A History of the Fragrant Rose

by Allen Paterson, David Austin (Foreword by)

The rose has been held in special and sacred regard for thousands of years and has been associated with heraldry, painting, music, myth, and religion across the ages. Grown for its medicinal and culinary properties as well as for perfumery, the rose in ancient times formed an integral part of carnivals, festivals, and the cosmetic industry. From the rose gardens of Malmaison belonging to Napoleon's Empress Josephine, to the Wars of the Roses, the rose has a fascinating history. Since the few known roses of the Middle Ages, the curiosity of travellers, the patience of plantsmen, and the dilligence of botanists all contributed to bring together roses from every part of the globe, crossing and developing them to produce the thousands of different varieties seen today.

Genres: Gardening

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2006

Reviews

[Rose Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actually, kind of boring.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Chapters I was most interested in, such as the "Roses of the Ancients" were a little confussed I felt, clearly the authors strong point (being a gardener) was in talking about the rose in more of a garden and horticulture setting. A book I would recommend for a keen gardner.

[Adele]

This is for me, a reminder really. I haven't finished this book. I stopped it at 148, so when I take this book out, I know where to start again.