing?….No, so you must avoid these.

5. Make sure you have covered the flowers with 1 to 2 inch layer of the fine oven-dry sand then pop the lid on and seal it up nice and tight with the adhesive tape.

6. Now you will have to ‘tuck them up’ in a warm dry place for 3 whole weeks and let them rest.

7. Oh joy!! 3 weeks have now gone by and it is time to unpack and enjoy your newly Dried Roses.

8. Now remember – always be ‘gentle’ when working with these delicate blooms’.

9. Carefully clear away the fine sand and gently remove each of the blooms – gently shake off the excess sand and place each one upside down on a clean dry surface.

10. The little dears should be dry and ‘crisp’

11. With your fine brush, gently brush away any excess sand.

12. Insert the florist wire into the base of each flower then cover with your green florist tape.

And…voila!!…now enjoy and brag about your beautiful ‘Dried Roses’.

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