How we embroidered our first cabbage roses

Some roses captivate us with their fragrance, others with their colour. The Centifolia Rose does so with its extraordinary abundance.

Known as the Rose of a Hundred Petals, the Rose of Painters, or perhaps more amusingly the Cabbage Rose, Rosa centifolia is instantly recognizable by its rounded blossom composed of countless overlapping petals that gently spiral towards the centre. The resemblance to a cabbage gave rise to one of its most familiar nicknames, yet there is nothing ordinary about this magnificent old rose.

Developed in the Netherlands between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries through the breeding of several ancient rose groups, the Centifolia became one of Europe’s most celebrated garden roses. Its rich fragrance made it precious to perfumers, while its sculptural beauty fascinated generations of artists. It soon became one of the most frequently portrayed flowers in Dutch and Flemish still-life paintings, earning the name: the Rose of Painters.

Why We Almost Left It Behind

When we first began designing the symbolic rose collections for Telling Roses, the Centifolia was almost left aside.

“The cabbage rose has already been painted hundreds of times,” we thought.

Why add yet another interpretation?

But the more we studied it, the more we realised that such a rose simply could not be ignored.

Its beauty is timeless. More importantly, its very structure speaks a symbolic language that perfectly resonates with our vision.

My First Symbolic Rose

As the founder of Telling Roses, I decided to leave most embroidered roses to our Artist of the Roses. She quite literally has art and roses running through her veins.

Yet I wished to create one symbolic rose myself.

The Centifolia became my beginning.

Rather than reproducing every petal faithfully, I searched for its underlying geometry.

Three generous layers of petals.

A rounded blossom.

A centre unfolding in a gentle spiral.

As the embroidery slowly emerged from the fabric, I discovered something unexpected.

The simpler the form became, the more harmonious it felt.

Soon I found myself stitching Centifolias in pink, yellow, blue, violet, gold and many other colours, each one carrying a different emotional atmosphere while preserving the same peaceful structure.

The Symbolism of the Centifolia

Historically, the Centifolia became a symbol of beauty, refinement and abundance through centuries of art and cultivation. At Telling Roses we chose to build upon this heritage with our own symbolic interpretation.

To us, the Centifolia speaks of prosperity, harmony and flourishing life.

Its countless petals evoke the richness of an existence lived fully.

A hundred petals for a hundred years of good fortune.

A hundred petals for friendships yet to be made.

A hundred petals for experiences still waiting to unfold.

A hundred petals reminding us that life is rarely measured by what we possess, but by everything that gradually blooms within us.

Like every rose in our symbolic collections, colour further shapes its meaning.

A golden Centifolia may celebrate abundance and achievement.

A blue one may speak of imagination.

A pink one of affection.

A violet one of inner wisdom.

The underlying symbolism remains the same: a life unfolding generously, layer after layer.

The Mother of the Moss Rose

Curiously, the story of the Centifolia does not end here.

This remarkable rose also gave rise to one of our most beloved rose families: the Moss Roses.

Through a natural mutation, certain Centifolias developed the characteristic moss-like growth surrounding their buds, sepals and stems, creating the velvety, resinous texture that makes Moss Roses so distinctive today. In many ways, the Moss Rose continues the story that began with the Centifolia.

Only the Beginning

Long live the Centifolia.

At Telling Roses we feel we have only just begun to unfold one among the countless possible interpretations of this extraordinary rose.

Much like its hundred petals, its symbolism seems endless.

And we have the feeling many more Centifolias are still waiting to bloom.

Discover more about our Centifolia symbolic collection and our hand embroidered one off creations.