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Rose Day
"🎶 O my Luve is like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melodie,
That's sweetly played in tune."
~ A Red, Red Rose, Robert Burns, 1794
If you're fond of roses red, roses pink, or roses of any hue, this rose coloured tartan may remind you of your especial favourite! With over a hundred species and thousands of cultivars, roses have been named for everything from composers and musicians to historical figures, authors, fictional characters, and even significant events. This tartan was inspired by a garden of roses in warm, rosy hues!
Roses are generally classified into three main categories: Wild Roses, Old Garden Roses, and Modern Garden Roses. Wild roses are the hardy, thorny species that predate cultivation, with records of their existence dating as far back as 500 BC. Old Garden Roses, often considered "historic" or "antique" roses, were cultivated before 1867, when a surge in hybrid breeding began. Modern Garden Roses, on the other hand, are bred for their larger blooms and continuous flowering.
Scottish roses, known as Scotch, Scots, or Burnet roses, belong to the species Rosa spinosissima (formerly R. pimpinellifolia). These resilient, thorny wild roses thrive in poor conditions, with their original species found clinging to sea cliffs. During the Napoleonic Wars, these roses were highly admired and widely cultivated, with many hybrids named after characters from Walter Scott’s novels! Once a staple of vintage gardens, they are now enjoying a resurgence, sought after in historic gardens.
So, when spring arrives, take a moment to stop and smell the roses—but mind the thorns, especially on those Scots roses! 💗 💛 💗 ❤️ 🍃 🌹
There are over a hundred species of roses and thousands of cultivars. Roses have been cultivated since ancient times for their beauty and use.
Two rose species are sometimes referred to as "Scotch" roses.
Rosa spinosissima, meaning "the most spiny," is covered all over in prickles and bristles of different sizes.
Rosa pimpinellifolia, also known as the burnet rose, is a species of rose native to western, central and southern Europe (north to Iceland and Norway) and northwest Africa. It is generally restricted to sand dunes or limestone pavements or coastal distribution.
In emblematic terms, Rosa pimpinellifolia is particularly associated with Scotland, where it is traditionally referenced in poetry and song, and is a symbolic native plant second only to the thistle.
The fruit of the rose, rose hips, are especially prized for their beauty and perfume, and can be made into jams, jellies, syrups, marmalades, soups, or brewed for tea, primarily for their high vitamin C content. Rose water, the distilled essence of the petals, has a very distinctive flavour and is used in Middle Eastern, Persian, and South Asian cuisine - especially in sweets such as baklava, halva, gumdrops, nougat, and Turkish delight!
This tartan, designed by Carol A.L. Martin, was inspired particularly by pink and yellow roses.
For a gallery of Scotch roses still cultivated today, click the rose!