By Patti Spezzaferro
The red rose speaks of love silently,
in a language known only to the heart.Anonymous
What is it about a red rose bestowed on Valentine’s Day that screams I love you? The color has long been linked to romantic love, revolutions, religion, and the majesty of the monarchy. The tradition dates to ancient times.
As far back in Greek mythology, the creation of red roses has been linked to Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. It is believed that when Aphrodite came across her lover, Adonis, who was wounded by a wild boar, a mixture of her tears and his blood produced a beautiful red rose bush when it hit the ground. As a result, the red rose became a symbol of romantic devotion.
The red dye was costly, difficult to obtain, and thus became synonymous with royalty during the Middle Ages. Consequently, world leaders used red clothing to exhibit their power for hundreds of years thereafter. Before Queen Elizabeth 1 coronation, she wore richly decorated red dresses and red coifs to send an unequivocal message of the young woman’s political and moral strength. After the fall of the monarchy, the color red was then taken up by revolutionaries worldwide to symbolize new liberties, power, and freedoms, as worn by the red caps of the Bolshevik, the Cultural and the Cuban Revolutions. In addition, it held religious significance as a symbol of the blood of Christ with members of the church clergy wearing red vestments on Good Friday to honor the memory of the sacrifice of Christ.
So this Valentine profess your devotion by gifting red ruby roses like the Samurai rose. It has the perfect intense red that oozes luxury with 30 petals with an average rose diameter of 5 inches. The large petals are velvety in texture complemented by the surrounding dark green leaves. The shape of the bloom is perfect for a romantic bouquet also, as the oval buds open to a large double bloom flower.
One further advantage is that this rose is thornless, perfect for gift-giving. Nothing says love like a red, red rose. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone, and don’t forget to smell the roses!
Happy Gardening! Patti