This special day started in 1922 by a Herbert Kingston. Kingston wanted to show care and love for orphans who didn’t have parents to love them so he created Sweetest Day. Many well known actresses of that time joined in by helping and passing out candy to all the children.Sweetest Day is celebrated on the 3rd Saturday in October. Today many people keep the tradition alive by showing appreciation for loved ones but also remembering people, especially children, who need some loving attention.

Many people have carried on the tradition and keep Herbert Kington’s dream alive by spreading the love to all who need it. On this special day people like to show love and care to important people in their lives. Small gifts and cards cost a little comparable to how big a difference they can make in someone’s life. Candy and flowers are good gifts for adults, but children are more likely to enjoy sweets and small toys.

Still today many people donate gifts and presents to people who are in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities. The important thing is not just the gift, but giving the gift of love and letting someone know you care.

I think that miniature roses and fine chocolates are ideal gifts for Sweetest Day. What do you think?

• Fight the recession blues by adding at least one new rose to your garden.
• Show your children or grandchildren how to plant and care for roses.
• Host a garden party for your fellow rosarians.
• Set up a tour of your rose gardening club member’s gardens.
• Visit a public rose garden near you.
• Join a local rose gardening club.
• Begin a garden blog to celebrate your rose garden.
• Send photos of your roses to friends and family.
• Post photos or videos of local rose gardens on Flickr or YouTube.
• Gather your favorite rose photos and create a coffee table book to give as gifts.
• Create your own special postage stamp or seal celebrating your own rose garden.
• If you are a scrapbooker, create a special page or whole scrapbook devoted to your garden, especially your roses.
• Take a shut-in to visit a public rose garden near you.
• Give a rose plant to a nearby nursing home
• Volunteer to help care for the roses at a local park.

The GardenSites.Info Directory is the place to go to find public gardens and rose garden societies by state.

Interesting bits of rose trivia:

• Since 1986 the rose has been the official National Floral Emblem of the United States.
• A rose is the official state flower of: the District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, New York, and North Dakota.
• George Washington was the first rose breeder in the US.
• Roses are native plants in the US.
• Roses are big business: 1.2 billion are sold annually.

Source: International Cut Flower Growers Association

This post was first published in June 1, 2005. It was updated May 28, 2009.

If the rose enthusiast on your list enjoys books, American Rose Society Encyclopedia of Roses will be sure to please. It contains stunning photos and a wealth of information on almost 2,000 different species. Any rose lover could lose themselves for hours in this beautiful book.

Another book worth considering is 100 Old Roses For The American Garden (Smith & Hawken) by Clair G. Martin. It offers page after page of gorgeous photos as well as a wealth of information about these old favorites. It contains everything from information on their history to a field guide with details about planting, hardiness and care. There’s also a list of roses by color in the back which will come in handy when planning new additions to the garden.

If a book doesn’t quite cut it, you might consider purchasing a membership to The American Rose Society. Becoming a member offers many perks including free or discounted entrance into more than 200 arboretums and gardens across the U.S. and Canada, a subscription to American Rose magazine, and discounts on roses and growing supplies at many nurseries. The ARS also has local chapters arranged by district which is a great way for your loved one to meet others who share their love of roses.

Almost all gardeners will purchase practical items to keep their plants looking their best, but they aren’t always as likely to take the same care in treating themselves to something special. Giving a gift that inspires the rose lover on your list to dream and plan is a wonderful way to show how special that they are to you.

Keep in mind that the rose is a classic flower. Whatever the occasion, the rose almost shouts that it is a ‘proper’ flower. Folks who only deal with flowers for the big events in their life find roses are good choice because they are familiar but also have a complex design. Roses are an easy choice but their beauty suggests thought and effort has gone into the arranging flower for your big event.

That may sound simplistic, but it’s true – you could have a wedding flower which is full of meaning for you, picked out carefully and colour co-ordinated, but if it’s an unusual flower, some guests will invariably think ‘should have gone with roses.’

Speaking of colour, this is another advantage the rose has for weddings. The first colour most people associate with a rose is red, and a red rose is the classic colour of love – so how can you go wrong at a wedding with that? A white rose speaks of virginity and purity, so mix red and white together, and you’ll always have a great combination!

The rose comes in all sorts of colours, pretty much any colour in the spectrum. This means that you can start with the basic white, and then use coloured roses which match the bridesmaids dresses for example.

If you don’t go for the rose as the main wedding flower, don’t worry, you can always use roses as the table settings — again it’s a classic winner.

Some people say that the rose is ‘too’ traditional for weddings, to the extent that it’s a boring choice showing a lack of imagination. While I can see that point of view, I disagree – I think it’s a sign of traditional values attached to a traditional ceremony. In our ever-changing times of today, there’s a lot to be said for old values and traditions, and the rose does the job just fine!

Gardening is itself a rewarding experience that brings us in touch with nature and offers the opportunity to be creative.

Why do people, regardless of gender, age, or beliefs, become fascinated with the art of gardening? What makes us want to be rose gardeners?

1. Gardening enriches our aesthetic sensibilities. Rose gardening is more art than technology or physical labor.
2. Gardening gives us a sense of fulfillment. It’s not always easy to work with plants – especially roses. You have to spend time designing, planting, and caring for your garden.
3. Gardening allows us to practice our landscaping skills. We have to have a plan and a goal for our garden.
4. Gardening would give us something to look forward to everyday. Some days devoted to planting or pruning, other days we can cut roses for the table or just sit and admire the wonderful garden we created.
5. Gardens offer something for all the senses. Gardeners can enjoy the fragrance of a rose, the song of a bird, the feel of a grass carpet, or just the mix of colors and textures.
6. A garden can help boost any property’s value. Statistics show that houses with gardens sell better than houses without any landscaped area.
7. Gardening gives you skills that can be shared with others. Some folks become so skilled that gardening become their profession, others become master gardeners so they can help others develop their gardens.