Golden Roses
A golden rose is not what you might think; it's actually a real flower – a rose - that has been preserved forever in gold. A golden rose can be trimmed in gold, or dipped entirely in the precious metal; it's a special keepsake that can be treasured, displayed, and remembered for a lifetime.
By the time the 1800s had rolled around, most of the Chinese roses (which is where roses originated), had made their way into Europe. In 1837, a hybrid perpetual rose (a cross between a Bourbon rose and any other kind of parent species of the flower) was introduced by way of France. It was a hybrid that found its ancestors in the damask, cabbage, tea, noisette, China, and Bourbon roses. This particular rose was very tough, producing large, fragrant flowers. While the original hybrid perpetuals were pink, once crossed with the Bourbon rose species, the red coloring [found in the Bourbon], forever turned up in the line.
Until the turn of the century, hybrid perpetuals remained popular, but were eventually overshadowed by the hybrid tea rose, which was considered a far superior flower. Unfortunately, only about 50 varieties of these roses can be bought today as most of the original creations were lost. At one time, there had been more than three thousand varieties of this flower which had been hybridized during what was referred to as “the golden age of roses.”
When the hybrid perpetual rose was crossed with the tea rose, it produced a hybrid tea that was much more dependable in terms of blooming qualities than that of its 'parent' hybrid. In 1867, the very first hybrid tea rose, called 'La France' was first introduced. In 1893, the hybrid tea class of roses was formally recognized by The National Society of Great Britain. Since that time, it has become one of the most popular types of roses today.
As far as rose breeding was concerned, with the creation of the hybrid tea a new era had begun for these beautiful and popular flowers; before 1867, every type of rose produced was called an 'old garden rose,' and anything new created after that year was referred to as a 'modern rose.'
The beauty of a golden rose is not only that it's a stunning, hand-crafted creation, but it's also a unique gift that can be used to celebrate an all important relationship (just as fresh-cut roses do). A dozen 24K golden roses are worth every penny for that special someone.
Sophia Grace is a collector of golden roses. You can view a huge selection of golden rose gifts at Plated Gold Roses.