The Rose :

NEVER OUT OF STYLE, THE ROSE IS THE MOST ROMANTIC FLOWER IN THE WORLD. WHETHER YOU’RE OPTING FOR A TRADITIONAL OR MODERN LOOK. YOU CAN’T GO WORNG WITH BEAUTIFUL ROSES

Long considered a symbol of beauty and love, the rose has captivated commoners and royalty alike. Legend has it that Nero required rose petals to be strewn at his feet and wore wreaths of roses at his many weddings, and that Cleopatra seduced both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony with the flower. The rose figures in many a myth and fairy tale, and romantic writers and poets have used the flower as a metaphor for emotion, beauty, passion, and true love.
The “first o’ flow’rs,” said Robert Burns of the rose, and was he ever right. The sweep of color, the grace, the history : Roses are so well understood and broadly worshipped that they defy hyperbole. They swim in metaphor (bed of roses, mighty like a rose, rose – colored glasses), signify unbridled devotion (England’s rose), and for centuries have engendered the adulation of the world’s poets, artists, and lovers.

Cleopatra carpeted her palace floors with rose petals and used them to stuff her pillows. Sultans in ancient Baghdad perfumed their harem rooms with thousands of vases of rose water. Lovers forbidden to express their feelings openly in the harems used roses to secretly communicate – an open red rose proclaiming love and precursor to the Victorian language of flowers. When defeated Crusaders returned to Europe form the Middle East, they brought back roses, which were cultivated by monks as medicine long before rose hips were discovered to pack a wallop of vitamin C.
It’s not the rose’s ubiquitous nature that makes it such a popular wedding flower bloom – it’s the flower’s strong history of symbolism that makes the inclusion of certain blooms in bouquets so meaningful. In times gone by, when young lovers weren’t allowed the freedom to express their feelings as they are today , roses were often used as a secret means of communication. During the Victorian era, suitors would present a bouquet of roses to their intended. These bouquets were called tussie – mussies and every courtship began with their presentation. The content of these tokens often changed as the relationship did, until the bride walked down the aisle with the most meaningful bouquet. So, just with the most meaningful bouquet. So, just what do the hundreds of different varieties of roses actually mean? According to the numerous book written on the subject of roses’ hidden language of love, rosebuds symbolise beauty, youth and a heart innocent of love. Red rosebuds mean ‘pure and lovely’ and white rosebuds signify girlhood. An open red rose says ‘l love you’ and also stands for respect and courage, while a bouquet of white and red roses symbolizes unity. White roses (a favorite in many bridal bouquets) stand for reverence, humility, innocence and purity, and apparently say ‘I’m worthy of you’. Pink roses means grace and gentility. For more subtle shades of meaning, deep pink stands for gratitude and appreciation, while light pink conveys admiration and sympathy. Yellow roses usually send out the message of joy and gladness, and red and yellow blends stand for jovial and happy feelings. Coral or orange roses denote enthusiasm and desire, while a deep burgundy rose means ‘unconscious beauty’ Two roses taped or wired together to form a single stem signal an engagement or coming marriage, which is why a traditional buttonhole for a groom is two roses wired together. And even rose leaves have a hidden meaning – these are apparently a symbol of hope. So, if you decide that roses will form even a small part of your wedding flowers, why not have a think about what your displays will symbolise – it will give so much more meaning to your special day.

The unparalleled popularity of roses has sometimes worked against them, though, especially among more creative brides, who associate them with national florist chains and the clich? of baby’s breath. Truly creative types, however, know better. The flower’s incredible color palette, everything except blue and true black, though the ultra – dark reds get close enough to fool the eye; the variety of shape and size, from garden specimens to hybrids; and the year – round availability make roses worthy of consideration by even those who seek something really different.

Garden roses work just as well as long – stemmed varieties for bouquets, since they’ll be cut anyway. (They smell like perfume, too!) In fact, rose stems are often replaced with wire to reduce the heft of the handle.

When you’re buying roses, choose tight flower, but not so tight they resemble bullets. There should be some indication that they’re starting to open. (These days there’s little difference between the fine smaller – headed specimens from France and Holland and the grander large blossoms from South America; both are reliable and open beautifully.)

