Hello Desi Gardeners! I am sure you will agree that the world of flowers is the most beautiful world. Sometimes these gorgeous blooms are even more special when we dedicate it to someone we admire. Have a look at these gorgeous specially bred flowers named after celebrities and well-known people.
Naming a flower after someone is a way to express a sense of goodwill and appreciation that we feel for that person. When we name a rose after a person or his memory, we express from our heart how we want to remember that person forever. It is extremely special in a way.
How are these special flowers created?
The cultivar (plant variety) is bred using the techniques of grafting, tissue or culture or by controlled seed production. By this way of selective breeding, the breeders get a chance to cultivate a special trait. It also introduces desirable traits and nullify undesired parts of the parent plant. Usually, a breeder holds a patent to his ‘creation’, that is, the new cultivar.
Flowers named after Famous Indians
Flowers Named after Celebrities, Leaders and Scientists
Mr. Lincoln Rose
This amazing hybrid red rose was named after the greatest American President, Mr. Abraham Lincoln.
Mister Lincoln Hybrid Tea Rose is a vigorously growing rose plant with the most beautiful red velvety flowers. In fact, it has been called as the best red rose ever when it was the Winner of an All-American Rose Selections award in 1965. Among all the flowers that are named after celebrities and famous people, this is a very special one.
Rose Marie Curie
Honouring the great scientist and inventor Marie Curie, this brilliant rose is pink, orange and gold toned. This grows in clusters and makes a good hedging plant.
This rose was created and named by Meilland International on the 75th anniversary of the ‘birth of atomic physics.
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn is one of the most graceful ladies ever to grace the screen. As timeless as she was, so is the beautiful rose remembered after her.
The Audrey Hepburn Rose is an excellent hybrid variety with beautiful light pink petals and a fruity fragrance. It was introduced by Spring Hill Nurseries in 1996 as new plant and then honoured after the great actress.
Audrey Hepburn was a passionate flower lover and had a deep understanding of Mother Nature.
Rose Diana, Princess of Wales and Rosa ‘Diana, Princess of Wales’
Is there a more suitable personality to name a rose after than the beautiful Lady Diana? She was as kind as she was beautiful.
There are two rose varieties named after her. Rosa ‘Princess of Wales’ is a white rose bred by Harkness Roses in United Kingdom. This rose was named a tribute to thank her for years of selfless work with the British Lung Foundation. It is said that Princess Diana loved these roses. After her death, royalty from every Rosa ‘Princess of Wales’ rose and plant sold goes to the Foundation to carry on the good work.
Rose Diana, Princess of Wales is another hybrid tea rose created in 1998 by the nursery firm Jackson & Perkins in United States of America. It has a beautiful pink hue with blends. Again, royalty from sale goes to the Princess Diana Memorial Fund.
Elizabeth Taylor Rose
The Elizabeth Taylor Rose is as gorgeous and shapely as the actress herself. A hybrid tea rose, it is deep pink in colour with big blooms and a strong fragrance.
It was created by Von C. Weddle in 1985 in the United States of America making it one of the most gorgeous flowers named after celebrities.
Rose Mozart
Not only are flowers named after celebrities but also on after artists.
The master of the classical music in the West, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, changed the world forever. The Austrian composer’s music and modification is still used throughout the world.
Rose Mozart is a pink and white hybrid rose bred in 1936 by Peter Lambert in Germany. The rose has a unique look with small flowers that grow in large numbers in this medium sized bush.
Leonardo Rose
There is no better way to remember the great Leonardo da Vinci than naming a creation of nature after him. Although this is a hybrid rose, The Leonardo Rose is definitely one of the most gorgeous flowers named after celebrities and artists.
The Leonardo Rose is big, beautiful, grows in clusters and just like the artist’s work, a masterpiece in itself.
Princess Aiko Rose
Named after the Japanese Empress, the Princess Aiko Rose is brilliant peach and cream rose created by Keisei Rose Nursery. It is a popular rose in Japanese gardens.
Princess Aiko Rose has upto 120 petals which makes it one of the most amazing flowers named after celebrities.
