|
Pacific
Southwest District
|
 |
 Photo by: Glenn F. Fiery, Jr. |
 Photo courtesy of: www.na.sakura.ne.jp/~sho/rose/p/cd10/052.html |
In recent years, rose growers, hybridizers, writers and garden vendors have rediscovered antique or Old Garden Roses. They give us a living link to the past, to times of world exploration, discovery, conquest, knights and ladies. Adding even a small selection of antique roses to an otherwise ‘modern’ garden gives it character, variety, depth and most importantly, passion. It is this passion for roses that has preserved these and other specimens of antiquity!
Known to botanists as rosa gallica officinalis, ‘The Apothecary’s Rose’ is one of the best known and most recognized of the ancient roses. Its history dates from at least the 7th century, when it grew in ancient Persia. It arrived in Europe in the 12th or 13th century via knights returning from the Crusades.
This highly fragrant, dark magenta gallica ended up in England and by the mid-15th century, was the symbol for the House of Lancaster, even at some point renamed the ‘Red Rose of Lancaster.’ As civil war broke out in 1455 over succession to the throne, the House of Lancaster was pitted against the House of York, whose symbol had become the white rosa alba maxima. Historians came to refer to this tumultuous time as "The War of the Roses." Upon rising to power in 1485, Henry the VII chose to symbolize the union of the two warring families by creating a new symbol—the ‘Apothecary’s Rose’ laid atop the rosa alba—and called it the Tudor Rose. To this day, the emblem of England is still the Tudor Rose.
The legend of the "War of the Roses" and the families involved would not be complete without the final chapter! It concludes with the discovery in the English countryside of a new rose bush that had roses of both red and white. With its discovery, the two families stopped feuding. ‘The York and Lancaster Rose,’ rosa damascena versicolor was named such because it was thought to be this rose. In reality, however, it was not introduced until about 1551, sixty-six years after the end of the "War of the Roses." Do not confuse the natural genetic mutation or "sport" of rosa gallica officinalis called rosa gallica versicolor, it is most commonly known today as ‘Rosa Mundi’. (The winner of the war, by the way, was the House of Lancaster.)
 Photo courtesy of: www.h2net.net/p/cnetter/rose_tour/ |
So we have the ‘Red Rose of Lancaster,’ a gallica, the ‘White Rose of York,’ an alba, and the ‘York and Lancaster Rose,’ a damask rose, which exhibits the range of colors: pink, white, white flecks on pink, pink flecks on white. And so ends the legend…
These marvelous varieties are found today in gardens around the world. Rosa alba, or the ‘White Rose of York,’ displays large white blooms which are very highly fragrant. They have been used for centuries by Bulgarians producing attar of roses and using its rose oil. The 4-5’ bush is hardy in zones 4-10, as is the crimson red rosa gallica officinalis. This semi-double petaled variety was used for centuries for its medicinal values, first by monks who grew it in the monasteries. It was also used for perfume and potpourri. By the 16th century, dried petals were steeped in wine as a cure for hangovers, although the Romans had discovered this secret blend almost 1200 years earlier. Medieval and Victorian druggists—known as "apothecaries"--had planted this rose outside their doorways and so it became their symbol, known hence as ‘The Apothecary’s Rose.’ Various remedies containing this rose aided indigestion, sore throats, skin rashes and eye problems. Women even believed that the petals would eliminate wrinkles if rubbed on the skin. (Of course science has since shown that roses contain essential oils, potassium and iron.)
‘The Apothecary’s Rose’ is grown today for its fragrance, for
potpourri, lotions, cosmetics, and soothing teas. It can grow to 5’, although
in my zone 9 garden it grows to about 3’ tall and 4’ wide. It is significantly
smaller than many other gallicas and as such serves well in a smaller garden.
Of the three roses in the "War of the Roses" legend, the gallica is
the only once bloomer. It does, however, bloom for an extended period in late
spring through early summer, providing fantastic blooms accented by large golden
yellow stamens. After flowering, it is trimmed, as it will bloom only on wood
from the previous year. It will then continue to grow, adding fresh foliage
throughout the summer and fall. The dark matte green leaves serve as a foil
to other bedding or companion plants. The leaves are stripped at the time of
spring pruning, in the same way shrub roses are, but only the oldest canes are
removed from the base or bud union. Mildly susceptible to powdery mildew, ‘The
Apothecary’s Rose’ is a highly rated 8.6 by the American Rose Society.
