Rose gardens are not just flowerbeds. They are cultural landscapes that reflect the history of humanity from ancient kings to modern monarchy. Rose gardens were planted as symbols of paradise, political power, scientific knowledge, or simply as a tribute to beauty. In this article, we will take a stroll through the most famous rose gardens in the world and learn about their role in different eras.

Persian gardens: paradise on earth

The birthplace of the cultural rose is Persia (modern Iran). Here, "paradises" — enclosed gardens with fountains and roses — were created centuries before our era. It was believed that the rose symbolized divine light. The rose garden ("gulistan") was a place for philosophical discussions, poetic readings, and relaxation. The famous Persian carpet with a garden (vakh) depicts the structure of an actual garden with four water channels dividing the plot into sections. The roses planted in such a garden were supposed to delight all the senses: sight (color), smell (scent), and hearing (the sound of water).

Ancient Rome: roses for the patricians

The Romans adopted their love for roses from the Greeks but surpassed them in scale. In the 1st century AD, whole "rose fields" (Rosetum) grew around Rome, supplying the capital with flowers for feasts, wreaths, and perfumes. The gardens of Roman aristocrats (such as the Gardens of Sallust) were so densely planted with roses that Petronius wrote: "We are drowning in petals." With the fall of Rome, these gardens fell into disrepair, but the tradition was preserved in monasteries, where roses were grown for altar decorations and to produce rosewater (medicine).

Medieval European gardens: the rose as a medicine and a symbol of the Virgin Mary

Roses held a distinguished place in monastic gardens. Monks bred many new varieties, cultivating them for medical purposes (rose honey for coughs, rosewater for eye diseases). Also, roses were associated with the Virgin Mary — "the rose without thorns." Special "Marian gardens" were created, where only white and red roses (symbols of purity and the blood of Christ) grew. An example is the garden of the Abbey of St. Pierre in Mauzac (France), where medieval varieties still bloom.

The War of the Roses and gardens in England

In the 15th century, a conflict broke out in England between the houses of Lancaster (red rose) and York (white rose). The symbolism of the roses was so powerful that noble estates began to plant gardens where one color predominated. After the unification of dynasties (Tudor rose), there was a fashion for "bicolored" gardens where red and white roses grew side by side. In the Tudor era, gardens became more formal: roses were clipped into balls, labyrinths of thorny bushes were created. Today, you can still see such historical rose gardens in some English castles (Hathfield House, Hiver Castle).

The Versailles Rose Garden: the pomposity of absolutism

Louis XIV was obsessed with roses. In the Versailles garden, the "Queen's Rose Garden" (Jardin de la Reine) was created, where 10,000 rare varieties were planted. Roses symbolized the power of monarchy: they bloomed from spring to autumn, obeying the will of the gardeners. According to legend, the Marquise de Montespan bred new varieties by hand. During the Great French Revolution, the garden was destroyed, but it was restored by Napoleon III. Today, there is a "Queen's Rose Garden" at Versailles, where varieties from around the world are collected.

The Bagatelle Rose Garden (Paris): the rose as art

In the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, the first "specialized" rose garden in the world — the Bagatelle Rose Garden — was created in 1905. Here, more than 10,000 varieties, including ancient (before 1800) and modern, are collected. An international competition "New Roses" is held every June, where breeders compete for the right to name a variety after a famous person. The garden is designed in English style: roses grow together with irises, clematis, and lavender. It is a place of pilgrimage for all rosarians.

The St. Petersburg Rose Garden (Florida): the legacy of colonialism

The oldest continuously operating rose garden in the United States is located in Colonial Williamsburg (Virginia), but the largest is in St. Petersburg (Florida), where 50,000 bushes are planted. It was created in the 1930s as a WPA project during the Great Depression. The roses there bloom almost year-round thanks to the subtropical climate. Also, the rose garden in the New York Botanical Garden is known, where the evolution of the rose from the wild rose to modern tea hybrids is presented.

The Valley of Roses in Bulgaria: an industrial fairy tale

This is not a garden in the classical sense, but an entire valley (70 km long) planted with oil roses. The entire landscape here is subordinated to one goal — the production of rose oil. In late May — early June, the valley turns into a sea of fragrant flowers. Tourists are attracted by the opportunity to participate in the collection of petals and visit the rose festival (the festival in Kazanlak). Unlike elite park rose gardens, the Bulgarian valley is an example of how the rose can feed an entire region.

Rose garden in Kew Park (London)

The famous Kew Botanical Garden has a collection of more than 4,000 species and varieties of roses. Here are wild roses (species) from China, the Himalayas, Europe, and new selections. The scientific department of the garden studies the genetics of roses, creates hybrids resistant to diseases. In June, when the roses bloom, Kew becomes a place of pilgrimage for botanists and photographers.

Japanese gardens: the rose as a foreign guest

Roses were not a traditional element of Japanese gardens (preferring chrysanthemums, irises, and stones). But in the Meiji era (late 19th century), "rose parks" in the Western style appeared. Today, the most famous is the Kaisei Rose Garden in Ueno Park (Tokyo). Here, roses are combined with cherry blossoms, creating a unique synthesis of cultures. The Japanese have bred their own varieties, such as "Tsumugu" (pale pink, with a strong scent).

Modern rose gardens: trends of the 21st century

Today, rose gardens are not only beautiful but also ecological. Varieties resistant to diseases are used to avoid using chemicals. "Living" hedges of roses, mixed plantings with perennials to extend flowering, and "shrub roses" instead of bedding are in vogue. Landscape designers create "rose gardens" in the principle of the monosad, where the rose is the only plant, but in different colors and forms.

Rose gardens are more than collections of plants. They are a chronicle of tastes, technologies, and ideals. Each era created its own image of "paradise with roses," and today we can stroll through these pages of history, breathing in the aroma of eternity.

Permanent link to this publication: