Rosa by Peter Kukielski

Rosa by Peter Kukielski ("Kooh-KEL-ski")

This book came out in 2021, and the subtitle is The Story of the Rose.

Forget your latest Netflix obsession, dear gardeners!

There's a new drama unfolding, and this one features the most captivating heroine you'll ever meet – a rose. Yes, a rose!

Buckle up your gardening gloves because Rosa is about to unearth a story that will leave you breathless, reaching for your trowel and maybe even shedding a tear (or two).

Imagine, if you will, the hushed whispers of a rose garden at dawn. The sun begins its ascent, painting the dewdrops on delicate petals with a thousand hues. But beneath this tranquil scene lies a world of secrets, rivalries, and whispered desires. Such is the story of the rose, and the world-renowned rosarian or rose expert Peter Kukielski is your guide to the rose and its fascinating history.

By the way, Peter has written many popular books on roses, including Roses Without Chemicals.

Peter spent twelve years as the curator of the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden at the New York Botanical Garden. During that time, he oversaw a $2.5 million redesign of a massive rose collection in a garden designed by Beatrix Farrand.

Peter also helped lead the launch of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Ontario.

In addition, he promotes disease-resistant roses as a leader on the National EarthKind team.

A review in Maine Gardener by Tom Atwell raved that Rosa is a beauty with lavish illustrations and the long, fascinating history of the rose.

In chapter one, Kukielski lists all the plants other than roses in the Rosacea family (surprising ones include mountain ash, apples, raspberries and strawberries.) He also shows, with pictures (the book has 256 color illustrations in total), the many different classes of roses. Modern roses, defined as those introduced since 1867, get their own section.

Tom Atwell's review also revealed the origin story of this book.

Three or four times, editors and publishers at Yale University Press asked Portland resident and rose expert Peter E Kukielski to please write a history of the rose. Kukielski kept saying no. The last time they asked, he responded, "Perhaps you should ask why I am saying no."

When they did, he told them he'd had read many rose histories, and they all said the same thing. The world didn't need another one, he said.

What Kukielsk wanted to do was tell stories about roses. Yes, include some history, but also encompasses the rose's role in religion, literature, art, music and movies. He wanted to offer true plant geeks a bit about the rose's botany, too. In the end, that's the book he was able to write.

In Rosa, Peter takes us on a chronological journey through the history of the rose, including a close look at the fascinating topic of the rose water or rose oil industry. These rose-based products were essential to life in the Middle East and Asia, with entire population centers springing up around the craft.

In a 2007 article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Peter shared that,

The only way to know a rose is to grow roses. [Peter] grew up watching his grandmother tend her rose garden in Stone Mountain, Ga. Little did she know that she was planting the seed for her grandson's future career.

In a 2008 article featured in the Red Deer Advocate, Peter shared great insights into why roses reign supreme in the fall.

It turns out, as many gardeners will attest, roses often save their best blooms for fall. All year long, roses store energy, which is ultimately released at the end of their season, resulting in gorgeous showy blossoms in autumn.

Peter advised,

In my opinion, late September into October is a very close second to June as far as beauty. The days are nicer, the nights are cooler and the sunlight is better, coating everything with a golden glow.

Summer is hard on roses, which require a lot of energy to flower.

It's hot, humid and exhausting. Roses have their fabulous spring, shut down a bit in summer and then display another burst of glorious colour in the fall when they're less stressed.

In a 2021 interview with Margaret Roach, Peter shared his tips regarding what roses to plant. 

Talk to the local rose society, Kukielski suggests, and neighbours who garden:

"If the person down the street is growing Queen Elizabeth and it looks great, take that as a cue.

That passion and pragmatism made Peter Kukielski the perfect author for this book on roses.

This book is 256 pages of the story of the rose, the Queen of flowers, and her long reign through human history.

You can get a copy of Rosa by Peter Kukielski and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $7.