Roses: the age-old choice for Valentine's Day
| Published: 31st January 2008 22:37 |
Roses: the age-old choice for Valentine's Day
On February 14th, we spend £22 million on flowers to show our true feelings to our loved ones - and a large proportion of that is spent on roses. For centuries the rose has symbolised love and passion, but the rose fascinated us long before we came up with its Valentine's meaning. In ancient Egypt, Cleopatra covered the floors of her palace with a thick layer of rose petals every day. The mattresses and pillows of her bed were stuffed with rose petals. Roses were luxurious and decadent flowers, symbolising beauty and wealth.
The rose has since been imbued with magical, medicinal and therapeutic properties. In fact, there is a special rose language invented as a secret means of communication between lovers who were not allowed to express their love for one another openly in the harems of the Middle East. In the mid 18th century Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, the wife of the British ambassador in Constantinople, described this in her letters, which were published after her death. These letters inspired many books on the language of flowers, each describing the secret message hidden in each flower. This was massively fashionable in Victorian Britain, where it was not appropriate to discuss one's feelings openly. This language is no longer used but for that associated with the rose: a red rose bud still stands for budding desire, an open white rose asks "Will you love me?", an open red rose means "I'm full of love and desire", while an open yellow rose asks "Don't you love me any more?".
Rose secrets
So just where does the allure of roses come from? The secret is in the petals. The texture of rose petals is sensuous and silken to the touch. Not only are the senses of sight and touch stimulated by the rose, but its fragrance hides a scientific secret that aids 'falling in love'. PEA, phenylethylamine, is a substance found in fresh roses, which helps give them their distinctive scent. PEA contains an amino acid known to slow the breakdown of beta-endorphins. Beta-endorphins are "happy hormones", which give us a high and the euphoria of being in love. The effect of PEA has been described as a mood-altering chemical that is able to prolong feelings of sensuality.
Roses are certainly mysterious, being one of the UK's top flower choices year-round and still steeped in symbolism whilst other flower meanings have been lost. It is no wonder they are a favourite for the most romantic day of the year.
Rose uses
You don't need to stick to red roses to make a lasting impression this Valentine's Day. Other colours such as pink, white and orange make a fantastic and more cost-effective alternative, and are more suggestive than overt in expressing your feelings. You don't need to buy a hundred stems, either - you can make a single rose dazzle with a smattering of glitter, or dress it up with different foliages or interesting wrapping. A mixture of pink, red, green and white roses looks stunning if you want to create a more extrovert bouquet, and don't forget greenery - the key to making the best bunch from a single type of flower is to pad it out with lots of foliage so it can keep its shape. Look out for unusual things to use instead of plain green leaves, such as hypericum berries which come in red, cream, green and burgundy, or trachelium which comes in white and purple.
Rose SOS
Running around from chocolate shop to card shop to florist can mean that your roses are left without precious water, which can affect the lasting capabilities of the flower. Some people find that their roses will wilt at the neck, which indicates an airlock in the stem, preventing water from reaching the head of the flower. But you can revive it with these simple steps:
1. Soak an old newspaper in cool water, and wrap each rose tightly in a few sheets of paper, so the flower head is once again upright
2. In a clean vase or bucket, pour a few inches of boiling water
3. Cut 2-3 inches off the end of the rose stem with a sharp knife at as much of an angle as possible
4. Stand the roses in the hot water for a few minutes
5. Transfer to a container full of deep, cool water, and stand for 8 hours.
When you unwrap your roses, you should find them once again standing upright and perky!
Rose alternatives
Of course, roses are not the only flower available at this time of year and it is often much nicer to buy your loved one's favourite flower rather than the most popular choice of red roses. Red flowers of any kind say passion, so look out for seasonal flowers such as the huge trumpets of amaryllis, totally glamorous; classic tulips - everyone loves these; delicate anemones; and carnations - the large-flowered ones are exotic and longlasting (which might send the right message!) Or be saucy with an anthurium - shaped like a giant heart in glossy red it sends a clear signal of desire. Look out for exotic and longlasting orchids too which regularly come top in Flowers & Plants Association popularity polls. Pink ranunculus are a beautifully pretty spring flower, with fat, tissue-paper flowers bursting with petals. Or what about a cheerful red gerbera - very appropriate for a message of friendship rather then passion. Instead of expensive perfume, why not give a posy of fresh seasonal, scented flowers? Freesia, hyacinths, and tazetta narcissi all have wonderful fragrances and are widely available at this time of year. Or track down the tiny fragrant bells of lily-of-the-valley - the celebrity's favourite and only available for a very short while, in a few places, it shows you've gone to a lot of effort to please! Another great idea is to give an unusual houseplant such as racy anthurium, heart-shaped hoya or a glamorous gardenia - which will be even more longlasting, just like your love!
For more romantic ways with flowers and plants, visit www.flowers.org.uk.
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