Wood Roses Last A Lifetime

Wood roses come in a variety of colors and in some cases, have been hand-crafted so well, you might even be fooled into thinking they're real. The petals on wood roses are usually made from birch with the leaves made from fiber and the stem from bendable wire; this way, you have the ability to arrange the flowers in a number of ways. Wood roses can even be purchased scented (although for those sensitive to fragrances, they can also be purchased unscented).

Even amateur gardeners dream of having roses in their gardens, but they're not always so easy to grow. A poor rose specimen for example, will always fall short and ultimately, lead to disappointment. There are a number of things, however, which can be done to enure you have healthy, beautiful rose plants.

When choosing roses, you should only buy budded plants that have well prepared root stock and are two years old. Planting these specimens in any spot where an unhealthy, previously planted rose was, will stop the new one from developing the way it should, so choose [the spot] carefully.

The way in which roses are planted also play a large part in how healthy they will be; they need to be in a drought-free, well-drained, and sunny location. The spot should also have good air circulation which means they should not be planted underneath trees and shrubs. The holes in which the rose plant will be placed should be big enough so that it can well accommodate the roots without having to bend or cut them. In addition, enough space should be left in the hole so that fertilizer and compost can also be added.

Roses need to be watered at least twice a week so the soil they are planted in stays evenly moist; the soil needs to be watered deeply but not often so the surface has a chance to dry out before its watered again. By doing it this way, it will stop fungus from spreading on moist surface and will encourage roots to grow. When moisture in the soil gets trapped around the base of the plant, it leads to rot which ultimately will kill the plant. Also always water roses in the morning so as to help prevent mildew and black spot disease.

You may wonder why you would even want to purchase wood roses over the real thing but there a number of good reasons; they are less expensive and you can get more for your money; wood roses will never wilt; they can be kept forever and are always in season. And, for the allergy sufferer, wood roses will never aggravate the allergy no matter what time of the year it is.

Sophia Grace is a collector of wood roses. You can view a huge selection of quality wood roses and other plated rose gifts at Plated Gold Roses.

A Unique Rose Gift

If there were ever any such thing as a unique rose, it would have to be the gold, silver, and platinum roses which are dipped and/or trimmed in these precious metals. Picked when the rose is at the height of its beauty, it goes on to be preserved so that artisans can hand-craft them into unique rose works of art.

La Bonne Maison (a home overlooking Lyon and the Saône River in France) is where you will find a unique and private rose garden owned by Odile Masquelier; roses run up the side of the house, loop through trees like garlands, and spill along and around walls and arbors. There are more than 800 types of roses in what is considered to be the most remarkable private rose collection in France.

While many ordinary travellers through France are unaware of this rose garden treasure, many rose experts consider it a mecca. It is a two and a half acre piece of land that has been designed around a number of terraces on terrain that slopes and offers a long-off view of the skyline of Lyon. A secret garden has also been woven into the property. Amongst all the roses, cherry trees, tulips, and a thousand narcissus' grow and blossom in early spring. The secret garden boasts eight different types of snowdrops and hellebores, along with crocusses, more narcissus, and stylosa iris from Algeria. 

The garden usually closes at the end of June, but Masquelier has decided in some instances to reopen it in September and October so as to show off her rose hips or as she puts it “the colorful fruit of the flowers.” In addition, she wants people to see the mixed borders found in the garden which are made up of tea roses, Japanese maples, colchicums, and from Cyprus and the Greek Peloponnesus, a collection of cyclamen.

The real superstars of this incredible garden, are without a doubt, the roses. Something new explodes in April, May, and early June. And, since Masquelier doesn't care much for symmetry, democracy is king which means her roses live in mixed company in some instances (on the arbors, for example). According to Masquelier, roses are divas who “have personalities. Don't think a rose will do what you want it to do,” she says. “She will do exactly what she wants. If you force her, she will die, look sick, or be full of aphids.” She says they have to be guided, but that a garden isn't a hospital – when necessary, move a flower somewhere else if it's not doing well where it is.

While we all can't have unique rose gardens like Odile Masquelier, we can instead invest in real roses that have been preserved forever in silver, gold, and platinum. With these unique rose gifts, saying “I love you,” has never been easier.

Sophia Grace loves unique rose gifts. You can purchase a rose gift at Plated Gold Roses.

Silver Roses

Silver roses are real roses dipped in silver so as to both create beautiful pieces of art, and preserve the flowers for a lifetime. Silver roses make perfect Anniversary gifts, Mother's Day gifts, birthday gifts, or even Christmas gifts. For that matter, there are no hard and fast rules stating that these unique hand-crafted pieces can't be given at any time of the year, simply for no reason at all.

