The Thorn Quiz | People

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Can you scent out which man created the perfumes "Fahrenheit", "Poison" and "J'Adore"?

Answer: Christian Dior

Christian Dior was a French fashion designer. He first opened his doors to the public in 1947 selling haute couture clothing to the rich and famous. His first perfume, "Miss Dior", was also created in the same year.

The rose named after Christian Dior was introduced in 1958 by Meilland in France. The flower is a vibrant crimson hybrid tea rose with a light fragrance.

2. This man could look down but wouldn't be able to see the forest for trees as he ascended into the clouds to become the first man to fly across the English Channel. Who was this aviator?

Answer: Louis Bl�riot

Louis Bl�riot successfully attempted the flight across the English Channel on 25 July 1909 in 36 minutes and 30 seconds. He flew from France to England in his monoplane, the "Bl�riot XI".

The rose named after Aviateur Bl�riot was introduced in 1909 by Fauqu� in France. The flower is a yellow blend rambler with a strong fragrance.

3. Alexandre Dumas did not use rose tinted glasses when he wrote about this antagonist who was also a thorn in the side to three swashbuckling heroes. Who was this Frenchman?

Answer: Cardinal Richelieu

Alexandre Dumas wrote "The Three Musketeers" in 1844. The story told of Athos, Aramis and Porthos, who with the help of d'Artagnan, managed to foil a plot planned by Cardinal Richelieu. In real life, Richelieu was the chief minister to King Louis XIII.

The rose named after Cardinal de Richelieu was introduced in 1847 by Parmentier in Belgium. The flower is an old garden rose, dark purple with a slight fragrance.

4. Hallelujah! This man put the roses in everyone's cheeks when he said he would "reign forever and ever". Who was this composer?

Answer: George Frideric Handel

Handel was a German composer famous for his 1741 oratorio, "Messiah", which included the "Hallelujah Chorus". The lyrics featured the words:

"And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords,
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!"

The rose named after Handel was introduced in 1965 by McGredy in Ireland. The flower is a slightly fragrant cream and pink climber.

5. Which actor came up smelling like roses after he had an affair to remember which was notorious while he was "bringing up baby"?

Answer: Cary Grant

Cary Grant was an English born actor who starred in the films "Bringing up Baby" (1938), "Notorious" (1946) and "An Affair to Remember" (1957).

The rose named after Cary Grant was introduced in 1987 by Meilland in France. The flower is an intensely fragrant orange blend hybrid tea rose.

6. This painter would gild the lily by adding very fine details to a certain flower on canvas, but there was not a frog in sight. Who was he?

Answer: Claude Monet

Claude Monet was a French impressionist artist who created the masterpiece "Water Lilies". It is not one painting but 250 of them, currently housed all over the world in different museums.

The rose named after Claude Monet was introduced in 1982 by Delbard in France. The flower is a hybrid tea rose with creamy yellow petals and splashes of pink. It has a slight fragrance.

7. Which writer created something miserable which would later be turned into a musical masterpiece featuring the melancholy "Bring Him Home" and "I Dreamed a Dream"?

Answer: Victor Hugo

Victor Hugo was a French author, famous for "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" (1831) and "Les Mis�rables" (1862). His deeply dark, Romantic stories would touch the heartstrings of many people for years to come.

The rose named after Victor Hugo was introduced in 1884 by Schwartz of France. This hybrid perpetual rose with carmine red blooms is very fragrant.

8. Which politician made a flowery speech which promised to "fight on the beaches, fight on the landing grounds, fight in the fields and in the streets"?

Answer: Sir Winston Churchill

British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, addressed the Houses of Parliament on 13 May 1940 in what was called his "Blood, toil, tears, and sweat" speech.

The rose named after Sir Winston Churchill was introduced in 1955 by Dickson in the United Kingdom. The flower is an orange-pink hybrid tea rose with a strong fragrance.

9. This singer and songwriter turned over a new leaf when he went solo and winged his way into the record books after he released the 1973 album, "Red Rose Speedway". Who was he?

Answer: Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney and Wings released the album "Red Rose Speedway" in 1973. It featured the song "My Love" which reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart and number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The rose named after Paul McCartney was introduced in 1991 by Meilland in France. The flower is a medium pink hybrid tea rose with a strong fragrance.

10. Which legendary poet wrote these words? "No more be grieved at that which thou hast done: Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud; Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun, And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud."

Answer: William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare often wrote of different flowers; the rose, violet, daffodil, carnation, and lavender, just to name a few. The words above come from his "Sonnet 35"

The rose named after William Shakespeare was introduced in 1987 by Austin in the United Kingdom. The plant is a deep red shrub rose with a strong scent.

SONNET 35

"No more be grieved at that which thou hast done:
Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud:
Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun,
And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud.
All men make faults, and even I in this,
Authorizing thy trespass with compare,
Myself corrupting, salving thy amiss,
Excusing thy sins more than thy sins are;
For to thy sensual fault I bring in sense,
Thy adverse party is thy advocate,
And 'gainst myself a lawful plea commence:
Such civil war is in my love and hate,
That I an accessory needs must be,
To that sweet thief which sourly robs from me."

Source: Author Plodd

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

The Thorn Trivia Quiz

This follows on from my quiz "The Rose", but this time I need you to guess the name of these famous men who have a rose cultivar named after them.

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