To understand why roses became popular, we need to know the meaning behind different flowers. However, roses hold firmly to romance and love. Did you know that in 2020, 69% of all roses bought on Valentine’s Day were red roses? Out of all the flowers purchased on Valentine’s Day, roses accounted for 84% of them. How did the rose become the symbol of true love in the Western culture?
You can find the rose flower referenced to love in the Greek mythology of Aphrodite and her lover Adonis. Shakespeare in his tragic love story play of Romeo and Juliet. Juliet refers to ‘a rose by any other name would smell as sweet’. The Romans had their love of mythology. Venus, the Roman goddess of love, reportedly bled onto white roses, turning them red. The popularity of these and similar myths, plays, and other stories use the rose inference to romance and love. Unknowingly following the tradition of the 19th-century courtship arena, today, some people give roses to the intended one stating, ‘I love you’. So, why are roses in demand on Valentine’s Day?
Roses Convey Different Messages
The color of roses holds a different meaning for those who want to pass a message to the intended one. Therefore, which Valentine’s Day roses will you send?
- An Expression of Love
Red roses hold the record for remaining the symbol of deep and true love. Arguably, the 19th century cemented the relationship between love and roses. At the time, society did not approve of public expressions of love or saying ‘I love you’ aloud to the person courted. Thus, the man sent to his girl a rose flower as a silent message of his love.
These actions set the pattern of showing love for someone by sending them a rose down to our day.
- A Symbol of Friendship
During Valentine’s Day, many want to express their friendship or give a friend some flowers. The intention is not to display romantic love. Sending yellow roses to a friend lets them know you celebrate the friendship you both have with each other. The bright color of the yellow rose brings with it the feeling of warmth and appreciation one has for their friend.
- A Thoughtful Gift
Do you want to show someone gratitude during this day? Pink roses send the message that you admire and have affection for the person receiving your gift. Who do you want to appreciate? Your mum, aunt, or friend? Pink roses say it all.
Defining the color meaning of a rose, we can summarize it this way. White roses represent the message of innocence. Red roses convey deep love, yellow roses show friendship, orange roses show passion, pink roses say admiration or affection, blue roses portray mystery, and the black rose refers to death. So, apart from the black rose, the rose flower connects to relationships, friendship, romance, and love.
Meaning of the Number of Roses
Now that you understand the meaning of the different colors of roses, how many flowers should you send? Let’s break down the language of love by saying it with roses. You have decided on your rose color for love. What else do you want your loved one to know? Say it by the number of roses you purchase. How?
- One miserly rose with a powerful message: I fell in love with you at first sight. Wow, what better way to say it?
- Two roses: We share a deep love between us two.
- Three roses: A simple, I love you.
- Four roses: Nothing will separate us. You both know how far you have come despite the unique challenges faced.
- Five roses: I care so much about you.
- Six roses: You’re it, I want to be yours.
- Seven roses: Do you know that I’m love-struck by you?
- Eight roses: I know what you’re currently going through. No matter what, I support you.
- Nine roses: I am eternally yours. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.
- Ten roses: To me, you are perfect.
- Eleven roses: I treasure you. You are precious to me.
- Twelve roses: Will you be mine?
The above shows the hidden messages found in the number of rose stems you give. The numbers keep going higher but will stop at the twelve roses point.
The Roses’ Delicate Scent
Roses give out a delicate and sweet scent. Reportedly, people say that its fragrance can make you relax as you deeply breathe in its scent. In many romance movies, the couple visits a restaurant set with a relaxing scene for their Valentine’s Day dinners. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that many restaurants during Valentine’s Day copy the same and strew roses and rose petals around their restaurants to create this romantic environment. Some people use the scent of roses to woo their loved ones. Maybe this tradition follows Cleopatra, who reportedly once filled a room with roses to woo Marc Anthony with their scent.
Business Sense
So let’s get down to business. Commercial advertisements, fairy tales, and love stories show flashes of someone receiving a red rose, or a room filled with rose petals when featuring romantic love. These advertisements powerfully plant a thought that influences your mind with the message roses equals love. Therefore, it is no wonder that prior to Valentine’s Day, TV, social media, billboards, and so forth become filled with advertisements of chocolates, roses, and heart-shaped balloons. These massive influences have your loved one expecting flowers on Valentine’s Day and their partners rushing to buy roses.
What influence does this have on businesses? In 2020, in America, people spent $2.3 billion on purchasing flowers. As earlier stated, bought roses took a large percentage of these flower purchases. This amount does not reflect the dollars spent purchasing flowers worldwide. This consumer spending to buy roses or flowers during Valentine’s Day is the best gift of love they can give to flower shop vendors, businesses, and flower farms. It’s the cost of spreading love all around.
Have a Rosy Day
For whatever reason you want to send roses, roses say it all. These timeless flowers convey not only their beauty and delicate scent. The color and number of roses given send a silent message and bring joy to the person receiving them. How about not only giving flowers on a specific day? Why not send out a bouquet full of love on any other day to show your love, appreciation, and gratitude? Flowers, including roses, send the message that you willingly want to invest the effort in connecting with family, friends, or partners. Your thoughtfulness will bring happiness and joy to the one who truly appreciates your gift of roses.
