Archive | August, 2009

The Rose: Curing Society’s Ills One Petal At A Time

Rose Vase + Wine Bottles

The Rose: Curing Society’s Ills One Petal At A Time
By Hugh Parker

The scene is almost cliché by now: husband forgets anniversary, wife loses it, husband buys dozen roses, wife forgives. The average repentant spouse doesn’t realize the history behind their gift however. Roses have held a significant place as a symbol since the apex of Greek civilization, thousands of years ago. Indeed, the rose is so important that in some languages such as Spanish and French it is synonymous with the color red or pink.

The various colors of different roses widely range in significance. Red, the most common, is often used as a symbol of love, while white is said to represent innocence and purity. The black rose, impossible to produce, is used to signify death.

Nowhere is the rose more prevalent than in art. Perhaps the most well known examples of the portrayal of roses in art come from the French painter Pierre-Joseph Redouté. Classically trained in both botany and painting, Redouté combined these two disciplines to produce exquisite masterpieces. He looked to the rose for both its unique form and vibrant color, bringing these characteristics to life on canvas. Many of his paintings of roses are encompassed in Les Roses, a three volume collection. His art is prominently displayed in the Jardin des Plantes of the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris. Claude Monet also used roses in some of his painting. One of his finest paintings is Sea-Roses, an impressionist take on the rose. This work, completed in 1920, is housed in the National Gallery in London.

Roses aren’t just utilized as motivation for art, however. They have value in beautifying the home, turning boring walls into gardens. Serving a double purpose, rose shrubs with their sharp barbs are often used to protect against intruders. The most prolific of rose plants can reach as high as 20 meters, a sure deterrent to any trespasser.

Roses are also known for their beautiful fragrance. Rose perfumes are made from the flower’s oil, obtained from crushed petals. Incredibly, between 70 and 80 percent of rose oil comes from the “Rose Valley” near Kazanluk, Bulgaria. About two thousand roses are required to produce just one gram of oil. This results in the high prices consumers pay at department store shelves.

Growing a rose garden is a form of art in itself. A delicate green thumb is required to raise these temperamental flowers. Roses grow best in temperate climates. In recent years, a modern classification of landscape roses has become popular. These roses are genetically selected to serve the gardener as a mass-produced, hardy strain that won’t require as much attention as traditional breeds. These have solid disease resistance, and offer the same color, form and fragrance, making them a great option for the novice rose gardener.

The rose is a staple of our culture. Without it, men would be relegated to sleeping on the couch even more frequently than at present. While perfume and art are important, perhaps, then, its use as a salve for relationships is the rose’s most important function.

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Article Source: Articles Engine

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Embrace Pink Roses for Your Wedding Flowers

Embrace Pink Roses for Your Wedding Flowers
By Jen Carter

Traditionally red or white roses are wedding flowers held by the bride who walks down the aisle. But that’s a tradition, right? If you’re the imaginative bride who is looking to break free of tradition, why not take everyone’s breath away and carry pinks roses? Unlike the red rose, which is symbolic of love, the pink rose is a symbol of style and poetic romance. It’s an endearing wedding flower selection, as it embraces gratitude, happiness, and passion.

Rosa 'Climbing Souvenir de la Malmaison', a Bo...
Image via Wikipedia

While some may argue that there’s too much importance placed on the color of wedding flowers carried by the bride, others will beg to differ. After all, roses and bouquets have traditionally conveyed messages throughout our history. Flowers have always been seen as a symbol of love and beauty. When carried by the bride, wedding flowers represent a celebration of love, fertility, and unity (as these flowers are grouped together in a bouquet).

A simple pink assortment of roses is an excellent choice for the bridal bouquet. It carries a direct message of peace and happiness. Pink is a soft and subtle color that will enhance any white gown. It’s feminine and tranquil. All too often a bride picks a bold floral arrangement for her wedding bouquet which takes everyone’s attention off of her beautiful gown. That’s just too unfortunate.

In recent years, dyed roses are embraced by many young brides. Unfortunately these vibrant colors are very unnatural. They send a message of “artificial love.” On the other hand, a pink rose wedding bouquet has no faux statements attached to it. It’s simple and elegant. It’s natural, as are the feelings attached to it.

