Seven Things You Didn't Know About Roses

Did You Know?

France and the United States share a passion for roses. Here are some facts about roses in the U.S. and in France

• If you read the book the Da Vinci Code, (a popular novel in the U.S. that takes place partly in Paris) you know that roses are always based on a five-point structure, no matter how many petals they have.
• In 1986, then President Ronald Reagan signed legislation making the rose the official National Flower of the United States.
• Roses have been grown in France since the 13th Century, and were brought there from the Holy Land during the Crusades. (That first rose was of the Damask variety - great for perfume!)
• George Washington experimented with new hybrids of roses at his home in Mount Vernon.
• The Empress Josephine (the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte) was a famous grower and collector of new species of roses. Despite her husband's war with the English, she was able to import some new varieties that had not been grown before in France. She popularized rose gardening throughout France.
• Over 900 acres of greenhouse roses are harvested in the United States every year.
• Columbus' crew picked a rose branch out of the ocean on October 11, 1492. This signaled the presence of land. The very next day, Columbus discovered America

We've found some of the best fragrances from France that feature the scent of roses, and put them into a gorgeous sampler that will make a great gift for yourself or for someone special!

The sampler will still be available, but the free gift (a full size Shalimar scented body lotion) is only available through the end of June, so hurry!