Roses are always a popular choice for brides and the latest trend is for full-petalled peony-type roses in soft vintage shades that double as gorgeous garden roses.
May is one of the most popular months for weddings. And the most popular wedding flower? Roses of course.
According to the trend spotters, brides are opting for more muted shades and a romanticised vintage look that favours the large, peony-type rose bloom.
Rose grower Ludwig Taschner concurs, saying that growers who supply roses for weddings now want to plant roses that have that nostalgic, old-fashioned look with a strong perfume but are good cut roses.
‘Many of the older perfumed roses have soft petals that bruise easily, but the newer Antico Moderno roses like ‘Free and Loyal’ , ‘Manuela Crabbia’, ‘Lyn Kepler’ and ‘Sacred Red’ have firm petals and stiff stems, which makes them easier to handle and their petals don’t bruise as easily,’ says Ludwig.
Long-life tip
When picking the roses have a bucket half filled with water at hand and put the blooms into the bucket straight away.
Once all the blooms have been picked, fill the bucket to the brim with water and store the roses in a cool, dark place like the garage for a few hours or at best overnight. This allows the stems to draw up the most amount of water. Details: ludwigsroses.co.za
When advising brides-to-be and their mothers, Ludwig recommends combining home grown and florist roses for a personal touch, which relieves the pressure of having to grow all the roses themselves. ‘There are many garden roses of florist quality that pair well with commercial varieties, says Ludwig. ‘Growing your own also allows more choice and variety, especially if you want the old fashioned, fuller blooms.’ Here are five that Ludwig recommends:
- Manuela Crabbia
When it is in full bloom, you’d be forgiven for thinking this rose is actually a peony. The huge blooms of Manuela Crabbia reveal a range of pink shades and have a moderate fragrance. The vigorous bush is eye-catching, producing many cuttable blooms on long, straight stems. It is an Eco-chic disease resistant rose. - Free and Loyal
The top wedding rose is Free and Loyal, with strongly fragrant blooms starting as elegant urn-shaped buds that open into a huge, full petalled white bloom with a soft apricot centre. The white petals do not blemish easily. The shoulder-high bush is sturdy and strong. - Great Gatsby
Earthy colours such as mushroom, brown and chocolate are also in fashion and the rose that fits in with that theme is Great Gatsby. It produces huge old fashioned blooms on single stems. The colour is an amazing blend of caramel coffee cream and mustard. It shows off best if three are planted close together as a group, and placed where its spectacular blooms can be admired! - St Dunstan’s Centenary
Symbolically, St Dunstan’s Centenary rose has great appeal because it is related to the world-famous Peace rose. It produces urn-shaped yellow buds that slowly unfold into a large bloom, suffused with a pink sheen. The blooms last well on the bush and remain fresh when cut for the vase. The 2m high rose can be planted in mixed rose beds, on fences or in groups of three as a focal point in a garden. - Fifty Shades of Grey
Brides who want to create an intimate, romantic look are leaning towards personalised bouquets that reflect their own style and taste. The dusky pink shades of the rose Fifty Shades of Grey (named after that bestseller) certainly fit the bill. This hybrid tea rose produces huge 50-petalled blooms carried on long, strong stems. A close look at the blooms reveals shades of brown, mauve, pink and even grey. It is a powerful rose with the legendary Papa Meilland’rose in its genes.
Roses as table decorations
Why not carry the theme of roses through to the corsages and buttonholes, as pew decorations and, of course, the tables at the reception?
Short-stemmed roses are the most suitable, especially at the reception because people don’t want to peer at each other between huge flower arrangements. Opt for small or shallow containers. For a simple but beautiful effect, just cut off the fully opened heads and float them in a water-filled bowl. Another idea is to push the rose blooms with very short stems into oasis that has been soaked in water. This can be laid flat and used as a table arrangement.
Roses can even be used to decorate the cake, creating a natural look that is bang on trend.
Text: ALICE COETZEE