There’s a wide assortment of shades to choose from when you select pink roses as for your wedding bouquet. There are soft pinks, hot pinks, mauve pinks, and dark pinks. While this may seem overwhelming, a florist will be more than happy to help you select the one that suits your wedding attire and decorations. Don’t be shy, ask any question you may have. Florists are professionals. They’ve heard just about every scenario before!

Pink is friendly, compassionate, and faithful. In addition to being a wonderful flower to select for your wedding bouquet, it’s the official color of Valentines Day. As pink is such a soft color, it would look lovely in both a Spring wedding summer bouquet, as well as a summer wedding bouquet. A pink rose is the universal symbol of beauty.

Jen Carter is owner of My Wedding Blog, a free  wedding planner about weddings. The above article is found in our http://www.my-wedding-blog.com/index.php/category/flowers/”>wedding flowers

Article Source: Articles Engine

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Do You Know The Best Time To Water Your Roses?

Do You Know The Best Time To Water Your Roses?
By  Gregg Hall

If you are one of those who think that just spraying your flowers with a hose is good enough to keep your roses lovely and blooming you better think again. Many people just don’t realize that how and when you decide to water your roses is actually one of the most imperative and often ignored aspects of basic rose care. Here are some hints and simple guidelines for helping you to keep your roses healthy, supple and beautiful year-round.

Water on Rose
Image by BugMan50 via Flickr

First of all you should know that when you set up your watering schedule that early morning watering is best. This is because if you water your garden in the middle of the day or in the afternoon a good portion, in not all of the water will be evaporated before it can even reach the roots. A lot of gardeners say that they also prefer early morning watering because it allows the plant to become hydrated while the rising sun helps dry the leaves relatively quickly. If you wait to water your garden in the evening, the water will not evaporate, but your plants will be at a much greater risk of developing mildew due to the fact that leaves may remain wet for several hours. We realize that not everyone’s schedule will allow for a regular early morning watering schedule. If this is true for you, and you have to water your plants in the evening, try to avoid getting the leaves wet if at all possible. Standing water on the leaves will make your plants susceptible not only to mildew, but insects, pests, and multitude of fungal diseases

All flowering plants require a good deal of water and roses, being a flowering plant are no exception to this rule. They need as much as 2 inches of water each week. So it should come as no surprise to you or anyone else that summer is one of the times you’ll find yourself watering the most. Expect to water more than once a week when summer comes depending on the climate where you live, type of rose plant, the location of the plant, and its soil structure.

You should also use a rain gauge to see how much water is reaching the soil naturally, and plan your own watering schedule accordingly. The easiest way to check if your plant is receiving enough water involves simple observation. If the leaves limp or sagging your roses probably need more water, if the leaves yellowed, and starting to fall off this could be a sign that you’re over watering, and the plant is in need of oxygen.

Although water is vitally important to your roses you need to know that they do not tolerate standing in puddles of water, they have need of drainage, so it is critical that you don’t leave your plants in standing water. Find a healthy balance for your roses to be kept consistently moist, but not overly saturated.

Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more about floral arrangements and http://www.freshfloralbouquets.com

Article Source: [http://www.articlesengine.com/Article/Do-You-Know-The-Best-Time-To-Water-Your-Roses-/25089/1]Articles Engine[http://www.articlesengine.com/Author/Gregg-Hall/59/1]

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Roses 101: When To Send Them & Why

St. Valentine's Day Roses
Image by fakelvis via Flickr

By  David Sanders

Roses are perfect for any occasion because they are classic and they smell just as terrific as they look. Whether you opt for real or silk roses, the lucky recipient is sure to be happy. Below are some common uses for roses:

