Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor
University of Vermont

Most when they see a rose bend down to sniff. If you’re like me, you probably never really thought much about rose fragrance except if it’s missing, faint, or how nice it is. Just what gives a rose its wonderful fragrance, and how this is used, is complex and fascinating.

Roses have been around and are documented longer than most of our garden plants. The earliest record of them seems to be rose leaves found in the Colorado Rockies, dating back 35 to 32 million years to the Paleolithic era. First mention of them, and their appearance in artistic motifs, was in Asia about 3000BC, with mention elsewhere about 2300 BC.

The fragrance of roses was valued by the Romans, used to scent rooms and after bathing. Cleopatra supposedly filled a room over a foot deep with rose petals while wooing Marc Anthony. The two main roses used in this era were the Damask and Gallica types.

Rose oil, often seen as “attar of roses” or “rose otto”, was probably first made in 10th century Persia. This was the first import of roses to Europe, leading to the subsequent growing of the plants there.

Prior to the Victorian era of the late 1800’s, fragrance in flowers was used for functions such as medicinally or to hide odors. This period saw the use of flowers in gardens and homes merely for their pleasing fragrance. This era also saw the first attempts to define and classify scents. Yet, it wasn’t until later in the last century that the seven main rose scents were accepted, and the responsible chemicals identified.

The seven main rose scents are rose (or damask), nasturtium, orris (which is similar to violets), violets, apple, clove, and lemon (the fruit, not the blossoms). Orris is a compound used to fix or preserve odors. Then there are 26 other less common odors you may smell in roses. These include such diverse ones as honeysuckle, moss, hyacinth, honey, wine, marigold, peppers, parsley, and fruits such as raspberry.

Scent in roses, depending on which one, comes from one or more of over 300 chemical compounds. Yet in rose oil, only four make up less than one percent but produce over 90 percent of the fragrance.

If you think rose scent is getting complicated, consider how we smell. These chemicals evaporate and our nose receptors pick up the volatile compounds. Each of these evaporate at a different rate, which means that rose fragrance will change over time. For example, clove evaporates 36 times more slowly than citrus, so once you pick up a citrus scent it can disappear with the clove scent appearing later.

Scent not only changes over time, but with time of day. Early morning is when scents are strongest, the oils most powerful, and so when roses are harvested for rose oil. Rose scent may be more powerful with the first blooms of summer. Rose scent even can change from outdoors to indoors. Just the cutting can change the chemical releases that we smell, so a rose not very fragrant outdoors may be quite scented once in a vase inside.

The other fact to keep in mind is that scent in flowers, including roses, is not meant by nature for us but rather for the pollinators of the flowers. Scents in flowers are signals to those pollinators such as some bees to come visit the flowers, and are often smelled before they see the flowers. Flowers release scent when they are ready to be pollinated, which in roses often translates to a more powerful scent when flowers are half open.

In general, roses with the best scents are darker colors, have more petals, and have thick or velvety petals. Red and pink roses often smell like what we term “rose”. White and yellows often smell of violets, nasturtium, and lemon. Orange roses often smell of fruits, violets, nasturtium, and clove.

Most true rose oil comes from Bulgaria, Morocco, Iran, Turkey, and more recently from China. The oil is extracted from the petals either with alcohol or through distillation. The true oil is very expensive as it takes about 250 pounds of petals to make a mere ounce of oil. For this reason, rose oil is often diluted with similarly scented oils such as geraniol from geraniums, or even the synthetic phenylethanol. While fine for fragrance uses, and excellent for making them affordable, if using rose oil medicinally you need the true oil and not a product marked “fragrance”.

Rose oil has been used medicinally from the ancient Chinese, through medieval times, even through the present. One use is for skincare, especially for dry, sensitive, and aging skin. Another use is as a mild sedative, antidepressant, and for stress conditions. Rose oil (or tea from the petals) may help digestion, stomach ailments, or sore throat. Vitamins A, C, and P come from roses. Rose scent even may aid memory. In a German study, people spritzed with rose scent during a memory exercise, then again while sleeping, had 13 percent better recall.

