ALL THE SECRETS OF GROWING THESE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS

Roses are studied in Latin, they are mentioned by poets and they are the subject of masterpieces, songs and they are also the backdrop to important moments of anyone’s life. There is a wide symbology behind the roses, from love to friendship,  it is an elegant, beautiful and feminine flower, there are about 150 original species that, through the processes of hybridization, have become over time more than 2000. 

Rose di colore rosa, arancio e giallo
Rose

HOW TO GROW THEM...

Growing roses is not difficult and is possible even for those who do not have too much experience.
Here is a series of practical tips that will ensure a gorgeous flowering.
Roses are plants that can live very well in pots so it is not necessary to have a garden to grow them, they can grow in the balcony, this will be embellished by a colorful and fragrant bloom. 

This plant can survive even at low temperatures without too much maintenance, obviously with the proper care and attention the roses grow healthy and strong with abundant flowering. 

If you have a garden you may plant the roses in the ground, remind to prepare the soil properly and in advance (4 parts of manure and 1 part of peat). Normally it is necessary to dig and fertilize in spring if the planting takes place in autumn. 

Roses prefer fertile, calcareous and well-drained soils and love exposure to the sun for a few hours of the day, but this can vary depending on the rose you choose to plant.
A very important step to take for the health of the plant, is to eliminate dry parts, to control the growth of the plant and regulate its flowering.
It is better to prune the plant once it is not flowered yet, proceed with cuts at about 5-7 mm above the bud. 
After pruning, it is always advisable to wet the cut branches well to moisturize after cutting.

...AND USE THEM

Roses can also be grown in the garden and there are several edible qualities.

You can use rose petals in many ways, for example to flavor salads or fruit salads and also to prepare fragrant sweetening syrups.

The buds are very rich in taste, they can be harvested in spring and summer depending on the plant with extreme delicacy, cut at the base being careful not to collect them all, otherwise the plant would remain too bare. 

After drying, they can be used in the form of herbal tea or in detox waters, alone or with other delicate herbs such as mallow or lemon balm.

Herbal tea made of rose petals

ROSES AS COSMETICS

Rose petals scattered on the floor, about to be made in essential oil

Since many years roses have been used for the production of essential oils used in perfumery and cosmetics.

Those who are interested in the topic, surely know that Provence and in particular the town of Grasse in France is the cradle of perfumery. 

It is located between the sea and the mountain, the climate is very favorable to the growth of flowers, the soil is fertile thanks to the altitude in which the city is located. 

Among the perfume plants cultivated in Grasse, we find the Centifolia rose, the muse of many perfumers. It is smaller but more fragrant than common roses, its scent is sweet, delicate and at the same time sustained and intense.

The flowering takes place from May to July, the harvest is carried out in the early morning, when the flower begins to open and  still has the freshness of the night on the petals. 

Distillation, which will transform the flower into perfume, takes place soon after the harvest, in order to avoid a quick loss of quality. During processing, 3 to 5 tons of fresh flowers are needed to get 1 kilogram of essential oil.

IN CONCLUSION....

We have seen that there are many different uses for roses, from traditional cultivation in pots or in the ground, to cooking and even cosmetics, not to mention that, besides being very beautiful to look at, they are also very popular when they are given as gifts…roses are great!