The book of Roses

I was screening through the shelves on the Library the Other day and came across a book named Roses. A botanica's Pocket -Roses it said. However, it clearly would not fit into anyone's pocket. If it was a novel, it would be the size of two volumes of the Count of Monte Cristo. Over 1000 pages of more than 2000 listed roses. I borrowed the book. Obviously not to read cover to cover, but to fascinate myself with the "Queen of the flowers" in afternoons for a fortnight. So, here are few facts about roses and what amazes me about "Roses"

Roses

The Rose Map.

This is not a specific map of roses, but Hardiness zone maps are the ones which divide the world into "Zones" according to minimum annual average temperatures observed. Roses being sensitive plants, have their own habitats and will be grown in different climates, hence zone maps are used as a guide to show where you will approximately see different kinds of roses and best places to garden them. What fascinated me more was the sheer number of roses. I cannot include them all here, but can list out some of the roses started with letter "H" for you to get an idea.

Roses that start with Letter H.

Hakuun (White Cloud) Hamburg Hamburger Phoenix Hampshire Handel Hansa Hansa-Park Happy (Alberich) Happy Child Happy Wanderer Harison's yellow Harlekin (Kiss of desire) Harmonie Harry Wheatcroft Harvest Fayre Hawkeye belle headliner Heart of gold Hebe's Lip (Reine Blanche) Heidekonigin (Palissade Rose) Heidelberg Heideroslein Heideschenee (Snow on the heather) Heidesommer Heidi Heinrich Munch Helen Traubel Helmut Schmidt Henri Martin Henry Hudson Henry Kelsy henry Nevard Heritage Hermosa Hertfordshire Hiawatha Hidalgo High Hopes Highdownensis Hilda Murrel Himmelsauge Hippolyte Holy Toledo Homere Honeyflow Honor Honarable Lady Lindsay Honore de Blazc Honorine de Barbant Hot Chocolate Hot Tamale Hugh Dickson Hula Girl Hume's Blush Tea-scented China Hunter Hurdy Gurdy

The book of roses

The book contained a little chapter on history of roses, to how to garden them. More importantly pictures of these wonderful flowers from all around the world. Obviously one of the most colorful books I have ever seen. It made me ask few more questions.

If subject of "Roses" is big enough for someone to write a Book about, (mind you this was just a catalog of roses) how big subject is "flowers". If "Flowers" is just a big subject then How about "Trees" "Rocks" "Gravity" "Water" "Earth". I am sure I cannot finish learning about just "Water" in my whole life. There will be more things to learn and I would start to forget the previous things I have learned about water.

More roses

How about the subject of "Earth" which includes all these subjects. How about "solar system" or the "milky way" which might include uncountable number of rose species which we can never write a book about as it is beyond our power of documentation. Yet I can still live a reasonable life, without knowing all these facts, as still in my mind roses are just beautiful flowers with, red, pink, yellow and white, which I have to be careful when touching due to thorns.

If life is a book, with all the information, we just have read the covers of each book. So, how foolish for someone to call themselves expert in something. The "Queen of flowers" had just made me so humble individual. What about you? What you have been reading lately?