Roses are red,
violets are blue....
Wait, what!?! Why are roses red? Verily, there are far more colours and hues of roses than the requisite red. One can find oh so many marvellous varieties and pigmentations, both naturally and made by man. But I am getting ahead of myself, dearest reader.
For the next few moments, we are resigned to muse on the miscellaneous array of miraculous colours available to the rose-minded blossom enthusiast or friend of flowers.
In my yesteryears, I bestowed gifts and such — oh so many pretty and pleasant roses — in the pursuit of romance. Alas, I am no longer a bachelor, but your devoted and honourable narrator. As such, let us begin our perusal of lore and learning with respect to the respectable rose.
My first encounter with the rose is dated 35 million years ago. As such, they are one of the oldest flowers — the first form of elegance and grace found in nature. They are fragrant, edible, and, of course, quite romantic. Whether it is a single stem or a full bouquet, trust that anyone can appreciate these beautiful flowers.
Although back in the day, they were to be hung from ceilings in rooms where confidentiality was required, the meaning of the rose has evolved and bloomed over time. They are presently considered a universal symbol of love and passion, but they are also used as gestures of friendship and fun. Since the rose comes in different shades and hues, please use my proficiency of the perennial pompon wisely for your next arrangement.
But, I must digress briefly...Before going into the colours of roses, let's explore how many of them you’ll need to dazzle your loved ones. If you just met someone, one rose is plenty, but if the feeling is mutual, two roses would be delightful. Three roses should be given if you're ready to say, "I love you." So ladies and gentlemen, if you receive three roses on a first date, assuredly you must run quickly in the other direction.
And now, without any more suspension or gilding of the lily, a rendition on the remarkable colours of the rose.
Red
The red rose undoubtedly represents love. The 'L' word is powerful and hard to vocalize. In my days as a bachelor, I found that gifting this flower illustrated what words could not. If you have already been bold and said your 'I love you's,' the classic red rose can reinforce your feelings.
Unfortunately, as the universe would have it, love is not always straightforward. It would be easy to say “I love you, here is a red rose,” but love is much more nuanced and levelled. There are dimensions and degrees of love, like the variety of colours of found in roses. For new love, pink roses are much more suitable. While the message they send may be just as powerful as the deep red, they convey it in a less desperate way.
White
I remember when white rose would deck the halls of a wedding to exemplify purity, new beginnings and youthfulness. An old friend once told me that 12 roses are considered good luck on one's special day. Some even throw petals at the happy couple as they walk up the aisle to share the luck of love that accompanies a wedding. Nowadays, all manner of white flowers are generally considered for the nuptial boutonniere and other arrangements. It is the bride's preferences, the season of the ceremony, and the florist's foundation that can change the blossoms seen on any given wedding dated.
One Word of Caution: Do not throw an ivory rose at a wedding. Both flowers are practically identical, but should never be confused. Although the white rose is a wonderful wedding flower and regarded as romance material, the ivory rose is gifted to someone you care about, but not at all romantically. It might be rather awkward to find such a shade at a celebration of romance and commitment. The difference is subtle, but very much present. The ivory rose has a subtle pink blush at the borders of the petals, unlike the white rose, which is, marvellously and miraculously, all white.
Yellow
In my youth, Victorians used this flower as a symbol of jealousy. However, like the ivory rose, the yellow ones don’t have any romantic associations. They should be sent to a friend as a “thinking of you” gift. I’ll repeat myself here, for potency and purpose, this flower is for platonic relationships only. You may use them to tell the recipient that they are in fact in "the friend zone." Most definitely, do not make the mistake of sending this to your lover — especially if your intention is to profess your passion.
Purple
Hues of purples are the most enchanting and mysterious of all - and there is nothing more enchanting than love at first sight. The feeling of seeing your love for the first time has such striking and foreign, yet amazing. feeling. This feeling was always associated with how beautiful and perplexing the purple rose presents itself. However, let me ask you this, do you believe in love at first sight? This circumstance seems rather unreal and unobtainable to many, just like the blue flower. Blue flowers can only be obtained via artificial means. The purple rose is a hybrid between a blue, white and pink one. For this reason, although the purple rose is associated with love at first sight, it is also a symbol of its impossibility and unlikelihood.
Orange Blush
The orange blushed rose, otherwise known as Just Joey was created in Rogers Pawsey's late wife, Joey. This hybrid tea rose is a blend of your everyday rose and apricot. Not only is the sentiment behind this rose, but the smell is also delightful! There is no doubt in my mind they deserved their place in the Flower Hall of Fame.
Which rose is your favourite?
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