"The rose is a true all-rounder for health and well-being!"

Interview with naturopathy expert Angelika Gräfin Wolffskeel , medical author Susanne Schütte and Primavera Life Managing Director Kurt Ludwig Nübling on " Rose Medicine "

"The 'Queen of Flowers' is considered a symbol of beauty and love in many cultures. However, she is not just a superficial 'beauty queen', but scores points above all for her inner values, which have been handed down for centuries and which modern pharmaceutical research is also recognizing more and more clearly. Healing ingredients calm the heart, give the skin vitality and elasticity and strengthen the immune system, to name just a few of the beneficial effects of roses or rose hips. But the rose also wants to be carefully cared for, loved and admired..."

Angelika Gräfin Wolffskeel, Susanne Schütte and Kurt Ludwig Nübling, authors of the guidebook “Rose Medicine”, have combined their extensive knowledge of the healing properties of the queen of flowers and provide practical tips for cultivation and care as well as proven rose applications for 100 common ailments.

The queen of flowers is considered a symbol of beauty and love in many cultures. How did this meaning come about and why are roses still so popular today?

S. Schütte: Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and patron of love, was born from the sea spray, naked like any baby. When she became aware of her nakedness, the beauty hid behind a bush - a rose bush with white flowers. Since this ancient Greek legend, the white rose has stood for pure love, for blooming beauty. But the cheerful goddess was not so strict about loyalty. One of her lovers, the beautiful Adonis, was attacked by a wild boar. He died in her arms, and the drops of his blood colored the flowers of the rose bush dedicated to her red. Since then, the red rose has been considered a symbol of passion, power, desire and lust. Roses have been cultivated for more than 2000 years and have lost none of their significance to this day, perhaps it is their beguiling scent, perhaps their beautiful appearance or the captivating variety of their colors and shapes...

No other plant has been invested in as much creativity and sophistication as the rose. How many different types of roses are there?

KL Nübling: The mothers of all roses are wild roses; Rosa alba and Rosa gallica were the origin of all breeding creativity. Today, depending on your point of view, there are between 100 and 250 types of roses with 30,000 to 50,000 varieties, divided into cultivated roses and wild roses. Ultimately, it is the growth form that divides the roses into different rose groups. There are climbing roses, rambling roses, bush roses, miniature roses, shrub roses, wild roses, hybrid tea roses and bed and standard roses.

From the very beginning, people have been fascinated not only by the beauty and diversity of the rose, but also by its valuable ingredients. What are the "inner values" of the flower and what effect do they have on the body and soul?

Angelika Countess Wolffskeel: The rose was and is highly valued in monastery medicine, by Hildegard von Bingen and in the context of Bach flower therapy. The inner values ​​are of course in the essential oils that are available to the human organism. Flowers and pseudo-fruits have a variety of effective ingredients, including vitamins, bioflavonoids, terpentenes, fats, tannins, radical scavengers (such as the polyphenol quercetin) and sugars. Tannins, for example, help against inflammation and sore skin, and scented oils have an effect on the soul, for example for sleep disorders or sadness. The importance of vitamin C, obtained from rose hips, is obvious. As you can see, the spectrum of effects is enormous.

If you don't want to get your hands dirty in your own rose garden, there are many ways to enjoy the sight and scent of this noble plant or to learn more about it. Where can rose lovers best experience their favorites in all their colors, shapes and scents?

S. Schütte: There are wonderful rose gardens in Germany that display thousands of roses in all their diversity. The "Rosarium Glücksburg", the gardens of the Sababurg, the "Wilhelmshaven Rosarium", the "Europa-Rosarium" in Sangershausen, the Rosarium in Uetersen, the "Rose Novelty Garden" on the Beutig, the rose garden in Dresden and many, many more... Roses can be found in city parks or around historic palaces and castles, as well as in many apothecary or medicinal plant gardens. Just walk through the world with your eyes open, even some cottage gardens have wonderful roses to offer!

You can treat many everyday ailments naturally with roses. What are these and what should you bear in mind when using them ?

Angelika Countess Wolffskeel: Many possible uses are known from empirical medicine. The areas of application for roses and rose preparations range from psychological impairments to purely physical ailments. For example, they are used for weight loss, high blood pressure, colds, joint problems, nervousness and sleep disorders, burns, menopausal symptoms and much more. When using them, you always have to consider what you want to use the rose for: internally or externally, in an aroma lamp, as a compress, tea or tincture? Since the applications often work via smell and taste receptors, i.e. via the sensory organs, a low dosage is always to be assumed - the basis and decision criterion must also be the individual level of well-being.

As we all know, there is no rose without thorns – are there, in a figurative sense, properties or ingredients that are harmful to health ?

Angelika Countess Wolffskeel: No, there are no harmful properties and no contraindications are known. It is possible that one or two people may dislike the scent of a rose, but that is a very personal aversion.

As an extra, your guide even contains unusual recipes using roses. What is so special about this ingredient? Are plants from your own front garden also suitable for this?

KL Nübling: The roses from your own front garden are a wonderful alternative if you grow them organically and do not treat them with toxic fertilizers or insecticides. The rose is of course impressive due to its decorative qualities, but also due to its special scent and taste. We associate it with summer, and perhaps also with deep feelings and longings. A great combination that also delights us in the food on our plates. Of course, the valuable ingredients of roses and rose hips also come into their own in recipes. Just make sure - as with any food - that you cook the precious ingredients gently.

Book tip:
Angelika Countess Wolffskeel von Reichenberg, Susanne Schütte and Kurt Ludwig Nübling: Rose medicine. The queen of flowers heals so gently. The best uses for 100 common complaints. Plus 30 delicious recipes from the rose kitchen. Mankau Verlag, 1st edition February 2017, paperback, 16 x 22 cm, full color, 287 pages, 20 euros (D) / 20.60 euros (A) ISBN 978-3-86374-349-9.

Event tip:
Webinars with Angelika Countess Wolffskeel of Reichenberg

• 20.03.2017, 7 - 8 p.m.: Rose medicine - How gently the queen of flowers heals PLUS (12 euros). More...
• July 10, 2017, 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.: Rose medicine - How gently the queen of flowers heals PLUS (12 euros). More...
• 06.11.2017, 7 - 8 p.m.: Rose medicine - How gently the queen of flowers heals PLUS (12 euros). More...

Link recommendations:
To the new blog www.rosenmedizin.de
More information about the guide "Rose Medicine"
To the reading sample in PDF format
More about Angelika Countess Wolffskeel of Reichenberg
More about Susanne Schütte
More about Kurt Ludwig Nübling
To the Internet forum with Angelika Countess Wolffskeel of Reichenberg