Pink Saturday - Roses

Welcome to Pink Saturday, I hope you are enjoying all the fun pinks that are being shared. To see the list of Pink bloggers visit Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound
last week we had 172 blogs who had something pink to share. If you would like to share some Pink, Beverly tells you how.

Last week I shared a little bit about Red Clover and the response was good (see last weeks Pink Saturday post).

This week I would like to talk about Rose and its herbal uses. We all know how wonderful roses smell, and the beauty they bring to the garden, to a table top as they spill out of a vase or a single rose in a elegant bud vase. I love standing in a rose garden, the fragrance is very relaxing, it clears the head and makes life's little stresses subside.

Even though we are most familiar with the Hybrid Tea, Florabunda and Grandaflora roses, they are not the ones considered medical or for making essential oil, or perfumes. For that the Rosa damascena, Rosa centifolia, or Rosa gallica are used. For eating and medicine Rosa Rugosa are used. That does not leave the Hybrid Teas, Florabundas and Grandaflora out though, they are bred for beauty, but if they have not been sprayed with insecticides they can be used, and it is even better if they are organically grown.


















Above is a Hybrid Tea rose from one of my former gardens. So what are some of the things we can do with our roses? I love to harvest the petals, several large blooms will do, put the petals only, into a clean quart jar, add witch hazel to cover, place plastic wrap over the opening before adding the lid, place in a warm place and let them sit a few weeks. The witch hazel will change color pretty quickly, as the properties of the roses are being drawn into the witch hazel. Strain and place into a bottle that you can put in your bathroom, remember to squeeze all the liquid out of the petals. Apply a bit to a cotton ball and use as an astringent for your face after washing.

Rose is wonderful for the skin, thus why I like to use it as an astringent in the witch hazel. Also, I add rose hip seed oil in soaps, lotions and skin creams.

You can also steep the petals in hot water to make rose tea.

(from Herbalpedia)

Constituents: Flower contains essential oil which includes citronellol, geraniol nerol,
eugenol, linalool, L-p-menthene, cyanin, gallic acid, beta-carotene

Fruit: vitamins C, B, E, K; nicotinamide, organic acids, pectin.
Properties: Rosehips: antiscorbutic, diuretic;

Petals: carminative, stimulant, emmenagogue,
antibacterial; Astringent; Tonic.

Energetics: (petals) sweet, slightly bitter,
warm; rose hips: sour, neutral

Meridians/Organs affected: (petals) liver,
spleen; rose hips: kidney, bladder, colon

How about some rose tea? Yes, you can also steep the petals in hot water to make rose tea. Use fresh petals, preferably organic and only roses that have not been sprayed with bug killers. One rose is good, add to a tea pot full of boiled water, think how pretty this would be in a clear glass tea pot. Steep for 5 minutes or so, strain and sweeten to taste.

Did you know..........it takes about 5,000 lbs of rose petals to make 1 pound of essential oil? Yes, 5,000 pounds, I can not even imagine that many rose petals. Good rose essential oil costs about $60.00 for a 1/4 ounce, but you can see why, I mean.......5,000 lbs!

If you have read this far, I would like to offer a gift, 2 bars of Rose Milk Soap made by me. To one winner.

Please leave a comment to this post for one entry and for a second (2nd) chance become a follower (or mention that you already are a follower) and post that in a separate comment. The winner will be announced on the April 3 Pink Saturday post.

I plan to continue info on the Rose next week, so be sure to come back and learn more about this beautiful flower. I will include some recipes, like rose petal jelly, or how about syrup? With more on its medical uses.

Have a rosy Pink Saturday