Rose, Indian Roses, Hybrid Garden Roses, Gulab

Rose, Indian Roses, Hybrid Garden Roses (Hindi Name: Gulab गुलाब) 

Rose, also known as Gulab has a great popularity among flower lovers. A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae.

Garden roses are predominantly hybrid roses that are grown as ornamental plants in private or public gardens. They are one of the most popular and widely cultivated groups of flowering plants, especially in temperate climates. Numerous cultivars have been produced. 

How old is the rose ? It is certainly much older than man. Fossil remains of rose have been estimated to be 40 million years old. In India, roses grow wild in the Himalayas. However present day roses are result of extensive hybridization.

 

Varieties : Roses are classified in many categories, however, we will deal with only following important classes :- Hybrid Tea - This is the most popular class of roses. As a rule they produce a large or medium size flower per stem. The flowers are of very fine exquisite shape and have very wide color range. They have moderate to strong fragrance. 

Planting : In North India, roses can be planted from Jul to end Feb. Planting should be done during cooled hours. Prepare the ground 45 cm square and 25 cm deep. Place the plant in such a way that budded union is above ground.

Soil : Roses dislike high temperature. They thrive best where the minimum temperature does not fall below 50° centigrade. Any good garden soil is good enough for Roses.

Watering :  Water thoroughly. Frequency will depend on climatic conditions. As a thumb rule, the ground should neither be waterlogged nor dried to complete hardness.

Pinching & Disbudding :

In North India, first week of October is best time for pruning. Heavy pruning near the base of bud union will give larger but fewer blooms. While converse is true for light pruning. Best recommend moderate pruning i.e. say 10" to 12" from the bud union. Apply 'Blitox' on the cut ends to prevent 'die-back' disease.

Diseases :  Die-back as the name suggests, causes death of the plant from top downwards. The disease starts from the pruned end of the branch and extends downwards killing the whole plant. Effected part turns black. Old plants are more susceptible to the disease than the younger plants. Digger Wasp is mainly responsible for this problem. It burrows through the branch to leave an empty tunnel. Disease can be controlled if during pruning all the lesions are cut off. The pruning knife or the secateurs should have sharp blade to give a neat cut and should also be sterilized before use. Pruned surface should immediately be coated with Captan or Blitoxto make it a thick paste. 

The symbolism of rose colors is steeped in tradition. Roses inspired people over thousands of years to develop a language of color. 

In the language of flowers, each rose type, rose color and rose part have a different signification.
Rose colors may have very a different meaning from what you intend. Below table describe various rose colors and their meaning.

Red (Dark)	Unconscious beauty
Red (Single)	"I Love You"
Deep Burgundy	Unconscious Beauty
White	Purity, Innocence, Silence, Secrecy, Reverence, Humility, Youthfulness, "I am worthy of you", Heavenly
White (Bridal)	Happy love
Pink	Appreciation, "Thank you", Grace, Perfect Happiness, Admiration, Gentleness, "Please Believe Me"
Dark Pink	Appreciation, Gratitude, "Thank You"
Light Pink	Admiration, Sympathy, Gentleness, Grace, Gladness, Joy, Sweetness
Yellow	Joy, Gladness, Friendship, Delight, Promise of a new beginning, Welcome Back, Remember Me,  Jealousy, "I care"
Yellow with Red Tip	Friendship, Falling in Love
Orange	Desire, Enthusiasm
Red and White	Given together, these signify unity
Red and Yellow	Jovial and Happy Feelings
Peach	Appreciation, Closing the deal, Let's get together, Sincerity, Gratitude
Pale Peach	Modesty
Coral	Desire
Lavender	Love at first sight, Enchantment
Orange	Enthusiasm, Desire, Fascination
Black	Death, Farewell
Blue	The unattainable, the impossible
Single - any color	Simplicity, Gratitude
Red Rosebud	Symbolic of purity and loveliness
White Rosebud	Symbolic of girlhood
Thorn-less Rose	"Love at first sight"

 Lets Rose Delight for ABC Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday...

Enjoy the beauty !!! 
Happy Gardening !!!