The most popular and best selling rose in the world is Peace. In the midst of a world in turmoil today, it is fitting to look at the beauty and the history of this rose. One hundred million of these roses have been sold.

If you grow roses in your yard, then this is a must have plant. If you have not experienced the wonder, beauty and fun of growing roses, then the one to start with is Peace. The rose is vigorous and the blooms are a light yellow with the edges trimmed in pink. There is only one word to describe its flowers……..gorgeous.

Read the touching, miraculous history of Peace Rose:

The history of 'Peace' begins on June 15, 1935 when it was first pollinated. Francis Meilland and his father carried out the work, and assigned it the number 3-35-40. Out of the 800 crosses they did that year, they selected fifty for further consideration. This was number forty, so it was assigned the number 3-35-40. In the summer of 1936, they used some of its eyes for grafting. On October 10, 1936 they saw the first buds were opening.

Nearly three years later in June of 1939, an international conference of rose hybridizers was held in nearly Lyon. When these folks paid a visit to the Meilland firm, this was the rose that everyone noticed. Several months later when the Nazi invasion of France seemed imminent, Francis Meilland sent eyes of the plant to rose growers that he knew in Turkey, Germany, Italy, and the U.S.

When Robert Pyle of Conard-Pyle received the eyes, he propagated plants, and sent them to the American Rose Society for testing. He chose the name 'Peace' for the name-giving ceremony at the Pacific Rose Society Annual Exhibition in California on April 29, 1945, the very day that Berlin fell. In 1944 after France was liberated, Pyle wrote to Meilland, explaining that he planned to release the plants once the war ended. Meanwhile during the war, Meilland had named it after Francis' late mother. 'Peace' has produced nineteen outstanding sports, and became parent for 157 other cultivars as well.

In 1945 Dr. Ray Allen, secretary of the American Rose Society, arranged for each of the 49 delegations at the inaugural meeting of the United Nations in San Francisco to receive a bud vase with a single, long-stemmed 'Peace' rose. He attached the following note, "We hope the 'Peace' rose will influence men's thoughts for everlasting world peace." From (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/fruit_garden/112395/1)

The 'Peace' rose has accomplished so much. If only we had a new rose as a peace harbinger for our troubled century.

Links:

http://www.saintlaurent.net/peace.htm

http://www.justourpictures.com/roses/peace1.html

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/fruit_garden/112395/1