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Dedicate a rosebush for Valentine's Day

in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

A unique and beautiful gift for any occasion, an unforgettable gift for that someone special.

'The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose' - George William Curtis

Roses are traditionally seen as romantic flowers, celebrating love, passion and union. However the history of roses and what they symbolise is far more complicated than that.

In the past the rose has had many meanings - it has been used as a status symbol, it has symbolised beauty, war, politics and remembrance while in some cultures it has even been used as a form of currency.

According to fossil evidence the rose is 35 million years old so it is no surprise that it not only has one of the most complicated family tree of any known flower species but there are also 30,000 different varieties.

Greek mythology tells us that the rose was created by the Goddess Chloris, with the help of Aphrodite, Dionysus, Apollo and the west wind Zephyr.

According to the ancient Hindu legend a bride was made out of roses by Brahma (the creator of the world) for Vishnu (protector of the world). Brahma believed the lotus to be the most beautiful flower in the world while Vishnu believed it was the rose. When Brahma actually saw a rose for the first time he agreed with Vishnu and thus made him a bride out of roses and called her Lakshmi.

It has been said that Cleopatra sprinkled rose petals in her bed chambers to lure her lovers, while Napoleon’s wife Josephine loved them so much she established a large collection of 250 rose varieties on her Estate at Malmaison.

In the fifteenth century the rose was used as a symbol for the factions fighting to control England, the red and white rose represented the two different factions in the 'War of the Roses.'

Roses were in such high demand in the seventeenth century that they were used as legal tender. They were used as barter in the market place or as payments made to the royals.

The rose has played a significant role in many cultures over time, even in today’s day and age it is still used to celebrate a host of special occasions, different coloured roses marking different special occasions.

Here at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney we celebrate the rose, its history and its beauty in the Palace Rose Garden every day of the Year. The Palace Rose Garden is a magical Garden boasting 1800 roses, a treat for the senses. Enjoy the striking bold colours and smell your way around this delightful garden.

How to dedicate a rosebush

Dedicate one of our beautiful rosebushes to your loved one to mark Valentine's Day, your wedding anniversary, a birthday or as a tribute to someone special, and have your special someone’s name inscribed on a plaque beside the rose bush of your ‘picking’.

The donation for a Rosebush Dedication in the Palace Rose Garden at the Royal Botanic Garden is $500 for a period of one year.

If you are interested in dedicating a rosebush please call Nicola Jones on (02) 9231 8022 or Dimi Rayner on (02) 9231 8303.

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