Taking inspiration from the classic story of four girls who were raised by their mother, we put our floral spin on the portrayal of each character.
In case you’ve missed the release of the film and have never had the time to read the book (make the time, by the way – it’s worth it!), Little Women is a classic story of four girls who were raised by their mother while their father was away fighting in the American Civil War. Just like David Austin Wedding Roses, each of the girls have unique and distinctive qualities that we see their mother wholeheartedly embrace as their individual stories of love and life unfold. She accepts them, she challenges them and she reminds them consistently of their unique value in the world.
We wanted to commemorate this iconic semi-autobiographical story by Louisa May Alcott by styling a rose that perfectly embodies each of the five core characters: Meg, Amy, Jo, Beth and, of course, their mother – who is famously referred to as Marmee throughout.
Our Little Women-inspired rose-filled story below tells the tale of embracing individuality with the mother residing at the center of life – and the uncontrollable chaos that it can sometimes bring.
We felt it only right that each character had not only her own rose but also her own color palette, texture and finishing touches – right down to the font and style of the sign-off on the calligraphy tags.
Meg, represented by the ‘Ella’ (Auswagsy) rose, exudes understated class and possesses a quintessential English style. Just like ‘Ella’, Meg’s character is the most traditional of the girls: She dreams of love and marriage and would forfeit almost anything to find something so pure. With the inspiration taken from the scene where we see Meg walk down the aisle at her wedding, we created a floral crown featuring our ‘Ella’ rose, paired with splashes of blue Muscari and Narcissus, bound together by slender twigs.
Amy, unlike her sister Meg, aims to be a wealthy gentlewoman and marry for money, to live the lifestyle she dreams of. She is the youngest of the sisters and, as expected, the most playful, childlike and, often, unpredictable. Our ‘Keira’ (Ausboxer) rose champions this glorious unpredictable nature as she opens to display a rippling effect of pink and cream hues that intertwine so delicately – each bloom unique to the next. As Amy is the most stereotypically feminine of the sisters, we felt it only right that ‘Keira’ be accompanied by rich pink Ranunculus, tied together with lashings of pastel silk ribbons.
In some ways, Jo has traits that coincide with those we see displayed by Amy. She is rebellious, and she is outspoken. However, the fundamental difference between Jo and the other girls is that her feelings of love and marriage are disparate, and she had no intentions to ever accustom to these societal demands. Her portrayal does not make her an unappealing character; instead, it reminds us of her humanity. We feel that our ‘Edith’ (Auspluto) rose, styled in this simple design, captures this earthy sense of self we get from the character of Jo March. She is a flamboyant character yet embodies a relaxed persona, hosting a gold-apricot heart that is cocooned by a halo of softer pink outer petals. Despite her more tomboyish outer shell, we see this softer side of Jo inapparently displayed through her love of reading and writing literature. But, by the end of the novel, “Jo had learned that hearts, like flowers, cannot be rudely handled but must open naturally,” as we see her fall into the arms of Professor Friedrich Bhaer.
Beth’s character is quiet but warm and unassuming. Similar to Jo, she is a silent creative, and when she plays the piano, her passion burns loud and is so notable to all. Our ‘Beatrice’ (Auslevity) rose is that subtle nod to the portrayal of Beth. She has a warm buttery-yellow heart that is encased by a gentle ring of softer, creamier outer petals. As with Beth, there is more to ‘Beatrice’ than meets the eye as she encompasses a strong, complex perfume of myrrh and almond with just a hint of fruit. To complete her look, we embraced all that spring has to offer and styled her with a forage of nature’s finest. Although not quite as loud as our ‘Edith’ rose, she is an understated beauty, nonetheless.
Despite their notable differences, it is the mother, Marmee, who brings them all together. So clearly and cleverly, she reminds us that each individual is different – but thank goodness we are! Like our roses, each variety has been curated to obtain distinctive features whether that be in form, fragrance or color.
Marmee’s bouquet is a powerful representation of the strength that she displays throughout Little Women. She raises the four girls, accepting each of their chosen paths in life while remaining the creative wellspring and guiding light that we know and love her to be. Our ‘Patience’ (Auspastor) rose is the unequivocal choice from our collection to represent Marmee’s character. Her classic aesthetic of pearly white petals surround a heart that contains splashes of warming yellows. Her naturally elegant buds ruffle out into sculpted yet delicate cups, which mimic the adaptability of Marmee’s personality. ‘Patience’ is traditionally scented with a strong fragrance of Old Rose-infused with lemon for that touch of sweetness that we see as each of the girl’s tales unfold.
