The rose has been the favorite flower of man for hundreds of years. No other flower has been mentioned so often by the poets of all ages and all countries. In the language of flowers, its blossoms have always been the symbol of love.

The rose has even played its part in history. In England, when the Houses of York and Lancaster were fighting for power, they chose white and red roses respectively for their emblems. The flowers gave their name to the War of the Roses!

Roses have been cultivated for many hundreds of years. So many varieties have been produced that it is impossible to tell just how many species exist. The estimate runs from 30 to more than 200! The rose is not limited to any one country. It can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and will even grow in the mountain districts of the tropics.

The colors of roses vary from white through all the shades of pink, yellow, and orange to deep crimson and scarlet. The blossoms vary in size from the tiny button like blooms of the ramblers to the widespreading blossoms of the highly cultivated varieties.

In all cases, however, the flowers are borne on sturdy bushes or rambling vines. The stems are generally provided with thorns. These thorns protect the rose from being eaten by various animals who might find it a delicious dish.

Cultivated roses may be divided into two general classes: summer roses, which bloom only once, usually in the early summer; and perpetual roses, which bloom several times during the season, even until late fall.

Summer roses include most of the hardy, old-fashioned roses, such as the damasks, moss roses, climbers, and yellow brief roses. The perpetual roses are usually less hardy. They include the musk, Chinese, and evergreen roses, as well as the beautiful tea roses.