Rose Book (2025)
Phaidon Editors
F eatured in The Wall Street Journal, RHS The Garden, Gardens Illustrated, The English Garden, Country Life, and Rain Magazine
‘This book is perfect for anybody who wants a deeper understanding of the rose's place in our humankind. The carefully curated images and texts offer a wide range of subjects for all to enjoy.’ – David J C Austin
‘A visual treat… The importance and power of the rose in culture and symbolism jumps off the pages in this glorious book.’ – RHS The Garden magazine
A gorgeous visual survey of the rose, exploring our enduring connection to one of nature’s most universally beloved flowers
From a couture Dior gown and a rose-adorned Barbie to ancient mosaics and Victorian Valentine’s cards, this curated collection of more than 200 stunning images celebrates the world’s most iconic flower. Discover the extraordinary ways the universally beloved bloom has been depicted through time and across cultures, both within and beyond the garden.
Featuring 220 exquisite images, The Rose Book reveals depictions as diverse as the plant’s own endless varieties – from wild ramblers to cultivated Hybrid Teas, botanical illustrations to fashion design, fragrance to film, fine art to photography. Works by figures such as Pierre-Joseph Redouté, Christian Dior, Georgia O’Keeffe, Irving Penn, Tiffany & Co., Alexander McQueen, Vincent van Gogh, and more are artfully paired to reveal intriguing juxtapositions.
Captivating essays explore the horticultural history of the rose, the flower’s abundant presence in fashion, and the storied use of its scent in fragrance and perfume. The book also includes a rose glossary by Michael Marriott, and an epilogue by Shane Connolly.
Whether as a symbol of beauty and love, a political and religious icon, or a beloved ornamental plant with countless cultivars, the rose has been an undeniable force in popular culture for millennia, from Ancient Greece to today.
Amy de la Haye is a dress historian, writer, curator, professor at London College of Fashion, and author of Ravishing: The Rose in Fashion.
Victoria Gaiger is the founder, editor, and creative director at Rakesprogress magazine, rakesSENSE, and RAKESCREATIVE.
Kristine Paulus is a writer and the Collection Development Librarian at the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, New York Botanical Garden.
Shane Connolly is a floral designer, ambassador for sustainable floristry, and director of Shane Connolly & Company.
Michael Marriott is the former head rosarian at David Austin Roses, author of RHS Roses (2022), and chairman of the Historic Roses Group.
Advisory panel: Shane Connolly, Amy de la Haye, Brent Elliott, Victoria Gaiger, Hazel Gardiner, Marc Jeanson, Michael Marriott, Kristine Paulus, and Anna Pavord.
Additional texts: Giovanni Aloi, Matthew Biggs, Shane Connolly, Tim Cooke, Anita Croy, Amy de la Haye, Ellen Mara De Wachter, Brent Elliott, Celia Fisher, Diane Fortenberry, Tom Furness, Victoria Gaiger, Rob Kesseler, Michael Marriott, Marta McDowell, Mairi MacKenzie, Colleen Morris, Kristine Paulus, Rebecca Roke, Gill Saunders, James Smith, and David Trigg.
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