No flower is as famous for its fragrance as the rose.

Some associate the scent of a rose with love and romance, and for others it evokes memories of times gone by. New varieties of fragrant garden roses are regularly introduced to the market.

Breeding

How we experience fragrances is a matter of taste, but almost everyone loves the scent of roses. That is why, in addition to the shape and colour of the flowers, breeders also pay attention to the fragrance. Most roses have a sweet scent, but some also have a refreshing or even herbal scent.

Many metres

Although most roses are fragrant, this varies per variety. With some roses, you have to stick your nose right in to be able to smell their scent, while others emit a strong scent for several metres. And of course, there is everything in between.

Essential oils

The size of rose buds ranges from as small as a marble to fist-sized. They have open, semi-filled or filled hearts. When it comes to fragrance, the latter have an advantage since the scent is in the petals. Glands in the leaves release essential oils. The flowers use these fragrances to seduce insects, like bees and moths.

Interesting facts

• The scent of roses has a relaxing effect. There is a good reason why ‘coming up smelling of roses’ is a positive expression.
• Fragrant garden roses smell the strongest on warm days with little wind and low humidity.
• How much fragrance is released varies throughout the day. Roses for the perfume industry are picked early in the morning, because that is when they contain the most fragrances.
• You can make rose water from rose petals at home, to use in the kitchen, for example, or as a beauty product.
• When breeding new varieties, the focus is on fragrant roses and the health of the variety.

Also interesting to read:
Climbing roses for colour at a higher level
Enjoy the long flowering period of roses all season long