A Rose Named Peace,: How Francis Meilland Created A Flower of Hope For a World at War, written by Barbara Carroll Roberts and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House, 2022. $24.99 ages 9 and up

 

"But so many things went wrong.
Sudden frosts killed fragile seedlings.
Mildew and insects destroyed rows 
and rows of plants. Even Caddy, the 
family's dog, damaged the new roses
by tearing up an entire planting bed
to bury her bone." 

Francis Meilland grew up a farm boy in the early 1900s in France. The family grew fruits, vegetables, and roses. Once Francis learned about cross-pollination, he made it his life's work to create a new rose, one he would be entirely responsible for offering to the world. His work was time-consuming and required much patience. Many of his roses were bought by other rose growers. None were exactly the one he was hoping to grow. Finally, after many years, he grew a rose with blooms that were shaded from ivory to yellow to an edge of deep pink, and measured 5 inches across.

When rose growers came from many countries to see his family's farm, that one made them stop and stare. No one had ever seen such a rose. It was called 3-35- 40 ('the third cross Francis had made in 1935 and the fortieth plant that had grown from the seeds of that cross'). He would send the visitors cuttings to try in their own gardens. 

Just as he was feeling successful after such a long time, WWII intervened. The people needed food; the Meilland family dug up the rose plants, burned them and set to growing vegetables only. Francis kept one tiny patch of rosebushes. Because of the war and its destruction, Francis had no idea what happened with the cuttings he had sent to other rose growers. 

Following the war, the family farm continued growing vegetables. When there was time, Francis tended his roses. It wasn't long until Francis received a letter from an American rose grower. Francis' rose was a rousing success; resilient and vigorous. It was growing everywhere, in all climates. The grower even suggested a name for the rose that Francis had worked so tirelessly to develop. He called it Peace, a sign of hope for peace wherever it was grown. 

The elegant watercolor illustrations are realistic and fascinating as Mr. Ibatoulline chronicles the contrasting settings of the gardens before the war, and after. His images look like photographs taken at the time, and invite careful observation through all the changes that occurred in Francis' lifetime. His illustrations show readers that working at a dream through good times and bad can have lasting worthwhile results.  

Back matter includes an afterword, the process for patenting a new rose, a glossary and a bibliography.