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No Good in a Bed, but Fine Up Against a Wall

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No Good in a Bed, but Fine Up Against a Wall

Image Left: Eleanor Roosevelt Roses by Barbara Snyder


Throughout history, a lot of famous people have had flowers named after them. Leonardo da Vinci, Ingrid Bergman, Princes “Di”, Abraham Lincoln, is just a few of those so honored.

Also included among famous people that have had that honor bestowed upon them is Eleanor Roosevelt. Her rose is called the ‘Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt”. Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady and wife to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Mrs. Roosevelt was a social activist and very outspoken First Lady that was never one to spare the public or her President husband the benefits of her ideas and opinions. She stayed up to date on current affairs and often spoke out about issues of the day including those that affected the White House.

When she first heard of having a rose named after her she was quite pleased being an active gardener. However, after seeing the write up in a flower catalog of the day, the following quote has been attributed to her:

“I once had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: no good in a bed, but fine up against a wall.”

Historians have not all agreed that she ever actually utter that phrase but giving the nature of her personality and the sometimes “colorful” manner in which she expressed herself, most all admit that it was certainly something she was quite capable of saying.

Keep in mind that as a young woman she played field hockey in school and it has been said that she loved to drive race cars.

Another interesting but not well-known fact about the former First Lady, she was the niece of our 26th President, Teddy Roosevelt (1901-1909) and the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945). She was the 5th cousin, once removed, to Franklin D. Roosevelt.