History of the Rose The wild rose, of which there are several species in Montana, was considered as one of the choices for our state flower and is the national emblem of neighboring Canada. Like the Bitterroot flower, the wild rose was noted by The Lewis and Clark expedition at Travelers' Rest, just a few miles south of here. In general, the rose has been used both in America and Europe for its many health and beauty benefits. Among Native people, the wild rose was used primarily for medicinal and spiritual reasons rather than as a food source. The Nez Perce, for example, hung rose sprigs on a baby's cradleboard in order to drive away ghosts. The flower was also woven into legends of Coyote, the spiritual helper of a number of tribes within the region. From spring through summer, the gardens and hillsides of Blue Mountain B&B are in bloom with wild or domestic roses of one variety or another. Two of the most beautiful wild shrubs on Blue Mountain's hillsides are the chokecherry and serviceberry. As part of the rose family, they welcome the spring with a bounty of white blossoms and are followed in pink by the wild rose. Whether wild or domestic, the rose has been a symbol of love and royalty throughout the course of Western history, and within its symbolic beauty, it will surely bloom for gardener, poet and lover for years to come. Close Window