Roses: New research raises questions about their history

As I wrote in a Christian Science Monitor article, I’ve been giving lectures on roses in general and David Austin English roses in particular for a number of years.

I talk about how familiar sayings relating to roses are woven into our daily lives -- from seeing the world through rose-colored glasses to promising someone a rose garden. Then I lay out a brief history, starting with the fact that rose fossils dating back 32 million years have been found right here in America.

It’s an entertaining overview of roses through the centuries, but I’ve just found out my history lesson might not be so accurate after all.

Debunking rose myths

Author and horticultural historian Jennifer Potter has just written a book about the history of the Queen of Flowers in world culture titled "The Rose" (not available in the United States until May).

During the five years Ms. Potter worked on the book, she visited fabulous gardens and traveled across the globe from Britain and the US to France and Iran. (Now there’s an assignment The Rose Whisperer would love!)

Along the way, she discovered that some of the historical facts we accept about roses might actually be myths.

For example, we’ve all heard about Empress Josephine’s legendary rose garden at her country home outside of Paris. According to Potter, Josephine never had a formal rose garden at Malmaison, although she did have some roses in her cutting garden and beside a stream.

Josephine was fond of roses, but apparently the plan for her famous garden was drawn up long after her death.

Rose ramblings during the Middle Ages

Potter also questions the idea that Crusaders brought back roses from the Holy Land. Her research indicates the glorious stories about men returning home bearing exotic flowers from mysterious locales simply aren’t true.

The tales sounded good, so they spread without question over the centuries.

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