As to where roses originated and how they evolved into the flowers we know today, is a matter of some debate. According to fossil evidence, it appears as though roses did in fact exist in prehistoric times and, that the gardening of roses first began in China around 5,000 years ago. Through the centuries, various changes have taken place in the genus (a class of flower divided into several subspecies) Rosa which was either through artificial hybridization or on its own, naturally.

There is some agreement among Botanists, who believe the roses that grew in prehistoric times, were a type of flower with a single bloom. Amazingly, the genus Rosa can be found in the wild in certain zones of the northern hemisphere, exclusively: the Middle East, the United States, Asia, and Europe.

In the Middle East, during the Roman period, roses were grown exclusively. Part of Book XXI about Historis Naturalis, by Pliny the Elder – Roman author, naturalist, and philosopher - was devoted to roses. Despite the fact that it's not always possible to give modern names to ancient roses when trying to translate from original Latin and Greek texts, it's with certainty that in Roman times, the following types of roses existed: R. Gallica, R. Canona, R. x centifolia, R x alba, and R. x damascena. Also during Roman times, roses were used for a number of purposes including as gifts, for medicinal use (rose oil), as a source in perfumed wine, and in celebrations as confetti.

 In order to form new rose varieties, from the 16th century on, the flowers were carefully selected, bred and improved, particularly in Holland. Roses became increasingly popular again in the 18th and 19th centuries with many of the classic roses we know and love today, coming from that period.

Modern roses of the 20th century which can we can now find in different types of shrubs, are all thanks to new requirements when growing them such as winter hardiness, resistance to disease, and superior floral quality.

If you really want to surprise that special someone in your life with an unusual gift, give silver roses a try. While there's no denting the beauty and scent of the real thing, there's also no getting away from the fact that once cut, they don't last indoors very long. Silver roses, on the other hand, don't and never will have that problem.

Sophia Grace is a collector of silver roses. If you are looking for sterling silver roses you can view a huge selection of roses at Plated Gold Roses.

A Rose In Silver

If you want to send blooms that will last a lifetime, why not do it with rose silver flowers, instead of the real thing? With real roses both preserved and covered in silver, you now have the option of literally giving a gift that will last forever.

Sterling silver is actually 92.5 percent silver and the rest of it is made up with copper. It was in England in 1478, that sterling silver first became established as a standard. In the world of silvermaking, the metal was already being electroplated in the 1850s given its affordability over purchasing silver pieces or true silver.

The making of silver jewelry began 5000 years ago. Human graves from the Sumerian city of Ur dating back to 3000 BCE have been uncovered with silver jewelry found inside of them. In Anatolia, or Turkey as we know it today, the very first sources of mined silver was done in mines found there. It was the Chaldeans – in about 2500 BCE - who were the first people to start extracting silver from other ores. Advanced silversmithing was taking place in 1000 BCE by both North and South American Indians.

Around 100 years after silversmithing began with the Indians, Larium mines, which could be found around Athens, Greece, went on to become the greatest source for silver production over the next 1000 years. When 200 BCE rolled around, Chinese immigrants that arrived in Korea, brought their knowledge and techniques with them for working in silver.

The Indus Valley people in the first century AD made silver horns and drinking cups and closely resembled  the same types of things made by the Hellens. During the T'ang Dynasty's rein in China, silver work became a major priority when it came to the arts in that era. Refined silvermaking techniques could be found being used in 900 AD in an area called Oaxaca, which we now know as Mexico. Silver mines in Spain also became important sources of silver in 1000 AD. At the same time, equally important silver mines had been developed in Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Rose silver flowers are handcrafted using a 40 step process in which a real rose is preserved and dipped in silver. With the careful handcrafting of each rose silver flower, you can be sure than no two pieces will ever be alike.

Sophia Grace is a collector of silver roses. If you are looking for sterling silver roses you can view a huge selection of roses at Plated Gold Roses.

A Dipped Rose

A dipped rose is made from a real flower that goes on to be preserved and covered in gold, silver, or platinum. It can be purchased with its blooms fully open or closed and includes the stem and leaves. Different colors of dipped roses can also be chosen if the coloring of gold, silver, and platinum isn't of interest to you.

While there are many species of roses, there are some which are more well known than others; the Damask rose, the China rose, and the Tea rose.