When roses go bad, they rot from the outside. That’s why you’ll see people plucking bad petals before offering them for sale. Save yourself the heartache – those kinds will never open.

If you believed Gertrude Stein, you might think that a rose is a rose. In fact, there are more than three thousand commercially grown varieties of roses, with many available year – round . Their accessibility means that roses can be surprisingly affordable. However, the price of roses goes up around key flower – giving holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day – so if your wedding date is near one of these holidays, you may wish to rethink your flower choice. And although you may associate the rose with a luxurious fragrance, not every rose scented.

Always popular, roses are far from boring, particularly when it comes to color. Some, such as the all – white ‘Virginia’, are a single, solid color. Others are bicolor, like the ‘Leonidas’, which is a copper hue accented with russet. There are striped roses, such as the famous garnet – striped ‘Rosa Mundi’, and tipped roses, like the yellow ‘Peace’, edged with pink.

Three main types of roses are likely candidates for your wedding flowers: hybrid tea roses, spray roses, and garden roses.

1&2 Hybrid Tea Rose
Falling under the horticultural classification know as modern roses, the hybrid teas are the ones you generally see at your local florist. The ‘Black Magic’ rose (no. I) is sought after for its rich deep color. Bicolor roses like the russet ‘Leonidas’ (no. 2) offer variations of hue and add visual interest to arrangements. Hybrid tea roses have been flourishing since their inception in 1867. They have the classic rose shape, featuring medium to large heads with high, pointy centers and long stems. Grown commercially in environmentally controlled hothouses, they are valued for their uniformity, durability, and global availability. Most have only a subtle scent or none at all. These flowers will last through the day without wilting or bruising. With a moderate price for most of the year, hybrid tea roses are an excellent wedding choice.

If you want to build your wedding flowers around a single color or a palette, consider the hybrid tea roses that come in your chosen color. We’ve compiled some popular varieties by color in the following list. However, as you learn about the different varieties, try not to become too attached to a specific one, since it may not be available or at its peak around your wedding. When your wedding approaches, you will want the variety that is at its peak.

CREAM / WHITE : ‘Bianca’,
‘Virginia’, ‘Vendela’
LAVENDER : ‘Blue Bird’,
‘Silver Cloud’, ‘Sterling Silver’
ORANGE : ‘Miracle’, ‘Sari’, ‘Spicy’
PEACH : ‘Eva’, ‘Surprise’, ‘Versillia’
PINK (DEEP) : ‘Bolero’,
‘Orlando’, ‘Sorvenir’
PINK (PALE) : ‘Amorosa’,
‘Charming Unique’, Veronica’
RED (CLASSIC) : ‘Carmen’,
‘Classy’, ‘Red Devil’
RED (DARK) : ‘Black Magic’
‘Carte Noir’, ‘Deep Secret’
YELLOW : ‘Aalsmeer Gold’
‘Lemon Dream’, ‘Skyline’
BICOLOR : ‘Anna’ (cream and soft pink),
‘Fancy Amazon’ (cream and red),
‘Laguna’ (cream and deep pink),
‘Leonidas’ (russet and gold)

3. Spray Rose
With as many as five to ten small heads on each stem, spray roses appear more natural and garden – grown than do single – headed hybrid tea roses (even though both are commercially produced). Because the stems have multiple heads, spray roses can fill out a bouquet or arrangement with fewer stems than with hybrid tea roses. Available in single – hue as well as bicolor varieties, spray roses can be mixed and matched with hybrid teas in complementary colors.

4. Garden Rose
Don’t ignore these beauties simple because of their alternate name, old fashioned roses. Rare garden roses, such as the dark pink ‘Wimi’ shown here, open fully and have a classic rose scent. By strict definition, and old garden rose is one that belongs to a class late existed before 1867, but you can identify them by their bushy, open heads. These roses prosper in the summer months and are more fragile than hybrid teas. And although they emit a sweet scent, they’ll wallop your wallet while charming your nose – be prepared to pay a high price for these fragrant, rare blooms.