There is undeniable perfection in the outward physical beauty of a rose.
But beauty is more than petal deep.
For instance, a cutting taken from a certain bush, bursting with scented
pink blossoms on a sunny creekbank, may call up memories of a favorite
old aunt who nurtured it throughout her life.
Many roses have survived around abandoned homeplaces, cemeteries and
roadsides for generations, outlasting their owners. These are often
hardier and more fragrant than the newer varieties, although they may
not have the erect stems or bold good looks of today's mass-market
darlings.
A few people spend time finding and preserving roses that have meaning
beyond appearance. They call themselves "rose rustlers," although the
name implies theft, and a self-respecting rose rustler won't take a
cutting without permission. People who live in the country have great
access to old roses, but getting these must always involve asking first.
And rustling an old rose from an old or new friend always is done by
cutting, never by digging up the plant.
Mike Shoup is a "rose rustler" and a dealer of mostly old roses. He
calls these antiques, although the American Rose Society refers to roses
introduced before 1867 as Old Garden Roses.