Herbal Profile ~ Flower Power ~ ROSE

 Hello to all seekers of plant knowledge,

I hope you are all keeping well ~ it's summer here in Australia, and I must admit that I do not do well in the heat.  So instead of being outside in the garden, I am under a fan in my office doing this blog instead.

Today I bring to you a mini-deep-dive into the most beautifully romantic flower in all of history - the ROSE.  I know that some people absolutely love roses - whether they be in their garden, or gifted 30 long stemmed red roses from a loved one - and some people hate them completely.

I have 6 rose bushes growing in my garden, ranging from light pink, dark pink, red & white, lilac and orange.

                                    ROSE

BOTANIC NAME ~ Rosa spp / Rosa Rugosa

AKA ~ Dog rose, Rosie, Rosetta

GENDER ~ Female (Cold)

DEITY ~ Venus, Isis, Eros, Cupid, Adonis, Aphrodite, Demeter

PLANET ~ Venus

CRYSTAL ~ Amazonite

NOTED ~ Roses are noted for use in enticing a lover.  It's intoxicating scent is good for enhancing the mood and is used in stress relief.

FOLKLORE ~ Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, was seen as the creator of the rose.  Adonis her lover was mortally wounded by a boar while hunting.  She hastened to his side, and from the mixture of his blood and her tears grew the most fragrant red rose.

USES ~ Roses have a calming affect, they are anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic and antispasmodic.  Rose tea can be a good digestive aid and immune support.

Rose water can be used in sweets and deserts (as can the petals themselves).  The rosehips are high in Vitamin C and can be made into a syrup to keep your immune system functioning. Used in weddings to line the path of the bride's walk to the altar.

ALLERGIES ~ Roses are pretty much allergy free, some people can get hey fever from the pollen, and some people can get contact dermatitis when handling the plant.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Rose is used in spells and sachets to do with love, healing, conciliation restoration and self-love.
Petals can be used in attraction spells.
The thorns can be used in banishing spells, as they are potent guardians against negativity.

The oil can be used in salves/balms and has a nurturing aspect for the skin.
The dried petals can be used in herbal incense mixes, and used to clear negativity away before ritual.

My little book of herbal info

With a little flip up bit :)

DECODING A ROSES COLOUR ~

  BLUE: desire, mystery

  GREEN: abundance, peace

  IVORY: charm, elegance, thoughtfulness

  ORANGE: desire, enthusiasm.  

   PEACH: gratitude.              

  PINK:  admiration, gratitude, thanks

  PURPLE-DEEP : celebration, splendour

  PURPLE-LILAC: enchantment, love at first sight

  RED: love and passion

  WHITE: purity, remembrance, youth

  WHITE & RED: union

  YELLOW: friendship, joy

I must admit that I love roses, they were my Father's favourite flower.  He used to grow them in every garden that we had - either in England, or here in Australia.

I remember him taking pride in his rose bushes, attending to their every need, pruning them, sorting out issues like black spot (though in those days he used chemical sprays, which I try not to use today).  He would research as much as he could (didn't have internet in those days), and he would make notes in a diary of what he did and how it turned out.  I would love to have those diaries now - I don't know what ever happened to them, which is a shame.

So there you have it - a compact version of the Rose.  I hope it encourages you to delve a little deeper into this luxurious, wonderfully scented plant.

Do you have roses growing in your garden?

What do you like about them? (or dislike about them).

Let me know in the comments below.

Thank you for reading this far - have a lovely week ahead and I am sending you many blessings my friend.

Until next time,
Annette )O( xxx