The Story of the Peace Rose

The largest rose in this photo is a Peace Rose from my rose garden.  It is arguably the most famous rose of all time.  

Francis  Meilland, was the hybridizer  who first cross-pollinated two roses, ((George Dickson x Souv. de Claudius Pernet) X (Joanna Hill x Charles P.  Kilham)) X Margaret McGredy, from which was born a not so great a little seedling the next year, with a few eyes budded.  No one was particularly impressed.  Then that same fall, one of the seedling  was covered in foliage, and it was lush, dark green, and to go with that were large blooms, they were the most beautiful delicate ivory-with pale yellow brushes.  The edges of the roses were touched with pink.  It was a true beauty!

At first just like Pola Rose, there was no name for her, they simply called her #3-35-40.  From weakness, with little chance of coming to fruition, the story of success of the Peace Rose went on.  

There was a war on when the Peace Rose was introduced in France, and at that time and place they called her by the name Mme A. Meilland, in Italy as Gioia, and in Germany she was introduced as Gloria Dei.  Overnight she was a huge success.  Meilland had named the rose in France after his mother.

As the war grew closer and closer, just before the occupation of France, the rose stock was smuggled away on some of the last planes to leave France for the United States.   In April of 1945, the Conard -Plye Company offered
the rose in America, having paid an unheard of 33% royalty to Mr. Meilland.  Jackson Perkins, by far the most famous of the rose growers, had considered that too high a royalty.  The date of that first show was the day that Berlin fell, and the war came to an end.  On that day the rose was introduced to the world as the Peace Rose.  The show where this took place was in Pasadena, California at the First Annual Rose Show of the Pacific Rose Society.  At the ceremony, two white doves were released, symbolizing peace returning to the world.  

She was awared the All-American Rose Selection Award for 1946 (AARS.)  Since that time it is estimated that up to 50 million Peace Rose plants have been grown.  The Peace Rose is most popular rose of the 20th and 21st Century by all accounts.  Many other awards have come since that initial one, and 500,000 are still grown annually.   

In addition other hybrids have been been developed from the rose... peace spreads...  Roses such as  Double Delight, Perfume Delight, Garden Party and Princesse de Monaco, have come from the lineage of the Peace Rose.

Jackson Perkins is the most famous of all the rose growers of the world, but when they were offered the reins of Peace, they passed up the chance.  I believe the reins of peace could easily be taken up by the leadership of Islam.  Let it be so, the chance to bring peace to the Middle East can be held by the true leadership of Islam.

  

Hundreds and Hundreds of Sparrows

My girl-friend Jacqui and I went to supper together tonight, and then on to an art show at the Holland Street Gallery in Bellville.  Bellville is the charming little town of about 4,000 where I live.  They have a square that is much the same as it was over a century ago.  Some buildings are even over two hundred years old.

The art work is first class in this little gallery.  I was just blown away by the artists who were displaying tonight.   Amazing work that reflected such talent.  The photos I took cannot  do the work justice.

 I was thinking about Baby Rose all during the evening, and I shared her story with several people talking about how the consensus had been she would be forgotten and lost in the system, and there was not much hope of a great outcome.  I talked with each person about the Bible verse I had used which speaks of two sparrows selling for a penny, and when one falls that God takes note.  That scripture goes on to say how much more valuable we are than two sparrows to God.  Despite how well received the story was by each person I spoke with, as I left the art show doubt was playing around in my mind.  Thoughts like, "what are you thinking, the world will not get behind one little baby."  Then, "this is just making you look foolish, and you don't need any help with that."

As I crossed the street and entered the Wells Fargo parking lot, I noticed people looking up and when I did too, hundreds and hundreds of sparrows filled the air.  They were collecting in tw0 of three trees, and the sounds of their chirping together were  really loud.  Many birds commonly collectively roost, but I have never heard of or observed it among sparrows, certainly not in Texas.  As more people exited the building, or arrived in the parking lot, their attention was immediately drawn to the strange bird behavior, and everyone commented as I photographed the birds, then took video.

For me the behavior was a perfectly clear message from God to "keep telling the world the story of Rose, I love her, and she is worth so much to me, more than thousands and thousands of sparrows."

Here is a very short clip from the video I made so you can get the picture of how many sparrows were crossing the sky and landing in two trees under which I had parked my truck to go to the art show.  I will never forget this phenomenon, or Rose, and the message she has brought to my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5Bwr4g8F2s