Late June and the hedgerows of Scotland are decorated with wild roses weaving their way through the shrubs. Most common among these are the dog roses - one theory being that the plant got its name because dog was a derogatory term for common while others believed the root of the plant could heal the bite of a wild dog!
While dog roses range in colour from dark pink to white, the Burnet rose or little white rose has become a symbol of Scotland second only to the thistle.
The Rose of all the world is not for me
I want for my part
Only the little white rose of Scotland
That smells sharp and sweet — and
breaks the heart.
Hugh MacDiarmid (1892-1978)
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