A rose is not a rose is not a rose

Quite often one of the first questions that I ask when brides come to me for a consultation is "What is your favourite flower, or what flowers do you like?". "Oh, peonies, sweet peas, lily of the valley", they say..."but I'm not that keen on roses, no gerberas, no orange lilies".  I mean, I would NEVER use a gerbera in a bouquet, let's be serious. Or probably never at all anywhere in my life.  Unless it was one of those smaller, species-looking ones in that cream tan colour that doesn't look like a gerbera at all...Anyway!, to get to my point, how is it that roses so often end up on people's Ugly List?...



The reason is simple. There are two kinds of roses in this world:  The first lot are bred and reared for the cut flower trade, commonly in countries such as Kenya or Colombia, and sprayed with all kinds of things, wrapped in plastic, whisked onto a plane, shipped across the globe and deposited safely at our customs where they may be sprayed again to make sure they are safe before being sent onto you, the customer.  Here they reach you, perfect solid cones of petals, big stiff stems, not a blemish in sight.  Complete with no scent, no movement, no soul, but conveniently available every week of the year in their plastic perfection.

Group two are the real thing.  Heady with scent, with silky petals that open right out in a warm room until the petals fall, plop, onto the table.  Sexy and romantic. This kind of rose is available from Spring to Autumn, and has a rest over the Winter.  The ones I use for all my arrangements come from Rustons Roses in South Australia, grown out in the open in the sunshine, and picked by the lady who answers the phone when you ring to make an order.  The other day, Di at Rustons popped an extra bunch in the box as a present for me.  Their bunches are always wrapped in damp recycled newspaper (always with the crossword puzzle completed), and Di had drawn a big smiley face in texta on my present.  Let me tell you that florists NEVER get given flowers; I nearly cried.  Or, ok, yes, I actually did.

 Look at these roses! Perfection.  Their scent can honestly fill a room.



Oh, and if you were wondering, this was a wedding at the SA Wine centre, with a subtle rose theme right down to the table cards.  (xx Thankyou Helen).