A History of Roses, Part I

“I’d rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck,” said political activist Emma Goldman, speaking to the overwhelming popularity of roses. Roses are a symbol of love, they are delivered and bought daily all throughout the world, there are stadiums named after them (like the Rose Bowl in Pasadena), gardens devoted to them, and so much more. But how did this all come to be? How did roses transition from flower to icon?

Rose and Blossom is Spokane’s premier flower and rose delivery service, and our success at delivering amazing bouquets comes from our in-depth knowledge of flowers. We’re happy to share some of the history behind roses; read on to find out more!

Pretty, and Even Prehistoric

While roses have been seen as a cultural icon for the past century or so, fossil evidence shows that roses are actually 35 million years old! However, roses entered human history when they first started being cultivated around 5,000 years ago. In ancient Greece, roses were believed to be created by the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, and inspired many to use roses as a symbol.

The Romans were no exception to this, and made growing roses a priority. They cultivated many roses in the modern-day Middle East. It was within Roman times that efforts were actively made to create beautiful rose gardens, and they influenced trends in other parts of the world.

Roses are given for some of the most intense moments and emotions in life, such as love and death. This has been true all throughout history—an archaeologist actually found a rose garland in Egypt that was used as a funeral wreath, from the 2nd century! Confucius himself wrote about roses, which were grown in the Imperial Gardens.

Medieval Rose Mania

How old would you guess the oldest rose plant to be? There’s a rose plant that’s still living in Germany that is believed to have appeared in 815 AD! Roses began to transform into a representation of power in medieval times. As Ancient Origins states, “The rose also became the symbol of civil wars which took place in the 15th century in England.” The War of the Roses lasted for over 30 years, with one side’s symbol being a white rose, and the opposing side’s being a red one. The end of the war saw Henry VII Tudor connecting the two roses into one symbol, and the Tudor rose is still recognizable to many in the modern era.

As you can probably guess, the rose trend continued to grow from the 1500s to now. The history of the rose is so interesting, partly because of just how far back their popularity goes. People have always been fascinated by this beautiful flower, and it’s kind of wonderful that we share this in common with even the oldest of our ancestors. At Rose and Blossom, we offer the highest quality rose bouquets for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Check out our vast rose and other flower selection, and order online from us today!