By Kathleen Gresham
Roses of every name and type are favorites of almost everyone. But one type of rose that seems especially charming and sophisticated, beginning with its name, is the English rose.
Many songs, stories and books have carried that romantic name. But English roses are especially deserving of a name that traditional beauty and refinement.
Origins of English Roses
English roses were first introduced by a hybridizer in the 1960’s. They are a group of rose varieties that were created as enhanced versions of some of the Old Roses.
Although a rose is a special flower in its own right and would not seem to need enhancement, the hybridizer found a way to make the new English rose varieties even more delightful.
Why Choose an English Rose Variety?
The English rose varieties tickle the senses with their delicate charm and fragrance. If you like the idea of a larger rose, this type is a good choice.
Being a large, fuller flower with many lovely petals, the English rose is a delight to the eyes. Having been bred also for to have an excellent scent, it is a delight to the nose as well. The old-style combines with the modern style for a nice balance.
Romantic Names of English Roses
Although in America roses are mostly associated with women, many types of English roses carry male names. If you’d like a garden to suggest a theme, you could devote an area to roses with names of each gender.
A few of the English roses with male names are: Charles Austin, David Austin, Brother Cadfael, Charles Darwin, and Benjamin Britten. Some English roses with female names include: Barbara Austin, Claire Rose, Cordelia, Evelyn, and Gertrude Jekyll.
Perhaps you would like to include some English roses with names that are fun to say. Try Corvedale, Glanis Castle, Jaquenetta, and Mortimer Sackler. If you yearn for English roses with names from other lands, try Queen Nefertiti, Sharifa Asma, or Shropshire Lad.
David Austin English Roses
As with most anything these days, there are many websites devoted to the famous David Austin English roses. They are beautiful hybrids that can only add pleasure to your landscaping.
They are meant to be admired and enjoyed by all. One man’s dream and creativity reaches people worldwide with something as simple and yet complex as the English roses.
Rose Symbolism: The Meanings of Roses
Roses have the most elaborate vocabulary of any flower. Rose buds generally signify youth and beauty. Red roses signify passion. White roses stand for purity and innocence. Yellow roses, so beloved in Texas, stand for friendship but can also be used to symbolize jealousy and/or infidelity.
You’ll find a wide array of colors available in the English roses. They can mean much or nothing, depending on what you want from your garden.
Roses, an Ancient Beauty Secret
An ancient beauty secret, rose water is still used in cosmetics and perfume. An interesting tidbit of information is that rose water by itself is not a perfume. Modern research has found that rose water has a mild antiseptic affect and nourishes the skin.
Rose scent can be extracted from fresh rose petals by a process called maceration. Maceration involves spreading fat on a flat surface, pressing the petals into the fat, and waiting a few days for the fat to absorb the rose scent. The fat can then be mixed into a perfume, cream, or ointment.
Even dried petals are sometimes used in beauty preparations. The Romans created a beauty treatment using dried roses and lion’s fat.
Roses as Herbs
Many cultures have prized roses as herbal remedies. Rose hips, the fruit of rose bushes, contain vitamin C and have been used for centuries to make tea.
Rich in vitamin C, rose hips are also used to make jam. And rose petals can be used to give color and glamor to salads and other dishes.
A Rose for Everyone
English roses are enjoyed by people in all walks of life: rich, poor, famous, and ordinary. You don’t have to speak a certain language or be anyone special to plant and enjoy the endearing English roses.
You don’t have to have an entire garden of roses either. A single English rose plant is beautiful all by itself.
