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With roses in full bloom, R. K. Luna looks at the flower which now comes in many colours, shapes and fragrances
Rose, the flower of love, is cultivated throughout the world. The traditionally grown roses were fragile, wild, bloomed only for a limited period. They were also prone to various pests and diseases. These were found only in a few colours of red, white, pink, deep crimson, pink and purple. However, with the development of clonal technology, tissue culture and hybridisation, roses can be grown into a variety of colours, fragrances and bloom shapes. A few varieties even lack prickles, something unimaginable till a century ago. From the 200 species of roses originally found, there are more than 30,000 varieties available today. The cultivation of roses is believed to have started 5000 years ago in China. Initially, Romans cultivated the rose for medicinal purposes and then for aesthetic. It was not until the late eighteenth century that cultivated roses were introduced into Europe. The sprawling Roman Empire introduced many rose species to the Middle East and Europe. In India, though several rose species were found in the Himalayas, cultivation of the plant started much later. Until recently, hardly any rose breeding work was done and latest varieties from Europe and America were imported. However, unlike Europe and America, where roses have a limited flowering period during the summer; in India roses flower throughout the year. In north India, the true rose season is from the end of November to the end of March during which some slow growing varieties have two to three flushes.
Roses now range from simple red to breathtakingly gorgeous exhibition type flowers, with a spectrum of colours in which only true black and true blue are missing. Crossbreeding has given rise to noisettes and bourbons and further complex crossing to tea roses and hybrid perpetuals. Though China roses had smaller, less fragrant and poorly formed blooms, yet they could bloom repeatedly throughout the summer, unlike their European counterparts. In 1867, Jean-Baptiste Guillot developed la France by crossing tea rose with hybrid perpetual. The teas are repeat-flowering roses, which were named after their Chinese black tea fragrance. Further breeding resulted in a range of roses. Shades of deep yellow, apricot, copper, orange, true scarlet, yellow bicolours, lavender and even brown are now possible. Hybrid tea became the most popular class of garden rose during the 20th century. Another breakthrough occurred when brilliant yellow or orange pernetians were produced by crossing the, then, existing roses in Europe with the perpetually flowering introductions from China. A distinct group of roses called dwarf polyanthas (literally meaning "many-flowered") developed after crossing rosa multiflora and dwarf pink China variety. Their claim to fame was their prolific bloom, from spring to fall, a healthy polyantha shrub might be literally covered in flower creating a strong colour impact on the landscape. As short plants, they required low maintenance and because of resistance to disease, remain popular even today.
Grandiflora came about as a result of crossing between floribundas and hybrid teas. Though they were popular up to 1980s, they are much less popular than either hybrid teas or the floribundas. Another important class among the new roses is the miniatures. Once called baby roses, due to their small leaves and flowers, are produced in large numbers in the edgings. Well-known examples are party girl, baby masquerade, little flirt, pixie, red imp, over the rainbow and starina. English rose was created in 1960 by David Austin to rekindle interest in old garden roses. These varieties had regular blooms with old-fashioned shapes and fragrances. Then there are damask roses, musk roses, the noisette roses, the bourbon roses, the China roses, the French roses, Bermuda roses and many more roses which are grown for specific qualities they possess. As long as ago as 1840, a collection numbering over 1000 different varieties was possible when a rosarium was established by Loddigues nursery for Abney Park Cemetery and arboretum in England. The Gardens of the Rose at St Albans, which is the headquarters of the Royal National Rose Society is one of the most outstanding rose gardens in the world, and so is the Queen Mary’s Rose Garden in Regent’s Park, London. In Paris, Bagatelle in the Bois de Boulogne is the reservoir for roses. Other well-known gardens are at the Elizabeth Park in Hartford, Connecticut, the Descanso Garden in Los Angles, and the Tyler Municipal Garden in Texas. Back home is the famous Zakir Rose Garden sprawling over an expanse of 16 acres in Chandigarh. Established in 1967, it houses one of the finest varieties numbering about 594. The latest addition is the National Rose Garden at Chankyapuri, New Delhi, under the aegis of Rose Society of India. Rose remains the flower of love in different cultures and occasions. While the red rose indicates courage and respect, a white rose stands for innocence, purity and humility. The orange rose symbolises passion and desire, and the pink rose for perfect happiness, grace and sweetness. Light coloured roses depict friendship and wild rose the simplicity. Romans placed a wild rose on the door of the room where a secret meeting was taking place. A dozen roses stand for "there are dozens of ways, I care for you". Two dozen roses stand for 24 hours in a day and conveys "you think about them every hour of the day". Four dozens of roses express the unconditional love. No other gift can replace a red rose to express love.
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In 1909, by crossing
polyanthas with hybrid teas, a new class of roses was created called
floribundas. The floribundas have smaller flowers than hybrid teas but
are carried in large sprays, giving better floral effect in the
garden. They can produce larger quantities of blooms, much more than
the hybrid teas. The common examples are dainty maid, iceberg and
tuscen sun.