Roses of Resistance: A Dozen Tales of Active Flowers

Gertrude Stein said A Rose is a Rose is a Rose.
But sometimes a Rose isn't just a Rose - it's a
gentle weapon or tender tool - a call to action, a
symbol or signal for others to follow.
Sharp thorns produce delicate roses - Ovid
In western European history roses have been
called the 'Queen of Flowers' ~ from the time of
the Greeks to the Renaissance to 19th and 20th
century England ~ the ever popular Cult of the
Rose.
Roses became a significant symbol in literature
during the Roman Empire and later a symbol for
spirituality, romantic love and death. There are
many rose legends; stories of how different
colored roses came into existence. One compelling
story tells that while running after her mortal lover
Adonis when attacked by a boar, the Greek
goddess Aphrodite pricked herself and her blood
turned a white rose red. (Or in another version a
red rose bush sprung out of the ground from her
dripping blood). With the rise and growth of
Christianity this flower symbol of the goddess of
love Venus/Aphrodite turned into a symbol of
Christ/Virgin Mary and began appearing in the
stained glass of Christian churches and mosaics.
In England during the historic Wars of the Roses,
a deadly struggle for the throne, a white rose
represented the House of York and a red rose the
House of Lancaster. As his mother was from the
House of Lancaster and he married into the House
of York - King Henry VII created the Tudor rose
symbol, both red and white roses intertwined
together, cementing the end of the long wars and
unifying the two family houses.

Like the many types of roses there are many roads
of resistance. In How to Do Nothing: Resisting the
Attention Economy artist Jenny Odell illuminates
the rose gardens that 'want you to stay awhile'.
I have documented here the Roses of Resistance
but there are other flowers now and in history ~
carnations of the democratic Carnation Revolution
of Portugal, flower pins of the anti-Nazi Edelweiss
Pirates of Germany, illuminated environmental Yves
Rocher Buttercups of France, feminist White
Camellia of Australia, and the anti-rape Flower
Demos of Japan and sunflowers of Ukrainian
solidarity. From large revolutions to intimate art
activist actions, they are our partners these
flowers of awareness, rage and resistance ~
sprouting new opportunities in our continually
evolving garden of humanity.