  • Valentine’s Day. Because the classic red rose is a symbol of passion, it is undeniably the most popular floral arrangement to be given on a holiday that is all about love. On Valentine’s Day, florists find themselves delivering countless orders of roses to all who are lucky enough to have found love.
  • Wedding bouquet. Speaking of love, there is no better day to celebrate it than on a wedding day. Many brides prefer to carry a bouquet draped with roses because of their classic beauty and elegance.
  • Prom corsage and boutonniere. Every high school student looks forward to their prom and, as such, they are responsible for selecting a flower for their date. The gentleman will select a corsage, either wrist or pinned, that will feature a rose and ribbons to coordinate with their date’s dress. The young ladies will select a rose boutonniere for their date, which will commonly feature a simple rose bloom with an accent of babies breath.
  • Mother’s Day. Every woman loves roses and this is especially true of moms on Mother’s Day, which is the perfect day to remind her how much she means to you with a beautiful bouquet of roses or a vase filled with a beautiful arrangement and accented with a red bow.
  • Anniversary. Whether it’s your anniversary, your friends or family, roses are the perfect gift to celebrate this happy occasion.
  • Congratulatory messages for a new birth, graduation, new business or other milestone. Nothing says congratulations quite as well as roses do.
  • Show of appreciation. If someone has been especially kind, helped you through a difficult situation or simply offered you encouragement when you needed it the most, roses are the perfect way to say ‘thank you’ and offer a thoughtful way of showing your appreciation.

Just as there are many different occasions for which roses are appropriate, there are a number of variations in their color. The most classic rose color is red, but these slender beauties are also grown in white, pink, peach, yellow, etc.

An arrangement of roses is usually prepared with babies breath, which is a white decorative addition that adds the perfect contrast and brings out the brightness of the rose. If you are looking for a classic way to show you care, roses are just the ticket.

The author is a regular contributor to http://www.myroseadvisor.com -My Rose Advisor where more information about http://www.myroseadvisor.com/sitemap.html is available.

Article Source: [http://www.articlesengine.com/Article/Roses-101--When-To-Send-Them---Why/24025/1

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The Most Popular Roses For Growers

By [http://www.articlesengine.com/Author/Chester-Smith/1670/1] Chester Smith

As any rose gardener will tell you, there is nothing in the world more addicting than tending to these plants. Roses are the most popular flower in the world, and they offer a great option for any landscaping scheme, as they look good both when cared for every single day and also when they are left to their own devices.

Double Delight Hybrid Tea

Hybridteadoubledelight

They can get by with as much or as little work as you want to put into them, and the sheer variety of roses is absolutely staggering. Single stem to multiple flowers, climbing roses to spreading bushes, giant plants to mini, and every color imaginable, there is a type of rose to fit every gardener’s taste. Among all the options, however, the most popular choice when it comes to roses is the hybrid tea rose.

The first Hybrid Tea rose was called Le France, and was introduced in 1867 by rose breeder Jean-Baptist Guillot. They were the result of crossing two original China roses with Bourbon and Noisette roses. These roses are considered to be more delicate than the other breeds, and are also the most popular species when it comes to those bought and sold in flower shops. This variety of rose blooms every six weeks in ideal conditions, although in colder areas it may only bloom once annually. They have large flowers (some with over 60 petals, five inches across!) with high centers, and may have a tea like scent to them. The plants themselves may grow to be six feet tall, or as short as three feet.

Although Hybrid Teas may be more delicate than other varieties, there are still many breeds available to suit any climate. If you are thinking about planting your own, then it is vital that you look for a species that is suited to the area in which you live. Be aware of the humidity or lack in your area, and choose your roses based on this factor as well as the variations in temperatures. Hot and dry areas will require plants with good root systems and the ability to tolerate heat. Excessive humidity can also be detrimental to some Hybrid Teas, so make sure to find a species that is mildew resistant.

Remember when caring for your Hybrid Teas that these plants bloom every couple on months depending on conditions, and thus they will require extra food for optimum health. They need to be fed once every week, starting with the season. Apply a fertilizer that has been designed for roses, and remember to stop well before the first frost in your area in order to avoid damage to tender new blossoms.

As with most garden plants, there are a few basic rules when it comes to watering Hybrid Teas. To preserve water, apply some mulch (this will also help to insulate root systems in colder areas). Also be sure to apply the water to the soil, and not over the plants via a sprinkler or other such device, as this could lead to the growth of mold.

Hybrid Teas are the most popular rose in the world, and are a beautiful addition to any garden. Their diversity ensures that they are appropriate to almost any climate.

Article Source: [http://www.articlesengine.com/Article/The-Most-Popular-Roses-For-Growers/11994/1]Articles Engine

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