The Peace rose was introduced in 1945, and was given to each of the delegates at the first meeting of the United Nations, some very clever marketing indeed.

Ours is still quite small, but will grow to about 4 feet. Flowers bloom on new wood, so it should be pruned early in the year to promote fresh growth. The blooms are not very long-lasting, although I’ve read they will survive longer as cut flowers. We may give that a try when the bush is bigger, but for now we just enjoy them while they last.

Like most hybrid teas, Peace can be plagued by black spot, a fungal disease which can defoliate the plants, particularly in humid conditions. This can be treated with commercial fungicides, but if you’d like to try a more homespun remedy, two parts water to one part milk sprayed on the leaves once a week is supposed to be just as effective.