A garden that includes roses named for the Greek Olympian gods has some good modern roses to choose from but will have to borrow from Roman Olympian to be complete. There are no roses named for Hephaestus or Dionysus but roses named for the Roman equivalents, Vulcan and Bacchus are available. The roses named for Athena are florist roses and not suitable for growing in the garden but a rose name for the Roman equivalent, Minerva, may be substituted. Some deities such as Hera, have more than one rose named for them. Various types of roses are included such as hybrid tea, floribunda, hybrid perpetual, hybrid musk, and gallica. Colors range from yellow and orange to red, lavender, pink, and cream. Many of the roses are fragrant.
Zeus: King of the gods, sky and thunder
Rose Name: ‘Zeus’
Type: Climber
Origin: U.S., 1959
Color: Medium yellow
Petal Number: 25
Scent: Mild
Hera: Queen of the gods
Rose Name: ‘Hera’
Type: Hybrid Tea
Origin: Netherlands, 1924
Color: Medium red
Petal Number: 40
Scent: Strong
Rose Name: ‘Hera’s Song’
Type: Hybrid musk
Origin: US, 2009
Color: Pink blend
Petal Number: Full (26-40)
Scent: Strong myrrh
Poseidon: God of the sea
Rose Name:‘Poseidon’ (aka ‘Novalis’)
Type: Floribunda
Origin: Germany, 2010
Color: Mauve or mauve blend
Petal Number: 50-60
Scent: Mild
Demeter: Goddess of agriculture and fertility
Rose Name: ‘Demetra’
Type: Hybrid tea
Origin: Germany, 2003
Color: Orange-pink, salmon pink
Petal Number: Very double
Scent: None
Rose Name: ‘Demetra’
Type: Floribunda
Origin: Italy, 2002
Color: Yellow blend
Petal Number: Full
Scent: None
Dionysus: God of wine, fertility, and ecstasy. There are no roses with the name ‘Dionysus’ but one named for the Roman equivalent, Bacchus.
Rose Name:‘Bacchus’
Type: Hybrid tea
Origin: United Kingdom, 1951
Color: Deep pink
Petal Number: 25
Scent: Moderate
Apollo: God of healing, poetry, and light
Rose Name: ‘Apollo’
Type: Hybrid Tea
Origin: US, 1971
Color: Medium yellow
Petal Number: Double (17-25)
Scent: Strong
Artemis: Goddess of hunt, virginity, childbirth, archery, the moon, and animals
Rose Name: ‘Artemis’
Type: Shrub
Origin: Germany, 2004
Color: Cream with green highlights
Petal Number: Full (26-40)
Scent: Strong anise
Hermes: Messenger of the gods
Rose Name: ‘Hermes’
Type: Hybrid tea
Origin: Germany, 1935
Color: Deep yellow
Petal Number: Double (17-25)
Scent: Moderate
Athena: Goddess of wisdom, handicrafts, defense, and strategic warfare.
There are two florist roses by the name of ‘Athena’ that are suitable for greenhouse culture. For the garden a better choice is ‘Minerva’ the rose named after the Roman equivalent of Athena.
Rose Name: ‘Minerva’
Type: Floribunda
Origin: Belgium, 2010
Color: Mauve, mauve blend
Petal Number: Full
Scent: Strong and sweet
Ahphrodite: Goddess of love
Rose Name: ‘Aphrodite’
Type: Hybrid tea
Origin: United Kingdom, 1928
Color: Orange or orange-red
Petal Number: Semi-double,(9-16)
Scent: Strong
Rose Name: ‘Aphrodite’
Type: Shrub
Origin: Germany, 2006
Color: Pink
Petal Number: Very full (41+)
Scent: Spice
Rose Name: ‘Aphrodite’
Type: Gallica
Origin: France, 1827
Color: Red with violet shading
Petal Number: Double (17-25)
Scent: NA
Hephaestus: God of fire.
There are no roses named for Hephaestus; use ‘Vulcan’ the rose named for the Roman equivalent of Hephastus.
Rose Name: ‘Vulcan’
Type: Hybrid perpetual
Origin: France, 1861
Color: Red
Petal Number: Double (17-25)
Scent: None
