In 2013, Jutland native Emmelie de Forest won the Eurovision Song Contest with her song “Only Teardrops”. Seven years later, she returned to her former hometown Mariager to be honoured with a rose bearing her name.
Danish rose company Roses Forever named their 2020 breed Emmelie de Forest Forever. The bouquet rose is baby pink in its core with paler petals towards the outside. When planted, its bush can grow up to one metre tall and one metre wide.
The rose was bred by the aptly named Rosa Eskelund, one of the most respected female rose breeders in the world. To local newspaper Randers Ambtsavis, Eskelund said that the rose represented Emmelie, as the flower is “beautiful, dignified and strong”.
Emmelie de Forest receives rose during special ceremony
In an official ceremony, the rose was presented to the public with, amongst others, Mariagerfjord Municipality mayor Mogens Jespersen giving a speech.
According to Randers Ambstavis, Emmelie de Forest was left feeling extremely honoured. As quoted in the newspaper, she said upon receiving the flower: “And then right here, in Mariager, which is the city of roses and my hometown.”
Also at the ceremony, Emmelie performed a stripped-back version of her Eurovision-winning single “Only Teardrops” in front of an audience of a few hundred visitors who had come to the presentation of the new rose.
Emmelie de Forest is not the first well-respected Dane to receive a flower in their name of honour, bred by Rosa Eskelund. Previously, legendary actress Ghita Nørby, widely-acclaimed writer Lise Nørgaard, designer and author Jim Lyngvild and even late Prince Henrik of Denmark received a special rose.
The rose is not on the market yet, but will be available for worldwide sale soon.
What do you think of the flower? Would you fancy yourself a Emmelie de Forest Forever rose? Let us know in the comments down below!
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I’m happy to see her getting some honour and recognition 🙂
It seems like she didn’t quite succeed after winning the contest, which is a shame