Colorful, fragrant, and graceful, it’s no wonder roses hold a special allure for romantics, artists, and designers! Their blooms span nearly the full color spectrum from feminine shades of demure pastels to pure saturated colors to bold confident hues in solid, striped or variegated petals. From the purest white to the darkest red, plus pink, yellow, orange, mauve, russet, and many shades in between, roses coordinate with any setting. Their fragrance will fill a room with classic rose, citrus, sweet, or spicy notes.

It’s also not surprising that roses have accumulated deep symbolism and a devoted following. They are America’s national flower, as well as the state flower of Georgia, Iowa, New York, North Dakota, and the District of Colombia. They’re June’s birth flower and the 15th and 50th wedding anniversary flower. New Year’s Day celebrates them with a parade and football game in Pasadena.

Probably most of all, roses are an irresistible indulgence and a way to express your true feelings. When you’re tongue tied or can’t find the right words to express your feelings, there’s no better flower than roses to do the talking for you. Roses have long been used to send covert messages which are easily decoded if you know their secret language. From love at first site, friendship, or true love to new beginnings, appreciation, and congratulations, there is a color to symbolize your heartfelt sentiment. Shop our site to see what we’re saying with roses.

Did you know there is a whole language around the color of roses?

Here’s a handy recap for easy reference:

Red – enduring love, romance
Lavender – love at first site, enchantment
Bright orange – passion and excitement
Coral – desire and happiness
Yellow – friendship, gladness, delight
Light pink – happiness, joy, admiration
Deep pink – appreciation, thankfulness
White – innocence, purity, honor, reverence
Peach – appreciation, admiration

The language of roses also has some noteworthy nuances other than color. Thornless roses in any color signify love at first site. All rosebuds represent innocence. The number or roses also has significance. Although one dozen of red roses is still considered as one of the ultimate love signs, other numbers can temper or amplify the emotion.

1 rose – you are the one
2 roses – mutual love and affection
3 roses – shared love. Traditionally given on the one month anniversary
6 roses – infatuation
9 roses – we’ll be together forever
10 roses – perfect love
12 roses – be mine
13 roses – friends forever
15 roses – I’m sorry
2 dozen roses – I’m yours
3 dozen roses – head over heels in love
50 or more roses – love that knows no bounds

If Your Roses Start To Look A Little Sad Try These Rescue Tips:

• If some of the outer petals have turned brown, simply cut them off with scissors or remove the outer petal to restore the look of a fresh bloom.
• Who hasn’t been disappointed at finding their roses sadly hanging their heads down? This happens when air has traveled up the stem, blocking the flow of water. Luckily this can be easily remedied! Simply cut the ends at an angle, dip the freshly cut end briefly in one-inch of boiling water to release the air bubbles, then and quickly move them to very cold water. After standing in cold water for about an hour their heads should perk back up.
• If you’ve accidentally let your roses dry out, sadly this is often fatal. However, it’s worth trying this emergency rescue remedy. Cut the bottom of the stems, wrap the flower heads in paper and submerge in boiling water. Remove the paper and cut the stems again. Transfer the roses to a deep vase of cold water (almost up to their heads) for a few hours.
• If you need your roses to open in a hurry for a special event, place them in plenty of water in a warm, brightly-lit room.

For more information about roses visit Beneva Flower’s Floral Facts.