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Touch: Gifts of Elegance
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Rosaceae family
- Includes apple, quince, strawberries, blackberries (Jackson & Perkins)
Origins
- Believed in Persia (Dickerson)
Ancient Greece
- 800 B.C., Homer mentions the rose in Iliad - used in an analogy to liken
the coloration of the rising sun (Dickerson)
- 600 B.C., Greek poet Sappho dubbed the rose "The Queen of Flowers"
(Hessayon)
- Greeks thought to be the first to cultivate roses in the garden (Hessayon)
- Frequent use in sacrifices, public ceremonies, & meals (Dickerson)
- Greek Isles of Rhodes - ancient Greek word for rose - named that because
of the quantity of roses grown there (Dickerson)
- Dominated over life & art, poetry & literature - replacing
the lotus, that was coveted by the Egyptians (Goody)
- Symbol of luxury, but also carries a message of warning about life
itself (every rose had its thorn) (Goody)
- Roses used to honor the dead (Goody) (back to
top)
Ancient Rome
- Romans took the Greek's fondness of the rose to a level of worship
- used in food, wine, perfumes, medicines (Hessayon)
- Used in civic celebrations & bridal couples wore crowns of roses
during wedding ceremony (Jackson & Perkins)
- Would import roses from Egypt during the winter months (Hessayon)
- During time of Nero, would grow them in heated conservatories - first
time noted that greenhouses were used for the forced cultivation of plants.
(Dickerson)
- Brought to Britain during the height of the Roman empire (Hessayon)
- Symbol of Beauty, modesty, decency, innocence (Dickerson) (back
to top)
China
- Chou Dynasty (1122 - 221 B.C.) used for perfumes, petals used for personal
adornment & protection from evil spirits. (Hessayon)
- Used for adorning Buddhist shrines & honoring ancestors - * Never
used as a gift for the living (Goody) (back to top)
India
- Ancient kingdom of Kashmir distilled rose oil for perfume "attar
of roses"(Hessayon) (back to top)
Early Christian Church
& Jews
- Rejected the rose - thought of as a pagan symbol (Goody) (back
to top)
Medieval Europe
- Regained popularity within the Christian church, especially during the
Crusades, which increased trade with the east (Hessayon)
- Rosaries made from rose hips, appearance of circular windows in churches
designed in the pattern of a rose blooms, in paintings, murals, fabrics,
and other architecture (Hessayon) (back to top)
Rose Color Symbols
RELIGION - Christianity (Goody)
Red Rose - agape, rather than eros
White Rose - Virgin Mary
VICTORIAN TIMES (Jackson & Perkins)
Red - romantic love or desire
Pink - Affection or friendship
White - Purity or virtue
Yellow - Jealousy or congrats on perfect achievement
EARLY 1900's AMERICA (Goody)
Devised by an Italian florist in West Haven, CT to assist customers on
purchasing roses, & to maximize his profits.
Red - I love you forever
White - innocence, purity, loyalty
Pink - Perfect happiness
Yellow - I'm sorry…disappointed
Researched and written by Patricia Lazos
REFERENCES
Dickerson, Brent C. The Old Rose Adventurer. Portland, OR: Timber Press.
1999
Dunn, Terri, et al. Jackson & Perkins Beautiful Roses Made Easy.
Nashville, TN: Cool Spring Press. 2004
Goody, Jack. The Culture of Flowers. Cambridge University Press. 1999
Hessayon, Dr. D.G. The Rose Expert. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing
Co. Inc. 1996.
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