Ok, I thought maybe I'd do an in depth blog about certain flowers, starting with the Queen of all flowers, the Rose. Please let me know if you like this idea or not ... and if you do, put in requests for a particular flower.

Rose-
A rose is a flowering shrub of the genus Rosa, and the flower of this shrub. There are more than a hundred species of wild roses, all from the northern hemisphere and mostly from temperate regions. The species form a group of generally prickly shrubs or climbers, and sometimes trailing plants, reaching 2–5 metres tall, rarely reaching as high as 20 metres by climbing over other plants.

The name originates from Latin rosa, borrowed through Oscan from colonial Greek in southern Italy: rhodon (Aeolic form: wrodon), from Aramaic wurrdā, from Assyrian wurtinnu, from Old Iranian *warda (cf. Armenian vard, Avestan warda, Sogdian ward, Parthian wâr).

Rose hips are sometimes eaten, mainly for their vitamin C content. They are usually pressed and filtered to make rose-hip syrup, as the fine hairs surrounding the seeds are unpleasant to eat (resembling itching powder). They can also be used to make herbal tea, jam, jelly and marmalade.

Pests and diseases

Roses are subject to several diseases. The most serious is rose rust (Phragmidium mucronatum), a species of rust fungus, which can defoliate the plant. More common, though less debilitating, are rose black spot, caused by the fungus Diplocarpon rosae, which makes circular black spots on the leaves in summer, and powdery mildew, caused by Sphaerotheca pannosa. Fungal diseases are best solved by a preventative fungicidal spray program rather than by trying to cure an infection after it is visible. After the disease is visible, its spread can be minimized through pruning and use of fungicides although actual infection cannot be reversed. Some rose varieties are considerably less susceptible than others to fungal disease.

The main insect pest affecting roses is the aphid (greenfly), which sucks the sap and weakens the plant. Ladybirds are a predator of aphids and should be encouraged in the rose garden. Spraying with insecticide is often recommended but should be done with care to minimize loss of beneficial insects. Roses are also used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species; see list of Lepidoptera which feed on Roses.

How to grow new roses from cuttings:

Propagating roses from cuttings is best done in the spring, when the plants are vigorous and the weather is cooler. Select a young, tender shoot . Old, woody stems will not grow well. Look for one that does not yet have a bud on it. If there is a bud, snip it off carefully. With a sharp knife, cut the shoot four to six inches long. Plant the cutting one to two inches deep in your flowerbed in an area clean of weeds and other plants. As to it's location, make sure to plan ahead. Ideally, it should be placed where you want it to permanently reside, and avoid the possibility of transplant shock from moving it at a later date. Water it well, and cover with a glass or plastic jar or container. The jar acts as a mini-greenhouse, encouraging better growth by keeping the temperature higher, especially at night, and retaining moisture and humidity.

The success rate of cuttings can be low for a number of reasons, especially for new and inexperienced growers. We recommend you start three or four cuttings. If they all develop, you can replant the extras, or give them to a greatful friend.

Check on your new rose bush every several days to make sure there is enough moisture in the soil. Water if the soil appears dry. Remember, the new roots will not be deep. Use of a little liquid fertilizer will help, but is not a requirement. Remove the jar from the plant during the daytime, if the temperature approaches 75 degrees or higher.

Do not worry if the shoot appears dormant for a while. All of the activity is really happening underground. It is focusing upon developing a root system, and does not have the energy or root support to develop new growth. After a couple of weeks, the shoot will begin to grow.

Once the new rose bush has begun to grow, you can remove the jar you placed over it. Follow normal care and maintenance for the new bush from this point forward.

Important Note: Just so you are aware, while propagation is commonly practiced, it is actually against the law to propagate a patented hybrid.

Symbolism-

According to the Victorian "language of flowers", different colored roses each have their own symbolic meaning.

Rosa canina (Dog Rose) flower
Red rose: Deepest love and respect.
Pink rose: Grace.
White rose: Innocence.
Red: love
Pink: grace, gentle feelings of love
Dark Pink: gratitude
Light Pink: admiration, sympathy
White: innocence, purity, secrecy, friendship, reverence and humility.
Yellow: Yellow roses generally mean dying love or platonic love. In German-speaking countries, however, they can mean jealousy and infidelity.
Yellow with red tips: Friendship, falling in love
Orange: passion
Burgundy: beauty
Blue: mystery
Green: calm
Black: slavish devotion (as a true black rose is impossible to produce)
Purple: protection (paternal/maternal love)
The rose also has various supernatural and literary attributes.

Information gathered from Wikipedia, www.gardenersnet.com/roses, and various other sites.