Here's my unfinished rose using the mesh gradient.  Each petal has it's own mesh gradient (with the exception of the innermost top of the core).  I haven't added any highlights yet. Not sure if I like the top center, seems like I need to make it flatter somehow.  And trying to decide if the rose has too much dark in it. May take a few days off and come back to get a new perspective.  Constructive comments are welcome. I'm still new to using mesh, so I'm lucky to have gotten this far!

A little more work on it, adjusting petals and colors a bit.  Still no highlights.  Inkscape is so slow on this very old laptop, crashed a few times, so it's at a snail's pace.  Here's pic #2:

Very nice!

Will it eventually have some leaves?

Thx Brynn.  Just added some leaves and adjusted more colors.  Can't decide if it needs more high or low lights, I'm about rosed out!  ps I used the voroni in the leaves, so thx for that.  Undecided if I like it yet.

And when all else fails, add a few more highlights and petals.  I might be done, I hope. 

This is a copyrighted design by me (UGAD, 2019), all rights reserved.

Depth is much better on this last version!

Hi Flamingolady,

I see your rose. Now I understand what you needed the green leaf for in your other topic!
And I understand your question about shadows and light too. Let me think about that one.

This looks really nice. Good work Flamingolady!

thanks so much Victor Westmann!  I keep working on it as I get time, esp the leaves.

Thanks jellyfish!