Meet Samantha Rose | Founder, Philanthropist, Flower.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha Rose and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Rose Sanctuary gardens stand as a haven of tranquility and beauty, committed to enriching both local and global communities. We celebrate a culture of equanimity, artistic diversity, and innovative wellness practices. Our mission is to weave sanctuaries globally as beams of mental well-being through our exquisite spa, therapist, bodywork services, and producing healing bio diverse community gardens. Here, we nurture spiritual wisdom, educational growth, and healing arts, fostering harmonics among the mind, body, and soul, all intertwined with the leading rhythm of the natural world.

The proceeds from Rose Sanctuary are lovingly reinvested into visionary initiatives that promote creative growth, sustainable living, and intentional practices. We envision self-sustainable communities blooming with the radiant brilliance of community reformation, where meditation, mindfulness, and holistic practices thrive. Through this cultivated ethos, we seek to take care of each other and elevate our community, creating a tapestry of health, connection, and beauty that enriches the world. It is the manifesto, that we are ever drawn to the desire for sublimity as we continuously refine and elevate the essence of Rose Sanctuary gardens.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My journey began in the heart of Lithia Springs, where, unlike my peers in the class of 2016, I chose not to pursue college immediately. Instead, I took a different path, driven by a creative dream and deep desire to save the world. My first steps into this world of change were taken alongside my sister Stephanie Williams at Trees of Atlanta, a non-profit where I started as an intern. Although my tasks were simple, such as organizing office supplies, I knew this was the beginning of something meaningful. Philanthropy.

Riding home one day, my sister questioned my choice to skip college. “I want to save the world,” I replied, my optimism far outweighing my concrete plans. My early efforts included helping my mom harvest and sell organic produce and honey at the Piedmont Park farmers market, and building cooling clay huts for the homeless with my best friend Armani as children. As high school graduation approached, I responded to the rise in physical violence and bullying by creating a campaign for “free hugs” and launching the Lotus Club. This club provided a safe space for students to engage in meditation, reiki, somatic dancing, and weekend retreats at SweetWater Park.

In my early twenties, I felt my potential was just beginning to ignite. The political climate of 2017, particularly the threats to reproductive rights, spurred me into action. Alongside my best friend Dezsirai, we marched for women’s autonomy, transforming our protest into a sisterhood gathering in Atlanta. Together with my friend Jaz, we hosted healing spaces in Georgia’s forests, drawing on ancestral wisdom to support women in need. This experience awakened in me a sense of empowerment and purpose, encouraging me to continue fighting for woman, environmental, and social reformation justice.

By 2019, I had become a young mother to my daughter Sky, and a dedicated student of Luz, my Tai Chi teacher. I was also pursuing certification in Reiki at the Ra Sehki Healing Arts Temple. Balancing homeschooling, spa work, and healing from my own postpartum depression, I found joy and healing through dance and community. Hosting retreats at SweetWater Creek State Park became a family affair, bringing gentle healing to groups of people seeking solace and transformation that connected them intimately with the land and community.

Then came 2020, a year that no one could have predicted. The global pandemic brought fear and isolation, but I followed my intuition and the belief in our power to self-heal. This led to the creation of Rose Sanctuaries, community organized gardens dedicated to curating “Big Change.” Every Saturday, we gathered under the Mother Tree in Piedmont Park for mass meditation, fostering a vision of social impact and collective healing. For three summers, people from near and far joined us, creating a wildfire of unity and inner evolution.

Today, as a student to world culture, creative visionary, community leader, mother, I am my ancestors wildest dreams and my journey continues. I sit on a plane, planning my next martial arts class, encouraging the mental health of my clients, teaching reiki, and guiding others with a smile and hope for a sustainable future of rehabilitation and thriving resources. I am driven to integrate as a leader among the people, hosting quarterly Rose Retreats in flower fields and therapeutic spas. My wildest dream is to sow seeds of garden sanctuaries worldwide, where community caretakers can thrive, live with purpose, and support one another with equal resources and respect.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Atlanta, with its unique charm of being a city nestled in a forest, offers a dope blend of natural beauty and outside excitement. My ideal day here begins at SweetWater Creek State Park, a haven where I can lose myself in martial arts. The mystical energy of the trails and the cascading waterfalls create the perfect start to any day.

No visit to Atlanta is complete without stopping by my Aunt GiGi’s house in Decatur, “where it’s greater.” The warmth and love at Aunt GiGi’s, combined with the joy of being surrounded by family, make it a special place. Whether we’re sharing stories, new dance moves, enjoying a home-cooked meal, or simply spending quality time, the time spent here is always heartwarming.

Summers in the South are unparalleled charm, with magnolia flowers in full bloom and the air filled with their sweet scent. I love camping at Connected Camping, where the sense of community and the freedom of the great outdoors turn every trip into an adventure. There’s something magical about taking naps in a hammock, feeling the gentle sway as I drift off under the canopy of trees.

Lunchtime means crafting a big, fresh kale salad from locally grown produce, perhaps followed by a visit to a nearby forest to jump into a cool, refreshing spring or lake. These moments of accessibility and connection with nature are rejuvenating and grounding.

As the sun sets, Atlanta’s vibrant nightlife beckons. Dinner at Cheetahs offers a lively atmosphere of graceful woman and delicious food, while a night of dancing at MJQ is always a thrill. The energy and rhythm of the city come alive under the stars, creating unforgettable memories with my friends.

When it’s time to unwind and indulge in some self-care, I head to Platinum Wellness Spa in Conyers. The luxurious treatments and serene environment there provide the perfect escape, allowing me to relax and recharge in opulence.

Atlanta, with its blend of natural beauty, family warmth, and dynamic nightlife, offers the perfect setting for an ideal day. It’s a place where I can truly be myself, surrounded by the things and people I love.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Dear Beloved Attendees of Rose Sanctuary,

From the stems and roots, I extend my deepest gratitude to all of you. You have embraced and supported my vision for community justice, organization and well-being. Your presence, faith, and bravery have been the will of our sanctuary, allowing us to create gardens full of loving-kindness, sustainable healing, and pure beauty.

I also wish to honor and thank my mothers, sisters, and all beings of light, whose guidance and seeds of wisdom that have illuminated this path. Together, with your support and their blessings, we are birthing a new world—a fruitful haven where we gift future generations the joy to believe in their wildest dreams.

With all my love and appreciation,

Samantha Rose

Instagram: @rosesanctuarygarden