Damask roses were developed in Asia from the hybridization between Rosa Gallica and Rosa Phoenicia. They were first distributed through Syria, the Near East, and Middle East. According to tradition, it was the Crusaders who were responsible for bringing it to Europe from Damascus (hence its name) in 1254. Despite that, there is a still a veil of mystery that surrounds the true history of this rose. There are references in the 1820s to the “common Damask,” but it's unclear what the author at the time was really referring to. Damask roses are considered the original old fashioned rose and can still be found growing in the wild today around Morocco, the Middle East, Andalusia, and Caucasus.

Long before the western world knew anything about China roses, they were being grown in Chinese gardens. They are bred from Rosa chinensis and as to when they made their first appearance in the west is under dispute; Sweden, Italy, and Britain, all claim to have had them first. Commerce of both a red China rose and a pink one began in the West in 1790s with breeding getting under way very quickly in both France and Italy. China roses became popular fast thanks to their continuous bloom in addition to a fascination for all things Asian at the time. Their worst trait is their lack of hardiness to the cold. China roses make bushy plants that range in color from deep red and maroon to pink and white. Those that have been hybridized with Tea roses are also yellow, salmon, orange, and saffron in color.

Tea roses get their name from the scent of their blossoms which has been described as “a newly opened sample of the choicest tea.” While their ancestry is not certain, they are  supposed to have been created from Rosa Chinenisa x and Rosa gigantea. The first two cultivars of Tea roses was introduced to the West by Britain in 1810 and 1824. Not long after, the French began to hybridize them. To many rose experts, Tea roses have the most exquisite color and form compared to all rose species in existence.

When the French hybridized them however, they came across bushes which produced blossoms that were very weak and which were easily damaged depending on the weather. As a result, some people took to growing them as greenhouse plants while still others tried to improve the altogether by cross breeding them. There were some interesting results produced including the Bourbon rose which turned out to be large, thick-limbed shrubs (unlike its predecessor) that had very healthy and beautiful foliage.

Since fresh cut roses only last a few days at best, a dipped rose offers the choice of having them forever. While you have to wait around for spring and summer for the next blooms of roses to take place, a dipped rose will be in 'bloom' for a lifetime.

Sophia Grace is a collector of gold dipped rose gifts. You can view a huge selection of gold dipped roses at Plated Gold Roses.

Is there really such a a thing as a rose forever? For those of us fond of flowers - especially roses - having a rose forever is always a wish that doesn't come true. However, with the hand-crafting of roses in everything from gold to silver and platinum, to wood and crystal, that wish can become a reality.

It was around the year 1800, when the French first became interested in both roses and the rose industry. 

Empress Josephine, was the one who was responsible for fuelling the interest of the country as she had a great love of botany. As was the case, she surrounded herself with roses at Malmaison – the palace – while she tried to console herself over her divorce from Napoleon. At Malmaison, Josephine collected every available rose type she could get her hands on and also encouraged the creation of new ones through breeding and hybridizing. Inspired, thanks to the empress, several french rose breeders set to work on developing what would amount to several hundred new rose species within the European group of roses.

Chinese rose breeding is somewhat of a mystery – there is very little information on it. There were some indications that the rose was a favored flower but perhaps not as much as others were (such as the Peony or Chrysanthemum). By the time the period 1750-1824 arrived, four different cultivars of roses - “The Four Stud Chinas” - had been developed. Two of the four were true China roses with one being pink and the other red. The other two were Tea roses, one which was blush in color while the other was yellow. All four of these cultivars were continuous-blooming, but they weren't very strong. Despite that, once these new species of roses were introduced into the western world, the progress of roses was completely revolutionized.

Despite the fact that Napoleon had fallen and the empress Josephine had died, the French went on with their efforts with both the old roses and the new ones that had arrived from China. When one French rose breeder – Descemet – was forced to leave France, a store owner named Jean-Pierre Vibert, who was an ex-soldier in Napoleon's army and had an interest in roses, bought what remained of Descemet's nursery along with his breeding notes; from 1816-1850, he had an enormous and lasting influence on the rose industry in France.

While its true the real roses can be hung and dried so as to be able to have a rose forever, they don't have quite the same effect as those that have been dipped in a precious metal or carved in wood and crystal. It's also true that you are able to choose whether to dry a European or a Chinese rose since they  are picked right from the garden but with hand-crafted roses, you don't have that option. However, given the final result of a hand-crafted rose is a forever rose, in the end this option is a much better alternative.

Sophia Grace has a rose forever collection. You can purchase a rose forever gift at Plated Gold Roses.

Rose in Gold

A rose in gold is exactly what it means: a real rose that has been picked at the height of its beauty and put through a process whereby it has been preserved and then either dipped or trimmed in 24K gold. Rose in gold flowers are increasingly popular gifts for special occasions when wanting to express a romantic sentiment. 

