The rose was made the State flower of New York in 1955. No particular rose, mind you. Wild or cultivated, pink, yellow, red or white, bushy or climbing, fragrant or not -- any rose and every rose is New York's emblem. Maybe no one could decide. I know I'd be hard-pressed to pick just one, as there are more than 150 different species and some 20,000 hybrids out there.
As far as colors go, each shade symbolizes a different sentiment. Red is the color of passion, love and romance; pink, affection. White roses, which symbolize purity and innocence, are typically fixtures at weddings, while yellow connotes friendship.
Last year, famed rosarian and author Stephen Scanniello visited the Garden Detective blog and shared instructions for winterizing roses.
Scanniello will join us again as guest blogger in a week or so to give us a primer on pruning all types of roses. Stay tuned.
