Roses in our garden
For the love of roses
Our parents grew roses as border plants and as show pieces in their front gardens and varieties were chosen for colour and scent. The planting was very orderly and probably too orderly for our teenage rebellion against old orders.
When we moved to Cliffony wild roses grew in the hedge across the road and since then we have planted many rose rugosa as part of fruiting and flowering hedges. So history hasn’t particularly caught up with us, but we do appreciate roses, in fact nearly all roses (grown naturally without pesticides). Roses, especially climbers make great garden features, like arches.
Rose Rugosa
Rose rugosa is considered a frontline coastal plant taking extreme coastal exposure. A bush with a suckering habit that spreads. A hard clipping every year will keep it fresh and helps producing more flowers. Rose rugosa has very large and edible rosehips in the Autumn. We always use the flowers in teas, lemonades and liqueur and the hips for syrup.
It is only recently that we are more “into roses”, mostly thanks to our friend Diane, who gifted us various plants over the past 2 years. Now we have quite a few, mostly climbers and ramblers. The easiest way to tell the difference is to take note of the flowering time. Climbing roses will repeat flower almost all summer, whereas a rambling rose usually flowers only once around June and July. The rose across the road rambling throughout the hedge up to 4m has large clusters of small red flowers.
…and other roses
We also have the climbing Rose Canina or Dog rose (small white or pink flowers) and the shrub Rose Rugosa (big, soft pink and fragrant flowers) as part of a flowering hedge. Another tough rugosa rose is our Blanc Double de Coubert with semi-double white flowers, repeat flowering with a nice old rose scent.
We love Kent, a bush rose with slightly fragrant, semi-double, white flowers on short stems from July to September, followed by small, red autumn hips. This lovely, repeat-flowering rose can be grown as a ground cover or a small rounded bush.
Our favourite rose is Aloha, a short climber with large, double, rose pink blooms and a strong fruity fragrance. The plants loves to “lean” against an old stonewall with sage growing at the base. It flowers freely and repeatedly. Golden Showers, a fragrant yellow climbing rose is currently in a big pot awaiting planting in a yet to be decided position and our latest edition is a stemmed rose called Trudy with deep crimson red, semi-double flowers (June to September).
All our roses are generally hardy and easy to care.
How to use roses
Culinary uses: The petals of Rose rugosa (hedge rose) are very nice in a home-made lemonade or can be used in herbal teas and the rosehips in autumn are very high in Vitamin C and you can make rosehip honey.
Medicinal uses: Rose helps to soothe skin irritation, soothes sore throats, reduces skin redness, can help to prevent and treats infections, contains antioxidants, heals cuts, scars, and burns, enhances mood and relieves headaches. You can either make a herbal tea or use rose water (Rose water is created by distilling rose petals with steam).
Rose oil
Rose oil has antiseptic, bactericidal and anti-inflammatory properties and can be a very valuable remedy for inflammation and irritation of the skin, including eczema and allergic rashes.
Rose oil is a natural emollient that helps hydrate the skin. It is also one of the best face oils for dry skin. It is a natural humectant, meaning it helps to keep the skin hydrated.
While rose oil doesn’t actively help hair grow, the oil supports existing hair and new growth in staying healthy and avoiding fallout or breakage.
To make rose oil you need:
1. Collect fresh rose flowers, separate the petals (You can also use dried rose pedals)
2. In a glass jar, add the rose petals, crush/bruise them a little and fill it with extra virgin olive oil or oil of your choice. Cover with a muslin.
3. Place the jar on a windowsill for 2 weeks. Shake regularly.
4. Strain the oil, label and date and store it in a dark glass bottle.
