Roses, Roses, Roses

Roses: A Story and Some Meanings
Roses are among the oldest of cultivated flowers, with the first known to
have grown in
Asian gardens 5,000 years ago. In its untamed form the flower goes back even
further; fossils of
wild roses date back 35 million years. It seems the appeal of the rose has
stood the test of time.
The ancients explained the beauty of the rose through myths of Godly
creation. The Greek goddess
Chloris stumbled upon a beautiful dead nymph and turned her into a flower;
Aphrodite added beauty; the three graces added brilliance, joy, and charm.
Dionysious donated fragrant nectar, while
Zephyrus the West wind blew away the clouds so
Apollo could shower the rose in sun. The flower was then given to
Eros, the deity of love, and named the "Queen of Flowers."
The Romans had their own ideas on the rose's origin. According to their
legend,
many suitors were lined up to marry a beautiful woman named Rodanthe, but she
had little interest
in any of them. These men were so full of love and desire that they became
rowdy and eventually
broke down the doors to her house. This episode angered the goddess Diana,
who turned the woman
into a flower and her suitors into thorns to teach them a lesson.
Whatever its origin, the rose is undeniably the best-known symbol of beauty
and love.

It is common knowledge that red roses mean I love you.
A dozen of them makes the ultimate statement on Valentine's Day, a tradition
surely developed
by those who measure value by quantity rather than quality.

Lesser-known nuances of meaning are attached to different colors and types of
roses.
Red and white together mean unity
Pink means grace and gentility
Yellow symbolizes joy
Orange or coral roses speak your desire
Burgundy will compliment your sweetheart's unconscious beauty
Sweetheart roses are for couples who like nicknames, as they mean darling,
dear, or honey.
A single rose signifies simplicity.
Don't confuse white roses with white rosebuds; the first means you're
heavenly,
while the second says that you're too young for love.
The rose, which is undoubtedly the most popular flower in the world,
speaks of love and has been the choice of lovers in every century. If you
rearrange the letters of the word rose you get Eros, the god of Love.