Wedding week May 30th - June 4th: Finished!

We have survived the 6-Wedding-Weekend! Pictures from the weddings will be up later in the week.

Flower of the Month: Roses (June)

June is the month of Roses!

 

Roses have been cultivated for thousands of years. The oldest records for ornamental roses date back to about 500 BC! Roses are most commonly grown for their ornamental value, but other uses include oils (perfumes), rose hips (jams, jellies, and teas), and as a traditional folk medicine (they are quite high in vitamin C).

 

Though most of the hundred or so species originate in China, a few come from Europe, and it is in Europe that their cultivation really took off.  While there are relatively few individual species of rose, there are thousands upon thousands of cultivars, with multiple colors, sizes, shapes, scents, and variegation.

 

In Victorian England, roses came to symbolize love, but the wide variety of colors allowed for greater nuance. Where red roses mean "I love you", white roses symbolize purity and chaste love. Pink roses show affection and yellow roses indicate friendship, with many more besides.

 

Also, the Language of Flowers tells us that the number of roses indicates a particular message as well. A single roses indicates devotion and a pair of roses signifies "Marry me". While a dozen roses is the traditional number to have in a bouquet, eleven indicates true and deep love, and thirteen roses hint at a secret admirer.

 

Whatever their meaning, roses are a favorite flower among growers and florists for their disease resistance, hardiness, and beauty. They are also tolerant of being grown in greenhouses (although many are grown in tropical climates and shipped worldwide), making them available year round.