Rose Water

Valentine’s Day has just come and gone. Millions of flower bouquets, especially those containing imported red roses were given. For many people, the occasional bouquet they receive or purchase is the only relationship they have with the Queen of Flowers. Which is such a pity. The rose has a centuries-long history with mankind. Though always revered for their beauty and fragrance, until the 20^th century, roses were often given prime space in the garden because of their healing and culinary value. Perhaps it’s time for modern society to rediscover the all the ways in which roses can enrich life. 

(I know I did a post about store-bought rose bouquets, but the truth is I would much rather spend that money on rose bushes, especially varieties with strong fragrance. While they’re pretty, commercial bouquet roses rarely have any fragrance. A rose without scent has no soul.)

Rose water is the perfect introduction to crafting and cooking with botanicals. I mostly use it as a face toner because it’s soothing and doesn’t dry out my skin. It’s also emotionally uplifting, like opening a bottle of summer when it’s made with fragrant roses. Who couldn’t use that during a cold, nasty winter? (Being able to pronounce the ingredients of your skin products is an additional bonus.)

Rose water can be found in stores, but I haven’t tried it. Since I have roses in my yard, I prefer to make it. I’ve found instructions on the internet for making with a distillation process. However, it’s not necessary to make things so complicated. Infusion works just fine and doesn’t require much in the way of equipment or materials. And by not using heat, you aren’t destroying the essences of the rose that make it an aromatherapy and health powerhouse.

Here’s what you need.

A large mouth glass jar with lid (2 pint minimum; 1 qt. is better. Jam jars or Mason jars are ideal)

Distilled water

5-6 organic, fragrant roses (double petaled)

Vodka or Gin (Distilled grain, unflavored. Do not use rubbing alcohol!)

Natural coffee filter or cheesecloth

Funnel that fits opening of storage bottles

Decorative, stoppered glass bottles for storage or gift giving (optional)

This bowl contains examples of double-petaled roses. 

The varieties are antique Hybrid Tea 'La France' (big pink rose),

 Pioneer rose 'Thomas Affleck' (dark pink)

and David Austin English Rose 'Tamora' (peach-pink) 

Here’s what you do:

Make sure your containers are clean. Wash with hot, soapy water. You can rinse with boiling water or dry in the oven. Oven drying will probably work best with the large mouth jar since the glass will dry faster turned upside down. Smaller bottles may fall thru the racks unless they can be turned on their sides across the racks. To oven dry, put glass in a cold oven and heat to 350°. Turn the oven off when it’s done pre-heating. Allow the glass to completely cool before handling it. Hot glass can break easily. Glass sanitized by boiling should be removed immediately and allowed to dry while hot. Handle it carefully, with protection, to avoid burns and make sure tongs or other equipment hold the glass securely during transfers. If you aren’t already into some sort of preservation with jars this project might be the introduction that gets you started. Cushioned tongs for handling canning jars would be a good investment, even for just occasional use. Accidents with hot, broken glass are not fun. That being said, while this can be a child-friendly project, unless you know your child has the maturity to follow instructions and handle materials with care, keep their handling of glass to a minimum or not at all, especially when it’s hot.

Pull all the petals off the roses and put them into the jar. Cover with 2 cups of distilled water. The petals will float, so use a wooden spoon handle or bamboo skewer to poke them into the water periodically. As they absorb water, most of them will sink. Let the petals steep until the water turns the color of the roses, and it looks like all the life has been sucked out of the petals. (Might take at least 48 hours.) Put a fine-mesh strainer over an easy-pour bowl or large glass measuring cup. Line the strainer with cheesecloth or a natural paper coffee filter. Empty the contents of the jar into the strainer. Once all the liquid has run through the strainer into the bowl, dispose of the solids. (To keep landfill waste to a minimum, put the used petals in your compost and wash the cheesecloth for another use. If you use a coffee filter, it can go into the compost too.) Add 2-4 tbsp. of the alcohol to your rose water. After blending, the finished product can be dispensed into the storage bottles with a funnel or returned to the larger jar.

 

 Small bottles like this one are ideal for keeping small amounts 

of floral and herbal personal products out of the refrigerator.

This one is in my stash. They are easy to find in craft and hobby stores.

It's rare to find them for more than a dollar or two.

Keep a few on hand for gift giving.

To keep your rose water from spoiling, you must keep it refrigerated. Use small bottles, no larger than 1 - 2 oz. if you want to keep some in the bathroom as a toner. The alcohol does act as a preservative, but it will only keep the product fresh for a week or two without chilling. If you find anything growing in your rose water, throw it out and make another batch. To increase the longevity of your product, it’s important to make sure everything is clean. That’s why you should use glass for steeping the petals and storage. Plastic can’t be heated enough to sterilize it without melting. Not to mention it may contain chemicals you won’t want leaching into your natural product.

Giving and enjoying bouquets is special, but life is too short to be so limited. Look at your living space with new eyes. There are all kinds of gardens and gardening. Our relationship with plants should be about so much more than just decoration, or hard work with very few rewards, if it is to be truly enriching. I wish you healthy, holistic gardening and crafting.

The Project Queen