Rose ‘Ingrid Bergman’
Talented Hollywood actress Ingrid Bergman is known for her timeless roles. To honour the late actress in 1984, two expert rose growers from Denmark, Pernille and Mogens Olesen, created this hybrid tea rose.
The Ingrid Bergman Rose is large, velvety red with fragrance. This rose is also very hardy and grows in almost all weathers. Because of the flower’s beauty and compatibility to all weathers, it has received multiple awards from many prestigious societies and rose shows.
‘Henry Ford’ Rose
Henry Ford changed the world by his innovative and visionary efforts. To honour the founder of the Ford Motor and industrialist who brought wheels on the highway, a rose was named after him.
In 1930, Australia the Hazlewood Bros. named a bright yellow rose cultivar Henry Ford. In the United States in 1954, another bright pink cultivar was introduced and was also named the same.
General Washington Rose
Mostly flowers are named after celebrities but sometimes those are also dedicated to great men and women who have changed the world. One such rose cultivar is named after George Washington, the Founding Father of the United States and the country’s first President.
The General Washington Rose is a big 4 inch sized rose in deep pink. It was created in 1861 and since then it has been popularly grown as a shrub or climber. It is perennial and very disease resistant.
The McCartney Rose
The cultivar ‘MEIzeli’ was called the Mc Cartney Rose honouring the Sir Paul Mc Cartney. It was bred in 1992 by Meilland International and the rose was officially presented to the artist by his record company.
The McCartney Rose is a pink hybrid tea rose with large, double petals and a distinct scent.
Cary Grant Rose
The Cary Grant Rose is one of those flowers named after celebrities that I would want to have it in my garden. The long stem rose has a unique shade of orange that is very attractive. The plant is also very hardy and resistant to diseases.
This fragrant rose was bred earlier but was commercially introduced by Meilland in 1987.
Rosa Michelangelo
Rosa Michelangelo is a cultivar of most excellent quality which was named a tribute to the unforgettable artist, Michelangelo.
What makes this hybrid tea rose special is its light yellow shading and a mildly lemon fragrance. The bloom is large and full and becomes the centre of attraction of the garden.
Botticelli Rose
Named after another master artist, the Boticelli Rose is fine tribute to his beautiful paintings. Introduced by Meilland International, it is a small light pink rose that has a unique look.
The plant is very robust and when it blooms in its season, it is a sight to behold.
Rosa Dame Judi Dench
This beautiful apricot coloured rose cultivar has been dedicated to the legendary actress Judi Dench. It was bred by David Austin and was introduced at the Chelsea Flower Show. It became a very popular rose because of its extraordinary colour, hardiness and long lasting blooms.
The Rosa Dame Judi Dench has a mild fragrance and quite resistant to diseases.
Caesar’s Rose and Climbing Rose Caesar
Two cultivars of roses have been named after Julius Caesar. The Caesar / Caesar’s Rose was created by Dutch rose breeder Jan Van Veen in 1981. This variety has small but singular looking roses which grow in clusters. The crimson coloured blooms look pretty in this medium sized upright bush.
The Climbing Rose Ceasar is fuller and more gorgeous. It has pink inner with cream tones on the sides. The plant can be shaped easily and it makes a stunning view.
Lord Byron Rose
The rose named after the renowned poet Lord Byron, is a stunning apricot-shaded large rose hybridized by French breeder Jacques Mouchotte. It is a climbing rose variety with a typical wild rose fragrance.
The blooms are big and showy, almost six inches in diameter. The Lord Byron Rose is one of the most gorgeous flowers named after celebrities, undoubtedly.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt Peony Rose & Eleanor Roosevelt Rose
The President Franklin D. Roosevelt Rose was created and named after him in 1933, the same year when he became the President and won four presidential elections. The reddish pink rose with large blooms is a hardy plant and flowers throughout the season.
Another beautiful rose cultivar was named after the First lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. In same year of 1933, the rose was officially named as ‘Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt’. It has deep yellow blooms with a mild fragrance.
Whoopi
Actress Whoopi Goldberg is not only known for her acting skills but also for her green thumb. She is an avid gardener and it came as more than a pleasant surprise to her when a cultivar of rose was named after her.
Whoopi Rose is a miniature variety bred by F. Harmon Saville in the United States. The rose is a delicate shade of red and white with fragrance. It is also quite disease resistant making one of the most exciting flowers named after celebrities.
