Roses: a reflection of beauty

There’s a deeper meaning to names of the beautiful flowers we grow in gardens.

- Ludwig Taschner

Roses are loved for their beautiful blooms, but it goes deeper than that. Over the years many roses have been named to celebrate or honour the inner beauty of a person's life.

There is quite a roll call. Many are named for mothers who were dearly loved, for cancer survivors, for actresses who entranced us like Elize Cawood and Nomzamo Mbatha, and for those who epitomised selfless service like Madiba, Walter Sisulu, Dikgang Moseneke and Thuli Madonsela.

This October, a golden yellow rose was named after 16-year-old Cianliné van der Westhuizen for her courageous journey to overcome the effects of a freak accident when she was a baby.

A TV set fell on her, cracking her skull and causing significant swelling in her brain. Against all odds she survived, though her left side was left paralysed.

Her early years were a fight to heal from her brain injury to the point where only the left side of her face was affected.

She lost her smile, but not her spirit, even though teasing and bullying about her appearance took a toll on her confidence.