Mention roses and the mind automatically stirs to the scent of roses and no other stimulus next to it, aside from sight, is necessary to capture and evoke the most pleasant of sensual memories.

There is a lot of joy in growing roses for the specific purpose of making your own floral waters and perfumes.  It is not the lost art of yesterday, but a new art of gardening for the modern woman.  Perhaps no other plant beside the rose, has more clout when it comes to sheer fragrance and beauty at the same time.  I often like to remind myself that it is said that Cleopatra seduced Antony, while Romans wore garlands of rose petals and decorated their homes with roses, and even Saladin washed the Omar mosque in rosewater.

Choosing the Most Fragrant of Roses

While almost all roses are sweet to the nose, when it comes to choosing which varieties of roses to grow to make your own floral rose waters or perfumes, there are some that are better than others.  Among my recommended favorites are:

• Mother's Love
• Valencia
• Icegirl
• Admiral Rodney
• Blue Moon

All of the above are not only fragrant, but also beautiful when bottled.  

Eau de Belle Rose

Ingredients:

• 3 fluid ounces ounces of ethyl alcohol
• 8 drops of rose
• 15 drops of lemon
• 8 drops of neroli
• 2 drops of mint
• 15 drops of rosemary
• two rose blooms stripped off the petals and torn into tiny pieces

Directions:

• Mix alcohol and all essential oils together
• 1/2 rose petal slightly mashed
• 1/2 rose petals left unmashed
• Store in secure or screw top bottle
• Always shake before use