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Throughout history the rose has been the flower closest to the human heart. First cultivated in the middle east they moved on to Greece and Rome, then to western Europe,the British Isles and North America. Everyone from painters to potter found the rose to be their favorite decoration and to this day is thought of as a symbol of love and beauty.
Old garden roses, today called "antiques, fell out of favor at the end of the 19th Century and would have disappeared if not for a few intrepid visionaries who felt these unique plants would be re-discovered when the rage over hybrid tea roses died down. And so they have. In the garden, antique roses are the easiest and most satisfying plants to grow. Blooming from spring to frost, once established in the garden they will thrive for many years. It's not uncommon to discover a bush growing in a local cemetery that has been there for more than eighty years without the benefit of routine care!
- Old roses are uniquely scented and their petals used as essence for many perfumes, yet some varieties also contain the scent of apples, lilacs, cloves and violets.
- Especially suited for southern climates they are a shrubby type of plant which covers itself with full blown flowers from 1 to 5 inches in diameter.
- Much like the american pioneers, antique roses are tough and reliable. Drought tolerant, they're also resistant to pests and disease.
- Unlike modern roses, heirlooms versions have soft and muted colors helping them to blend seamlessly into any outdoor environment.
- Antiques roses range from minature to large size shrubs as well as climbers for growing vertically or pegging across the flower bed.
Cher Groody developed her love affair with antiques in 1989 when during a trip to the nursery she caught a scent on the breeze and was immediately reminded of her grandmother. Locating the little bush and taking it home she discovered a photo of the very same rose in her grandma's garden in South Carolina. A hybrid perpetual (1894) called "Champion of the World" never fails to recall memories of the lady and the garden of her childhood.
Seeking education and the history of the species, Ms. Groody has been a member of the Texas Rose Rustlers and the Heritage Rose Group. She has designed and grown many antique rose gardens since that day in 1989 and encourages everyone to give them a try.
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