Description
Shaped like a miter’s cap or delicately hued like the
pearl-colored petticoats of a duchess, scented like hon-
eyed almonds or nodding heavily in the wind, every
old-fashioned rose possesses a unique character. And their
names-often drawn from history and mythology-have
stories as enchanting and evocative as the flowers themselves.
This gorgeously photographed collection of fifty
exquisite roses reveals how some of the world’s most
storied, beloved plants received their names, and how the
names go hand in hand with the flowers’ appearance and
fragrance. It’s a voyage of discovery for rose connoisseurs,
garden enthusiasts, and anyone else who appreciates deli-
cate blooming beauty.
Joining the rose parade are:
STORIED CHARACTERS such as Greenmantle, the heroine
of Sir Waiter Scott’s novel Redgauntlet. As attention-getting as
the character’s exquisite green silk cape, the rose’s leaves,
rather than its blossoms, are the source of its heady fragrance.
ARTFUL PERSONALITIES such as Peter Paul Rubens, the
Flemish master whose paintings often featured the lumi-
nous skin of voluptuous goddesses. Fittingly, his namesake
rose is a heavenly flesh col or, tinged with pink.
HEROES, HEROINES, AND RASCALS such as Napoleon.
The petals of his eponymous rose become darker and more
disheveled as they age, much like the emperor who fell deep
into madness after building an empire.
NOBLES AND NOTABLES such as King Louis-Philippe.
Some liken the rich fragrance of this rose to cherries,
although the shape of its buds may be more true to its name-
sake’s character: The king was often portrayed in caricatures
as a pear.
WELL-BRED LADIES AND GENTS such as the intrepid
British tea thief Robert Fortune. On a secret mission in
China, he clipped the rose that became known as ‘Fortune’s
Double Yellow’.
With vivid accounts of the colorful figures who
inspired the names of the roses and with lyrical descriptions
of the flowers themselves, Pink Ladies & Crimson Gents is a
valentine to the rose, a feast for the eyes, and a delightful
gift for any romantic soul.
MOLLY GLENTZER is the lifestyle editor
of the Houston Chronicle and has written for Saveur,
Food & Wine, and Good Housekeeping.
Photographer DON GLENTZER’s work is
represented in the permanent collections of the
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Witliff
Gallery of Southwestern and Mexican photography
Excellent (as new) preloved condition. First edition (2008)
Hardcover.
144 pages.