Focusing on roses, this is one of a series in which each book is devoted to the enjoyment and cultivation of a specific flowering plant and presented in three sections - history, flower directory, and care and cultivation. For thousands of years the silky, fragrant blossoms of the rose have inspired literature, art, music, mythology and folklore. Exploring their history and their uses in medicine, cooking, wine and perfume, the book describes how the breeds of roses known today were developed, including ramblers, climbers, new varieties of patio and miniature blooms, and the ever-increasing range of rose-bushes and shrubs. It explains the potentially bewildering classification of roses, and offers advice on selection, pruning, combating diseases and pests, and taking cuttings.