Roses are classed in three distinct categories: Old Garden Roses (OGR's), Species Roses, and Modern Roses. OGR's are those roses which were known before 1867 – the year the very first hybrid tea rose, La France, was introduced. Old Garden Roses that are of Mediterranean or European origins are flowers that bloom once on woody-shrubs. They have very fragrant, double-flowered blooms which are generally pink, white, and red in color. The foliage found on Old Garden Rose shrubs tends to be highly resistant to disease and typically will only bloom on plants that are two years of age. With the introduction from East Asia around 1800, of China and Tea roses, a new class of Old Garden Roses was  formed which meant that these particular flowers would go on to bloom with new growth. In addition, their blooms will usually repeat every spring right through to fall. Some of the Old Garden Roses include, Alba, Gallica, Damask, Centifolia, Moss, Portland, China, Tea, Bourbon, and Noisette, to name just a few.

Species roses (sometimes referred to as wild roses) are made up of natural species of roses along with some of their hybrids. Some of the wild roses commonly found growing in gardens are Rosa moschata, the Musk Rose, Lady Banks' Rose, the Sweetbriar, and the Scots or Burnet Rose. Species roses were around long before man existed, some 33 million years ago. They are petalled blooms that grow on plants that can reach heights of more than 20 feet. Most of the species in this class of roses are listed by their Latin name, beginning with “Rosa.”

The way in which Modern Roses are classified can be confusing; in many roses found in the modern classification, there are Old Garden Roses in their ancestry. In addition, their flower form varies a great deal. So as to try and distinguish Modern Roses from the others, they are usually classed based on their growth and characteristic of their flowers. For example, “large flowered shrub,” “cluster flowered,” “rambler recurrent,” or “ground-cover non-recurrent.” The most popular of the Modern Roses include the Hybrid Tea, the Polyantha, the Pernetiana, the Floribunda, the Grandiflora, the Miniature, and the Climbing and Rambling.

Unlike the real thing, rose in gold flowers are not chosen based on what type of flower classification they fall into; choice is made based on the color of rose in gold you prefer (gold or a specific color such as red), in addition to whether you want blooms that are fully open or partially closed.

Sophia Grace is a collector of gold dipped roses. You can purchase rose in gold gifts at Plated Gold Roses.

Rose Gold Dipped Flowers

Rose gold dipped flowers are popular choices of gifts over the fresh cut variety. If for nothing else, a rose gold dipped flower will last a lifetime compared to a just a few days for a flower that is removed from the garden and put in a vase.

With so many varieties of roses to choose from, how do you know what will work best in your garden? By doing some research into the different types of roses available, it will give you a better idea of where to begin.

Centifolia roses are also called “ Cabbage Roses” because their blossoms are distinctly shaped like a cabbage. They are usually pink in color and very fragrant with plants ranging in height from four to six inches. The blossoms are generally so heavy, they cause the plant's branches to tip over under their weight. The history of the Centifolia rose has been much debated as it has been reported that the flower cane from wild roses that were once growing in Europe and Asia. Dutch masters often featured them in their paintings.

Damask roses (the name refers to Damascus, Syria) are from ancient times and are known mostly for their incredible smell. They are sometimes referred to as the 'Rose of Castile.' Damasks are hybrid roses which were made from crossing the species Rosa gallica with Rosa moschata. These roses can grow up to 7 feet in height and have dense, curved prickles. It is believed that the flower was brought from Persia to Europe by crusader Robert de Brie sometime between 1254 and 1276.

Within the old garden rose family/category, we find the Hybrid Gallica rose – the oldest of the “bred” roses in this family. They were a very popular rose in the 1700s through to the first half of the 1800s. Hybrid Gallicas bloom only once and have thorns which are fine to hair-like. They grow to four feet in height and have rough leaves with full, fragrant blooms. Gallicas come in the colors white, red, mauve, pink, crimson, and purple, in addition to blends [of these colors].

Hybrid tea roses are the ones that produce the roses with long stems. During their growing season, they grow individual blossoms and will flower over and over. They were created by cross-breeding two different types of rose. Hybrid teas are long, upright and straight, and grow up to six feet in height. Each bloom on a hybrid tea rose can be up to 5 inches in diameter. Because of the way in which their flowers form as well as their color, Hybrid tea roses are one of the most popular flowers, in particular as cut flowers.

So as to avoid the confusion and even the research required to plant a rose garden, a rose gold dipped flower makes it that much more simple to choose. All that's required when picking out a rose gold dipped flower is decide on a color, a metal (24K gold, silver or platinum), and whether you prefer the flower bloom open or closed; perhaps you can even choose a mix of the two.

