A Nest Of Roses Caressing You and Your Love.

The perennially popular Rose, so often misquoted as an English flower, has a long, rich and culturally fascinating history, having been cultivated, originally, in Central Asia around 5,000 years ago. Yet we still seem to be drawn to them, to adore them in our present day. A new Nest Perfume collection has launched, reminding us that the most refined Rose we will love forever.

Image on left, HijabHanif

The Rose is the flower most associated with Love, but why do we still rush out on Valentine’s Day to grab a bunch? Historically, wealthy Romans were known to spread rose petals on their beds for amorous encounters, creating a fragrant and soft surface. 

Roman emperors were also known for filling their bathtubs with rose petals and using them as confetti for celebrations. Their pleasant-smelling fragrance graced many Romans’ rooms and continued adding to the love and desire meaning behind roses.

As well, the Rose became a symbol of secrecy due to the Roman practice of placing a rose on the dining room ceiling to remind guests that what was said at dinner was confidential, a historical version of what is said in Roman stays in Rome, if you like.

In ancient Greece, roses, especially red ones, were associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. A popular myth tells of Aphrodite rushing to save her mortal lover, Adonis, from a wild boar attack. Her tears and his blood mixed, staining the white roses red and creating the symbol of passionate, tragic love. The Romans adopted this association with Venus, their equivalent of Aphrodite.

Then there is the Rose as a sign of pureity; gaining symbolic significance in the Christian religion. The rose was actually a symbol of the Virgin Mary. She is often referred to as the “Rose without thorns” or the “mystical Rose.” Even the word Rosary is derived from Roses and is symbolised by a garland of Roses.

Ornamental Roses have been cultivated for millennia, with the earliest known to date from at least 500 B.C. in Mediterranean countries, Persia, and China. In the early 19th century, the Empress Josephine of France patronised the development of Rose breeding at her gardens at Malmaison. From the mid-19th Century, a Rosarium was planted by Loddiges nursery for Abney Park Cemetery.

But why the term English Rose if the flower does not originate from the land? Maybe you know the British history of the War of the Roses in the late 15th century, which became a symbol of England, after the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Henry Tudor, who won the battle, combined the red Rose of Lancaster with the white Rose of York. Since then, it has been seen as a cultural reference and as the national flower of England,

The English Rose is now seen as a description, associated with English culture, applied to a naturally beautiful woman or girl who is from or is associated with England. And so the blooming Rose is a blooming woman.

In time for summer, Nest New York has produced a collection built around this most majestic of flowers, Rose Sublime

Now, a great Rose scent has many facets, from sweet, pungent to green and lemony. But this Rose interpretation is built around a summer morning. Here, it exalts the Rose, kissed with morning dew and rays from the sky, allowing the regal flower to glisten in luminous light.

This new scent, Rose Sublime, is a sun-drenched addition to the Voyages by NEST collection. This vibrant fragrance reimagines the classic Rose with a touch of modernity.

The garden wakes up to the softly rising sun. This warm dawn, still kissed with a soft dewy finish. The regal Rose lifts her head towards the sun and allows her perfume to filter out.

The bottled elixir, a coming together of regal Rose and soft musk and powdery notes alongside luminous white flowers, including muguet de Versailles. The depth of the scent comes with the wood of sandalwood, alongside slivers of fresh, green notes and a sprinkle of spice, breathing the fullest life into the perfume.

The new scent story is available exclusively at Harrods and comes in multiple forms so that skin to home are all perfumed to perfection.

The Eau de Parfum comes in a 100 ml bottle. The perfume oil for a slightly more intimate experience is available in 30 ml. But if it’s more of a Roman-style room scenting you are after, then worry not, there is both a candle and a diffuser

Nest New York is renowned for its ability to build complex fragrances around a single note, furthering its expression with powerful contrasts and complementary notes. Sublime Rose eau de parfum from its VOYAGES range, and is one of eight in the collection. This compilation of scents explores the intangible travels of the heart and mind. A luxurious line of Eau de Parfums, Perfume Oils, and Home Fragrances inspired by founder Laura Slatkin’s far-flung adventures.

So this summer, you can be as decadent as the Romans via multiple options of Rose-scented objects. Roses for your bedroom via a diffuser, on your body, via the oil, fill your dining room with notes of Roses from a candle, or happily perfume yourself with the EDP.

The new Rose Sublime Collection is available exclusively at Harrods.com.