The next time you smell a rose, try and discern some of the many possible scents and how they change over time and under different conditions.

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If you have even a passing interest in the topic of Roses In Your Landscape, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of Roses In Your Landscape.

Roses have many uses in the home garden, both as standalone bushes and climbers and as part of an overall landscape of plants and flowers. The newest thinking in landscape gardening is to combine roses with other types of native plants and flowers, and roses certainly lend themselves to a striking place in the garden.

Roses are also wonderful when used to enhance and highlight areas of the home or surrounding landscape. For instance, climbing roses can be trained to grow up and over a trellis or to highlight and enhance a bare wall or garden shed. In addition, a spray of yellow roses growing against a brick or stone home can be a beautiful addition to the landscape.

Landscaping with roses is one of the best ways to add beauty to the home, and even to enhance its value. Before you can landscape effectively with roses, however, it is important to determine just where roses will fit in your landscape, and how best to use them. Landscaping with roses is not difficult, but it is important to plan properly before the first rosebush goes into the ground.

Planning for next spring’s garden should begin the winter before the garden is to be planted. Planning early allows you to determine the best location for the roses in the garden, and to research the varieties that are most likely to thrive in your climate.

NOTE: If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences. Make sure you get the whole story about Roses In Your Landscape from informed sources.

It is also important to ask yourself what you want to get out of your roses. Roses can be used for many different reasons, from providing an attractive ground cover to providing a dramatic backdrop for a beautiful home.

Planning is also important in order to prevent rose specific problems. There are, for instance, a number of pests and diseases that are specific to roses, and it is important to take steps to prevent those problems before planting your roses. It is also important to ask yourself how much time you have to devote to growing roses, since some varieties are harder to grow than others. If your time is limited, it may be best to stick to hardier, easier to grow varieties.

It is also important to choose roses in colors that will best highlight your home and exterior landscape. For instance, a spray of white roses can be quite striking against a dark colored home, just as red roses can beautifully compliment a white exterior.

It is also important to examine your landscape and determine which roses will work best where. For example, hybrid musk roses grow well even in less than full sun, so they are often used in shady areas. It is important to note, however, that hybrid musk roses do not do as well in colder climates. It is important to take your own climate into account, as well as sun and shade considerations, when planning your rose landscape.

Now you can be a confident expert on Roses In Your Landscape. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on Roses In Your Landscape.

About the Author: B. Keith Johnson is a contributing author for
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Now that summer is here and upon us many people start thinking about what garden project they will work on this year. Whether you are creating a new garden or adding to your existing garden and spicing it up a bit. Why not plant a rose bush in your garden? It is not as hard as some may think and they are beautiful, who doesn’t love roses?!

There are thousands of rose types to choose from and the choices can be overwhelming. Most importantly pick a rose bush that will do well in your climate. You can visit a local nursery to see their selection and you can also ask questions. Your local nursery is a great resource for learning about roses, plants and more – use it! If your neighbor has a rose bush that you have been admiring, don’t be shy ask them what type of bush it is. Some rose bushes will need more maintaining then others so be sure and ask as many questions as you can so you know what you are in for when you start.

After you have picked the right rose bush next you will have to figure out where in your garden you will be planting it. Be sure and pick a good location. Ideally you should have your plans laid out prior to purchasing your rose bush. Choose a spot that will allow for six hours of sun light each day, where air circulates and the soil receives good drainage. These are the most important factors when planting your new rose bush.

Most bare-root rose bushes are planted during late winter. If you purchase your roses in a container you can plan to plant them in the early spring. You should avoid planting roses during the summer. The hot weather can stress your new rose plant which will prohibit it from growing. If you still decide to plant your rose bush during the summer, you can expect to water it every day usually.

And there you have it, the basics for planting a rose bush in your garden. Take time and pick the right rose bush for you and make sure you have a location that will meet the needs of your new rose bush. Happy gardening!

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