An article about fragrant roses for garden bouquets. By gardener, perfumer, and aromatherapist Sharon Falsetto Chapman.
Fragrant flowers have long been chosen for garden bouquets. And you can make yourself a beautiful garden bouquet with fresh, scented flowers direct from your own garden. Such bouquets are far superior to store bought flowers and at a fraction of the cost. One such fragrant flower which never seems to go out of fashion is the classic rose. Many choose roses for their beautiful colors but historically roses have had beautiful fragrances, too. If you choose wisely, you can have both.
In the past, bridal crowns (and often a small bouquet) were made from traditional flowers (many of which had meanings) to a particular area. People hand picked such bouquets from their own gardens. As an example of fragrant flowers used, aromatherapists are probably familiar with neroli (Citrus aurantium var. amara (flos)). It was used in bridal crowns as its fragrance helped to calm the nerves of the bride on her wedding day. It was also a natural aphrodisiac for the wedding night!
In this short, fun article, we are going to look at how our familiar aromatic rose used in both aromatherapy and botanical perfumery today can also be used in garden bouquets. Read on to learn more.
Fragrant Roses for Garden Bouquets
The classic rose (Rosa × damascena). Rose has probably been the most popular flower ever to be used in floral bouquets throughout the centuries. Our love affair with rose never seems to wane. And for good reason. Rose has a variety of colors, many of which seamlessly fall in with a person’s personal choice. Popular colors include white, red, pink, and cream roses. There are also meanings behind each of these colors:
- White: Purity and innocence
- Red: One and only love
- Pink: Happiness and joy
- Cream: Sincerity and thoughtfulness
- Yellow: Friendship.
The rose has a long and interesting history; it is thought that ancient Persia was the first country to plant roses in gardens and it is from here also that the cultivated roses of today are thought to have originated from.
Many historical figures have revered the rose; the Empress Josephine of France had many of the finest roses in Europe on her Paris estate. Cleopatra reputedly showered Mark Antony in rose petals in a show of love; the ancient Romans used roses extensively in banquets and feast decorations. William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) immortalized the rose as an expression of love in Romeo and Juliet.
The Choice of Roses for Garden Arrangements
Apart from classic rose (Rosa × damascena), there are several scented rose varieties; these include the hybrid tea rose, musk rose (Rosa moschata) and the Gallica rose. Roses possess different scents and some hold aromatic properties, too. Roses are known to be sensual, warming and an aphrodisiac – a beautiful addition to a garden bouquet, regardless of the recipient.
Scent of a Rose for Garden Florals
Whatever scent you are looking for in a garden bouquet, with roses, you are probably going to find it. Botanical perfumers will tell you that rose is pivotal to most botanical perfume compositions because it is both versatile and tenacious. Here are some scents in roses that you might choose:
- Fruity and citrus
- Musky and floral
- Heady and exotic
- Light and ethereal
- Spicy and earthy.
If you have a particular fragrance and color in mind, do your research ahead of time. Falling down a rose rabbit hole is a beautiful and fascinating journey but make sure you don’t get lost in fragrant roses for garden bouquets!
I myself have become smitten with roses, and started a rose garden last year. It will be a few years before I see the fruits of my labor, but I am already in a fragrant-filled heaven of roses in anticipation. Enjoy your rose journey!
About the Author:
The author of this article has been working in the health care industry since the 1990’s and in the aromatherapy industry since the 2000’s. She is UK-certified aromatherapist, a NAHA Certified Professional Aromatherapist®, a gardener, and a certified herbalist with several years of study. She is also a botanical perfumer, working on launching her first fragrance line.
Sharon is both a published author and editor in aromatherapy, a consultant, and custom blend formulator. She is the author of Authentic Aromatherapy and the current chief editor of the NAHA Aromatherapy Journal. Sharon works from her garden studio in Sedona, Arizona, where she gardens and distills plants from her own aromatic gardens, surrounded by natural fauna and flora on an original pioneer homestead property.
