The Rose Book - by Phaidon Editors (Hardcover)

About the Book

A gorgeous visual survey of the rose, exploring our enduring connection to one of nature's most universally beloved flowers. "A rose is a rose is a rose." A collection of more than 200 stunning images, The Rose Book celebrates the world's most iconic flower from petal to thorn, fashion to fragrance. Thoughtfully paired to reveal intriguing juxtapositions, these diverse works showcase the exciting ways the rose has inspired across time and cultures within and beyond the garden. From a couture Dior gown and a rose-adorned Barbie to ancient mosaics and Victorian valentines, this volume praises the undeniable beauty and romance of the rose. Essays by experts Amy de la Haye, Victoria Gaiger, and Kristine Paulus explore the horticultural presence in fashion, and the storied use of its scent in perfume. Throughout a wide range of surprising and renowned artists and creators are featured, including Georgia O'Keeffe, Tiffany and Company, Alexander McQueen, Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-Joseph Redoutâe, and more. The Rose Book brings this captivating flower vividly to life with something to delight rose overs on every page.--Publisher description.

Book Synopsis

As featured in Wall Street Journal, Country Life, Gardens Illustrated, 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.

Review Quotes

'This sumptuously illustrated book celebrates the rose in its myriad forms... each time I immersed myself in this book, the room seemed to fill with their musk' - RHS The Garden review by Rachel de Thame

'If you want to understand why the rose is the king of flowers, The Rose Book is for you. Phaidon's tome explores the rose's depiction through the ages in history, art, and culture and highlights why the genus is so intrinsically linked to our society. This book is perfect for anybody who wants a deeper understanding of the rose's place in our humankind and the carefully curated images and texts offer a wide range of subjects for all to enjoy.' - David J C Austin

'No flower is more entwined with myth, religion, politics and the human form than the humble rose - and now there's a new coffee table book celebrating them in all their glory.' - Country Life

'Surveys the many ways [the rose] has been depicted in art, poetry, fashion and movies.' - Wall Street Journal

'Greet the growing seasons with a lush, garden-centric book on an iconic flower.' - WSJ. Magazine

'While the rose is beloved in the Western world, this volume uncovers a niche that has yet to be explored.' - AIR MAIL

'[A] new nature-centric must-read.' - Aspire Design and Home

'A blooming book.' - DailyArt Magazine

'A beautifully produced homage.' - Kirkus

'A stunning tribute to this timeless bloom.' - Rain Magazine

About the Author

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.