 

Sophia Grace is a collector of dipped roses. You can purchase a rose gold dipped gifts at Plated Gold Roses.

 

 

Porcelain Rose

For over 4000 years, porcelain has been in use in China. It's made of a hard white ceramic clay that is often referred to as china or chinaware due its Chinese origins. For a long period of time, the Chinese made the finest porcelain in the world. It was so treasured that during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), royal factories were started by Chinese emperors so that porcelain could be made for their lavish palaces. 

Many collectors of porcelain consider the vases and bowls produced during the Ming and Qing dynasties to be artistic treasures. In 1500, the secret of how to make porcelain was discovered by both the Japanese and the Koreans. Prior to the discovery, traders brought Chinese porcelain to Europe in the early 1100's where it was admired for its artistic beauty. It was so rare and expensive, however, that only the very wealthy could afford to have it. Over time, porcelain was manufactured all over Europe which included production in France, Germany, Italy and England. It eventually went on to compete with the highly coveted Chinese porcelain.

Given the beauty found in porcelain vases, dishes and even dolls, wouldn't it be amazing to have your favorite flower immortalized in the same material? Luckily, with the popularity of trying to keep fresh  flowers as long as possible, porcelain flowers happen to be just another in a long line of materials that are being used to make flowers. Given the rose is the most popular flower of them all, it's no surprise to find that porcelain roses are in high demand.

Like all porcelain pieces, porcelain roses are hand crafted and painted. Some porcelain roses are so lifelike, you can't tell them apart from the real thing. Porcelain roses can be purchased in full bloom or in bud style. You can opt to purchase just one or an entire bouquet. Porcelain roses are also available in wide variety of colors just like the real thing so you can choose one color or several.

Porcelain is highly valued for its beauty and strength and it is characterized by its delicate appearance and translucence. There are three kinds of  porcelain: hard-paste porcelain, soft-paste porcelain, and bone china. The differences between the three are characterized by the types of material used in the making of each one; this material is the paste which is made to make the body of any number of pieces (like plates or bowls).

While it's true that we tend to think of giving roses only on special occasions as an expression of our love for someone, the fact is, roses can be given as a gift at any time of the year. A porcelain rose makes just as lovely a gift as the real thing but unlike the real thing, will last a lifetime.

Sophia Grace loves rose gifts. You can purchase a rose gift at Plated Gold Roses.

Roses That Last Forever

When one receives a rose, the hope is always that it will last forever. Unfortunately, the real thing doesn't last long especially when they are fresh cut. If you are lucky enough to live in a place that is warm year round, a forever rose garden is a distinct possibility.

Given how time consuming and difficult it is to grow roses, not to mention their short shelf life after they have been cut, opting to buy roses made of materials like crystal, gold, silver, and porcelain, is another way to keep a gold rose that lasts forever.

The transformation of the rose flower from the wild plant it started out as to the 30,000 varieties that exist today, is quite remarkable. A gold rose lasts forever is a fitting title for a flower that has been around for 35 million years. Experts today tend to divide roses into two groups: 'old roses,' which were cultivated in Europe prior to 1800, and 'modern roses' – cultivated in both England and France around the turn of the 19th century. Up until the beginning of the 19th century, the only color roses were found in were various shades of pink and white. The red rose was first introduced by China in 1800. A few decades later, green roses began to exist. Yellow roses became part of the rose color palette in 1900. They were discovered by accident by Frenchman Joseph Permet-Ducher. He had been cultivating roses for twenty years and in that time had searched desperately for yellow roses. While in a field one day, he came across a mutant yellow flower and both yellow and orange roses have existed ever since. It seems fitting that a forever rose of yellow coloring means joy and gladness – Mr. Permet-Ducher likely had these very same feelings after his chance discovery.

Every year, on every holiday, or occasion, gifts tend to come and go. The gift of a gold rose that lasts forever, is a memory for a lifetime, given the sentiment roses invoke. From the ancient civilizations of Greek and Rome, roses have been used to express feelings of love for thousands of years. The same stands true today. The rose has also represented love in music, literature, and poetry – it's no wonder they are referred to as the 'Queen of Flowers.'

A gold rose that lasts forever is unsurpassed in its beauty and given there are 50 colors to choose from, you can never go wrong when picking one (or two or three). If you live in a place where snow blankets the ground for much of the year, as the seasons change, choose a different forever rose to display in your home to commemorate the transition. It can serve as a reminder that summer is not so far off and that soon enough, roses will once again be in bloom. 

Sophia Grace has a rose forever collection. You can purchase a rose forever gift at Plated Gold Roses.