It's Peace Rose Day!

Growing up in New York, my mom had a beautiful garden including a rose garden right outside my bedroom window. In the summer, with all the windows open, the fragrance would float up to my room. She had a wonderful collection of roses and my favorite was the "Peace" rose.

I love its full petals, the creamy yellow center framed by white petals with tiny pink tips. Gorgeous!

Each rose has a history. And the Peace Rose, as the name implies, represents world peace at the end of World War II.

It was developed by Francis Meiland, a French horticulturalist between 1935-1939. He foresaw the German invasion of France and to protect the rose, he sent cuttings to friends in Italy, Germany, Turkey and the U.S. It made the last plane to the U.S. before the German invasion.

It was cultivated in the U.S. by the Conrad Pyle Co. during the war.

So how did it get the "Peace" name?

In France it was called the "Madame A. Meiland" after the breeder's mother. In Italy it was called "Giogia" - "Joy" and in Germany, "Gloria Dei" - Latin for "Glory to God" and "Peace" in the U.S.

In 1945, Meiland contacted Field Marshall Alan Brooke who was the principal author of the master strategy that helped win WWII and offer to name the rose after him. Brooke, thinking that his name would be forgotten, suggested it just be called "Peace."

Its name was officially announced on April 29, 1945 by the Conrad Pyle Co. It was the day that Berlin fell to the Allied Forces and the official end to the war. Peace roses were presented later that year to the first delegation of the United Nations in San Francisco with a note that read:

"We hope the 'Peace' rose will influence men’s thoughts for everlasting world peace."

Peter Beales, English rose grower and expert, said in his book Roses:

 "'Peace,' without doubt, is the finest Hybrid Tea ever raised and it will remain a standard variety forever."¹

Please stop by our shop in Page, AZ to experience the beauty and fragrance of our roses!

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• The History of Mother's Day
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• The meaning of rose colors - make sure you're sending the right message!

A Treasured Occasion

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¹ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_'Peace'