A Rose by Any Name: The Little-Known Lore and Deep-Rooted History of Rose Names
Enjoying some “Gourmet Popcorn” and “Barbra Streisand” alongside one’s “Chrysler Imperial” does not necessarily involve eating snacks and singing show tunes while driving down the highway, as one might assume. These are just three of more than 15,000 species and cultivars of roses, designations that epitomize the floral world’s stylistic marriage of the mundane and the sublime, the offbeat and the refined. Such is the curious nature of rose nomenclature, an idiosyncratic horticultural feature that often contributes as much to the prized flower’s allure as do its legendary fragrance and luminous colors. Rose aficionados, acclaimed authors, and dedicated gardeners, Brenner and Scanniello deftly explore the intricate history and enduring mystery behind four dozen of the most famous, obscure, exotic, and unassuming names in rose cultivation, from “American Beauty” and “Dr. Huey” to “Xanadu” and “Just Joey.” No helpful gardening tips to be found; instead, the authors provide plenty of arcane facts and tantalizing revelation in an equally entertaining and educational foray into the competitive, complicated, and frequently comical world of rose naming. --Carol Haggas