Bed of roses

For other uses, see Bed of roses (disambiguation).
In Comforts of a Bed of Roses (1806), James Gillray caricatured Charles James Fox in the last few months of his life, which were neither easy nor peaceful.

Bed of roses is an English expression, which means an easy and peaceful life. Most likely based on a rose representing happiness and love, so a bed of roses would represent a very happy life, e.g., "Just because you sleep on a bed of roses," meaning "Just because you've got an easy life."

The expression is from a line in Christopher Marlowe's poem The Passionate Shepherd to His Love. This was published posthumously in 1599; Marlowe died in 1593.

And I will make thee beds of roses

And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle

Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;

In popular culture