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How Roses Got Their Meaning

Have you ever wondered how roses came to symbolize so many emotions? For starters, humans’ relationship with the flower dates back at least 55 million years, according to fossil records. That means that even our earliest ancestors came into contact with these pretty petals. The variety was also widespread, appearing in Europe, Asia, and North America. There are over 150 unique species of roses, so it is no wonder that they have taken on a wide range of meanings. People have always been naturally drawn to roses with their lush, velvety petals, vibrant colors, and signature scent. 

Authors of Ancient Greek mythology began to feature roses in their stories. The famous Aphrodite, goddess of love, was said to have emerged from the sea in a cloud of foam that melted into white rose petals. The legendary lover was again linked to roses when her feet, bloodied from running to her dying lover Adonis, turned white roses crimson. Ancients who received red roses as a gift could not help but recall Aphrodite’s love story. The coveted blooms were also used by mythological characters as bribery or gifts. Many ancient Greeks and Romans were familiar with these stories, and recognized the rose as a symbol of love and death when it was used at celebrations or funerals. 

 

How to Say it With Roses

People all over the world give roses to those they care about most. Especially on Valentine’s Day, flower shops are stocked with the colorful and fragrant blooms, ready to be delivered to sweethearts. Roses, however, are not just a symbol of love. The flowers are also associated with friendship, hope, sympathy and many other meanings. 

 

Why We Use Roses to Communicate

People have used the “language of flowers,” called Floriography, to communicate messages to one another throughout history. In fact, talking through the gift of flowers has been documented in traditional cultures in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The practice really began to take off, though, in the Victorian Era, from 1837-1901, when the Queen of England popularized the tradition. Gift-givers could carefully select flowers, each with a unique meaning, to give to friends or loved ones. There were even floral dictionaries that the recipient could use to decode the message. For example, you could say:

 

  • “I want to get to know you,” with periwinkle and acacia for new friendship.
  • “I have a crush on you,” with gardenias for secret love. Red roses may come on too strong here!
  • “Goodbye for now,” with forget-me-nots to encourage old friends to keep in touch when moving away.
  • “I’m sorry for your loss,” with red poppies for condolences. 

 

Not all messages were favorable, however. A gift of prickly cacti, tansies, or petunias in Victorian times could denote hostility.

You may be wondering, however, why someone would use flowers to express their feelings rather than coming right out and saying what they mean! Floriography blossomed during the Victorian Era, when strict etiquette often prevented people from letting their feelings show. While it was sometimes considered inappropriate, or too forward, to express love or friendship, giving the gift of flowers allowed people to subtly get their messages across. The Victorian nosegays even came to be known as “talking bouquets” for their ability to say what the giver was thinking. Nosegays were petite handheld floral bouquets, like the ones carried by many of today’s prom-going teens. Recipients of the nosegays could carry their bouquet or pin it to their clothing if they dared to display the message they had received in public. 

Although we live in much less conservative times than the Victorians did, there are still some moments where it’s tough to put our feelings into words. How you express yourself often depends on your personality and your relationship with the person you’re talking to. For example, when you want to say “I love you,” for the first time in a relationship but you don’t know if the person loves you back, some may give the gift of red roses to let their flame know their feelings are deep before uttering those words. In times of condolences, flowers can also be particularly useful when you feel words alone can’t describe your sympathy for their loss

Roses and many other flowers have taken on a variety of meanings, stemming all the way back from ancient times. So the next time you are struggling to find the right words to say, try the language of flowers that is still known by many today.

 

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