Roses have a long and colourful history.They have been symbols of love,beauty,war and politics.The rose is according to fossil evidance,35 million year old.In nature,the genus rose has some 150 species spread throughout the northern hemisphere,from alaska to mexico and and including northern Africa. Garden cultivation of roses began some 5,000 years ago, probably in China. During the Roman period, roses were grown extensively in the Middle East. They were used as confetti at celebrations, for medicinal purposes, and as a source of perfume. Roman nobility established large public rose gardens in the south of Rome. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the popularity of roses seemed to rise and fall depending on gardening trends of the time.