I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

 

When I think of romance, roses are the icon.  They can be sweet and delicate, bold and modern, chic and elegant, wild and colorful.  There are so many options and variations to choose from, the only question is how to choose?   For some of the basics, stay with me.  But first, it's all about the story....remember?  So, without further delay:

My father was a Marine.  In fact he was a Drill Sargent, training young Marines for many years.  They all knew him as a big, tough, bulldog.  I knew him as a very gentle giant. He never had to discipline me very harshly, just a glance of disappointment, and I was in tears.  He loved sappy country music, traveling this country that he loved so much, and he LOVED his garden.  Vegetables, fruit trees, but his favorite was flowers.  Of all the flowers that melted his big heart, roses were the queen.  He reveled in the gorgeous colors and the intoxicating fragrance of each one.  I can not see a beautiful rose without thinking how much Dad would love it.  His casket was covered in as many gigantic white roses as I could find.  Pure, sweet and perfect, just like him.  

pure heart rose

I have heard it said that women look for a man that reminds them of their father.  I did end up marrying a man that is very much like my father, in that I am very lucky.  And, he gives me roses,  all different colors, all different kinds, because he knows how much they mean to me.  They mean love to me, there is no doubt about this.

Now for the basics:

As a gift, roses symbolize a number of meanings based upon their color. While there are hundreds of different rose color shades available, there are only a number of meanings associated with the flowers.

Red

1. A single red rose typically means "I love you." Red roses are also symbolic of romantic love, beauty, courage and passion.

White

2. White roses mean purity, innocence, silence, secrecy and youthfulness. In bridal bouquets, they typically signify the happiness of love, and when given with red roses, symbolize unity.

Yellow

3. Yellow roses have a number of meanings, including joy, friendship, the promise of a new beginning, welcoming, remembering and jealousy. Yellow roses tipped with red signify falling in love.

Orange

4. Orange roses signify desire or enthusiasm. Peach roses symbolize appreciation, reaching an agreement, and gratitude, while paler peach stands for humility.

Pink

5. Dark pink roses symbolize appreciation and gratitude, while other shades of pink stand for grace and gentleness as well as a show of thanks.

Purple

6. Burgundy roses represent unconscious beauty, while lavender roses signify infatuation or enchantment.

You can also view this info on the Passion Growers site.


The bottom line here is, choose roses if they have a special meaning for you, or make you feel a certain way.  You will spend a large portion of your event budget on flowers, and they should be spectacular, meaningful, and add an element of romance, delight and fragrance to your day.  Choose with your heart, as well as your head.  And above all, tell YOUR story.