An English Rose Garden Tour

Now that the chill of autumn is in the air, let's take a little nostalgic stroll through a rose garden in Surrey, England and dream of summer days. We will also have fun musing about what it takes to get a rose named after you...

So have you ever wondered how the different varieties of roses get their names?

What exactly do you have to do to get a rose named after you?

Being related to David Austin certainly seems to help!

This deep pink beauty is simply named England's Rose and was cultivated by renowned rose breeder David Austin.
However he often names roses after the women in his life, presumably wife, daughters, mother or friends.
Can you imagine having a variety of rose named after you? How romantic!

This pale yellow rose is named Claire Austin and has a 'strong fragrance'.
You lucky girl Claire!

Being a princess apparently comes in handy.
This one is named for the Crown Princess Margareta

A prima ballerina also has a fair chance of having a rose named after her. This delicate pale pink is named after the equally dainty British ballerina Darcy Bussell.

These bright white petals with an outer skirt of yellow make for an unusual rose named The Poet's Wife.
Hmmm. I wonder what poet? Why isn't she mentioned by name? Perhaps it's just meant to be in general for anyone who happens to be the wife of a poet. Was it because she was such an insiring muse? Or maybe it's out of sympathy because let's face it being married to a poet might not be the easiest life. I mean, how do you ask a 'poet' to take out the trash - lol?

You don't necessarily have to be a woman to have a rose named after you either. This one is called Mortimer Sackler. Sackler was a doctor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He made quite a lot of money off of Oxycontin, so it's certainly debatable whether or not he deserves a rose named after him, but his wife thought he did. Theresa Sackler, an avid gardener, bought the right to name a new rose at a charity auction in 2002. The official description of the rose, which stated that the blooms "give the impression of delicacy and softness but are, in fact, very tough and little affected by bad weather" reminded her of her husband. Awwww. So apparently having a lot of cash you don't know what else to do with is another helpful factor in getting a rose named after you or someone you love.

You don't necessarily have to be a princess, wealthy philanthropist, or prima ballerina either. This light peach-hued rose is named in honor of a more humble profession; The Shepardess

This snow white rose is named after an angel, or at least the sculputure of an angel. The Lichfield Angel is an ancient sculpture discovered at Lichfield Cathedral in England in 2003 and thought to be associated with St. Chad.

Finally, at last, is probably my personal favorite. The Apothecary's Rose. This is a very old variety whose fragrance lifts the spirits and heals broken hearts. Its name derives from the fact that it was used medicinally to help ease depression, grief, and sorrows. These older varieties of roses, are rarely if ever named after people and no one claims credit for having cultivated them. Which is kind of nice when you think about it. No one can really own a rose. So I say, if you're lucky enough to have roses growing in your garden or even in a terracotta pot by your window, go ahead, have some fun, and name them after whoever you wish!
Thanks for taking this little stroll with me. May the fragrance of roses stay with you and lift your spirits all winter!