I see the rose representing first and foremost Hester, the mother figure. Pearl says she was plucked from a rose bush (which breaks off into many other directions as well). Also, in the garden at one point, Pearl reaches for a rose and cries when Hester tells her no. She wants to feel secure in motherly arms.
Another symbolization would be that the garden aforementioned represents the Garden of Eden, and the rose bush is the Tree of Knowledge. Pearl, aka Eve, wants to get the "apple" on the tree, which is a sin.
In this Garden, Hester tells Pearl, Eve, not to take the rose, apple, and is therefore in the shoes of God. This is also shown on the scaffold, where Hawthorne describes Hester as having a halo.
However, we have already established that the rose represents Hester, and the rose represents the apple, which is sin/temptation/evil.
Therefore, Hester is the epitome of sin/temptation/evil. This puts Hester in the role of Satan. So Hester is now both God and Satan.
This leads to the theme that in everything good, there is something evil.
But that's just my thoughts :)
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