Since ancient times, the rose has been the incomparable queen of all flowers, a symbol of beauty and majesty. The beauty and mysterious charm of roses always attract people’s attention.
Since ancient times, people have loved her, worshipped her, and praised her. According to archaeological data, roses have existed on Earth for about 25 million years and have been cultivated for over 5,000 years.
In ancient Greece and Rome, the rose symbolized love, spring, and beauty. She is also a symbol of fun, entertainment, and fleeting earthly life. The ancient Greeks decorated the bride’s head with a wreath of roses and threw the roses at the feet of the winners of battles and competitions. The Romans followed the same tradition. The rose is also a symbol of early Christianity: a red flower symbolizes the blood of Christ who was crucified.
The rose probably came to Russia from the Balkans in the early 16th century. It was initially only seen at the court. Under Peter I, roses were planted in the garden. This custom was widespread during the reign of Catherine II. By the end of the 19th century, roses were grown in the European part of Russia.
Today, about 300 varieties of roses are known, and about 30,000 varieties. In addition to red are Burgundy, white, pink, yellow, blue, purple, black, and even multiple colors of roses. Today, they can be found all over the world.
The French are considered the best “rose growers” in the world. The leading trade of the Netherlands is roses. In Bulgaria, they produce the famous rose essential oil. It formed the basis of the world’s first perfumes. Today, rose essential oil (although mostly synthetic, not natural) is added to most perfumes, especially for women. Natural essential oils are generally extracted from two kinds of roses – the Damascus rose and the Centiphylla rose. It is ridiculously expensive, more expensive than gold and platinum because one kilogram of this elixir requires about three tons of rose petals.
The “Queen of Flowers” has long symbolized love and its shades. People have written many poems and ballads about roses. The fact that this flower often carries thorns only adds to the sharpness of the feeling, for love hurts, just as the thorns of a rose do.
The scent of roses is always associated with something sacred and awe-inspiring. The custom of decorating the temple with fresh roses has been preserved since ancient times.
The aroma of roses combines tenderness and noble splendor, beauty and inaccessibility. Perfumers go out of their way to prove that the sound of a rose can be completely different: fresh or bold, romantic or seductive. Some perfumes are based solely on the scent of roses – tea, Bulgarian, and epiphyllum. Each has a unique multi-faceted aroma. However, roses also go well with other ingredients – flowers, woody aromas, and spiciness.
