The father of botany Theophrastus (371-286 BC) first classified plants and named the rose - Centifolia (one hundred petals). The oldest roses are more than 1000 years old. They grow on the wall of the Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany, and the first mention of these roses dates back to 815. According to legend, the rose bush symbolizes the prosperity of the city of Hildesheim, as long as it is alive. An interesting fact is that in 1945 Allied bombers destroyed the cathedral, but the bush survived. Its roots remained intact under the rubble, and soon the roses grew again. Interestingly, the Roman Emperor Nero liked to shower his guests with fresh rose petals. In the Middle Ages, rich ladies filled baths with rose petals. Early Christians saw a parallel between the five petals of the holy Rose and the five wounds of Christ. The red rose meant the blood of Christ, and the white rose was the symbol of the Virgin Mary. In the 17th century, the French ...