Iris ‘Cher’
A beautiful variety of ‘tall bearded’ Iris has been named after the celebrity singer Cher. The hybridizer Paul Black, who is possibly an ardent admirer of the ‘Goddess of Pop’ registered this variety in 2012.
The Iris blooms are a beautiful shade of lavender and purple. It can be propagated by its rhizomes.
Grace Kelly Rose
Officially called as the ‘Princesse de Monaco’, the rose has been named after the actress and later the Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly. It was hybridized in 1981 by Marie-Louise Meilland in 1981.
The cream and pink rose is one of the most sought after flowers named after celebrities. It is highly disease resistant. According to the Montreal Botanical Garden, a survey showed an outstanding ‘0% to 5% infection rate’ to diseases.
Barbra Streisand Rose
Barbra Streisand herself chose this rose. She was asked by the expert rose growers to pick one that would be dedicated to her six-decade long career.
She chose the hybrid tea rose cultivar bred by Tom Carruth because of its beauty, volume, conspicuousness and fragrance.
Rosa Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton’s rose had to be as vivacious as the lady herself. Rosa Dolly Parton is a bushy plant with dark foliage and large red-orange blooms that attract all attention.
These double petalled showy roses have a strong fragrance too.
Roald Dahl Rose
Roald Dahl has contributions in a lot of fields. To honour the novelist, philosopher and pilot, a pretty and unique cultivar of rose was dedicated to him.
The Roald Dahl Rose has a graceful shade of apricot mixed with yellow, orange and red. These dreamy flowers grow in a low shrub with few thorns. Not only is this plant very hardy and relatively easy to maintain, its blooms are also fragrant.
Getting these beautiful flowers for the garden would be every gardener’s dream. As it is mine.
How are roses named after people?
It has been a practice for years to name new breeds of flowers after famous people. Roses are often named after people as a way to honor or commemorate individuals who have made substantial contributions to society. He or she may also have personal significance to the breeder or the person for whom the rose is being named. The process of naming roses after persons typically involves these stages:
Selection of the Individual: The first step in naming a rose after an individual is selecting the person to be honored. This could be an outstanding personality in the field of politics, literature, science, arts, or any other field, or it could be a loved one, friend, or family member who holds exceptional meaning to the breeder or the person requesting the dedication.
Breeding and Development of the flower: Once the person has been chosen, the breeder begins the process of breeding and creating the new rose variety. This means cross-pollinating different rose plants to generate new hybrids with wanted characteristics such as colour, scent, flower size, disease resistance, and growth type.
Testing and Evaluation: After the new rose variety has been produced, it undergoes thorough examination to understand its performance under various growing conditions. This may involve trials for checking disease resistance, amount of flower production. Fragrance quotient is checked along with overall garden performance. The rose has to meet certain criteria and standards before it can head to the market.
Registration and Naming: Once the rose variety has been approved for release, it needs to be registered with a horticultural authority, such as the American Rose Society (ARS) in the United States or the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the United Kingdom. The breeder of the rose submits a formal appeal to name the rose after the chosen individual, with a brief description of why the individual is being honored.
Approval and Publication: The application to name the rose after the person is reviewed by the registering authority to ensure that the name is not already in use. It should also meet the specific guidelines or criteria for naming roses. Once it is approved, the new rose is officially introduced to the market. Its name is published in rose catalogues, nursery listings, and in other horticultural publications.
Celebration and Recognition: Naming a rose after an individual is usually accompanied by a formal ceremony or event to celebrate the occasion and recognize the individual’s contributions or importance. There may be dedicatory speeches, presentations of the breeder on the rose plant, display of certificate, and the opportunity for the honoree or their family to view and admire the new rose form.
Overall, naming roses after persons is a meaningful way to honour and pay tribute to people who have left a lasting impact on society or have personal significance to the breeder or the person requesting the naming. In a way, it allows their legacy to be commemorated and cherished for years to come.
Sources: www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/flowers/24-flowers-named-for-celebrities-pictures, www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/flowers-named-for-celebrities-slideshow, www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/gardening/celebrity-roses, www.helpmefind.com/rose
