Roses have been known and treasured since ancient times as symbols of love and beauty.  In ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt, they were associated with goddesses of love, and have been given as romantic gifts throughout history. 

An aromatic oil made by steam-distilling rose petals, known as Attar of Rose, has been used as an element in perfumes for centuries.  Rosewater, made by diluting this oil, was used extensively for cosmetic purposes and to flavor sweets in the middle ages, and is still widely used in Middle Eastern and South- and Central Asian cooking.

Roses have been cultivated and bred for a huge array of traits.  Different cultivars have been developed to emphasize scent, color, size, shape and disease resistance, among many other attributes.  Almost all cut roses sold by florists today are the Hybrid Tea variety, but garden roses come in a staggering array of types.  Roses can grow as bushes or as vine-like climbers, and depending , the blossoms can set singly on individual stems or in clusters of up to a dozen on a single spray.  They are native to warm climates, but modern varieties have been developed to grow in much colder conditions.