A Rose is more than a Rose   

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.

Emma Goldman

It’s just about that time again.  Valentine’s Day, or thereabouts, is the perfect time to prune your rose shrubs by at least a third.  Apply some good fertilizer and plenty of compost and water it in.  You only need to clean up climbing roses, prune the dead branches and fertilize as well.

Are Roses herbs?  You bet.  The Rose, Rosa spp., is not only a gorgeous and fragrant flower, but it is also used as a culinary and medicinal herb.  I have 24 antique roses in my garden and I know all of them by name, color, bloom season and if they produce rose hips. Hips are produced in the fall from the flower head after the blossoms are spent.  Rose hips are one of the highest natural sources of Vitamin C and quite delicious, particularly mixed with Lemon Balm or Chamomile or used in a Respiratory Tea for cedar fever and allergies.  As well as making a tea,

the hips can be made into syrup, jelly and cookies.

I use fresh rose petals in my Rosewater but I also frequently use dry rose blossoms in herbal steams and Miracle Grains (a facial cleanser).  My fresh Rosewater is also a main ingredient in my very popular, Queen of Hungary Water which is not only used cosmetically but has incredible healing properties for troubled skin. Rosewater is also what makes my Perfect Cream so perfect.  Fresh Rosewater makes all the difference. All my natural cosmetics are great gifts for Valentine’s Day. Fresh rose petals can be made in to an infusion and used as an astringent to help alleviate heavy bleeding and for infantile or childhood diarrhea.  In Belize, the petals of red roses are frequently used as a strong infusion (tea), to control hemorrhaging during childbirth. (Herbal Remedies of the Rainforest by Rosita Arvigo).

Roses speak the language of love and are frequently given to those we love and cherish.  Roses signify romance and seduction.  Cleopatra filled her boudoir with knee-deep rose petals when seducing Mark Anthony. In old-fashioned Tussie mussies, red roses signify everlasting love, pink roses signify sweet affection and white roses signify the purity of romantic love.

When planting your garden this spring, choose some roses for your enjoyment, medicinal benefits, cosmetic use and their sheer beauty.  Remember they do need some special care but the rewards are ten fold. 

PS If you’d like to try an interesting recipe, use your favorite sugar cookie recipe, add Rosewater (that is made in Distilled Water) and crushed Rose Hips.  You can also add some Vitamin C powder.  The end result will be a delicious cookie that has nutritional and medicinal benefits.  What a great way to get some extra Vitamin C.  Try it for Valentine’s Day!!