Care:  Important information on making your roses last longer.

Facts: Fascinating info concerning rose history, medicinal  values, and mythic legends

Meanings: What rose color and the number of roses in an arrangement are trying to say

Basic Care:
Cut roses don't have to be here today and gone tomorrow. Their vase life can be extended with a little TLC and special care to keep the blooms looking fresh longer. You should be able to enjoy fresh cut roses for 7 to 10 days by following these tips to help add days to their life and beauty...

• Use plain, lukewarm water for cut roses.
   
• Change the water every 2 days -- don't just top it off. This is the single most effective thing you can do to keep your flowers looking fresh!
   
• Both heat and moving air take moisture from the flowers at an accelerated rate. 
  Do not keep roses in excessive warm or dry storage conditions as it can can cause roses to wilt quickly.
  Any cut flower arrangement will last longer if it's kept cool. Place roses where they won't be exposed to direct sunlight, heat from appliances or electric lights, or hot or cold drafts. Move them to a cool place at night - If possible, place vased roses in the refrigerator at night.
   

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Wilting Roses

• Prematurely wilting roses are also caused by air bubbles. To prevent air bubble blocks, make a new stem-end cut while holding it in water. A small droplet of water will cling to the stem end as you transfer the rose to the vase. This prevents the bubble from re-forming.
   
• Always use a clean container for cut flower arrangements. Previously used vases may contain bacteria that will quickly multiply and block the water-conducting tubes of the flower stems.
   
• Remove foliage below the water line. Foliage decaying in the water hastens the demise of the flowers by contributing to the bacterial buildup.

A few more pointers..

• You can keep cut roses from drooping by poking a pinhole in the stem right below the blossom.
   
• Limp roses can be revived by standing up to their necks in lukewarm water in a cool room.
   
• Do not bash the stems of roses, as this prevents them taking up water effectively.
   
• Don't remove thorns unless for a hand-held posy, as these can cause wounds where bacteria can enter causing the rose to rapidly wilt.
   
• Keep cut flowers away from fruit, which releases a gas that causes flowers to age faster.
  

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  Basic Care   Wilting Roses   Feeding

Rose Care:

Rose Facts:

Meanings:

Feeding:
Some methods to prolong the life of cut roses work better than others...
Here are a few preservatives:

• Add a commercial flower preservative - or some Seven-Up and a few drops of chlorine bleach to the water if possible. Either of these provides some food, in the form of sugar, and inhibits bacterial growth.
   
• Put a penny and an aspirin tablet in the vase. The theory is that the copper acts a fungicide and the aspirin makes the water more acidic.

• Add one part lemon-lime soda (not diet) to 3 parts water. Then to each quart of this solution, add 1/4 teaspoon bleach. Thereafter, add 1/4 teaspoon bleach after each 4 days of use.
   
• To 1 quart water add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon bleach.
   
• Add 2 ounces Listerine mouthwash per gallon of water. Listerine contains sucrose (food) and a bactericide. Listerine is acidic and is said help water move up the cut stem.
   
• Re-cut stems every third day and change the water, adding more flower preservative each time.
   

A tip to consider...

Floral preservative can help the flowers last longer. You can use a commercial preservative or make your own. However, some experts advise against any home concoctions because they don't provide the complex mixture of nutrients and preservatives that cut flowers need to survive.
Others argue that using all-natural ingredients serve the purpose as effectively, and the needed ingredients are usually already available at home.

• Basic Care   Wilting Roses   Feeding

Care:  Important information on making your roses last longer.

Facts: Fascinating info concerning rose history, medicinal  values, and mythic legends

Meanings: What rose color and the number of roses in an arrangement are trying to say

FACTS:

Name: Botanical name "Rosa"

Color: Roses are available in every color except for blue and true black.

Availability: Roses are available all year round and probably the best known and best-loved flower in the world.

Varieties: For extra scented roses, look for 'Sterling Star' (lilac), 'Jacaranda' (blue-pink), 'Osiana' (peach-cream), 'Sterling Silver' (lilac) and 'Extase' (deep red).

Origins: Roses are truly ageless. Recently, archaeologists discovered the fossilized remains of wild roses over 34 million years old. That said, traditional history still informs us that roses originated from China.
Roses are now cultivated from America to Africa - and from Eastern Europe to the Far East.

History:

The Rose has always been featured strongly throughout history. The people of ancient Greece used roses to accessorize. On festive occasions, they would adorn themselves with garlands of roses and splash themselves with scented oil.
Cleopatra knew full well the seductive power of roses. When she entertained Mark Antony on her barge, Cleopatra made sure he was surrounded by the fragrance and extravagance of the flower. Not to do things half-assed Cleopatra had the banquet tables scattered with roses, the floors covered 18 inches deep in petals, the couches lined with rose-filled mattresses, and rose-filled net bags were used as cushions for the two lovers.

The Romans believed white roses grew where the tears of Venus fell as she mourned the loss of her beloved Adonis.

Napoleon's wife Josephine so adored roses, she grew more than 250 varieties.

Shakespeare refers to roses more than 50 times throughout his writings.

The crusaders when defeated by Saladin in Jerusalem returned to the west with rose plants which were then cultivated by monks in their monastery gardens for their medicinal properties.

Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer  brought the first cultivated roses to North America in the seventeenth century.

Rose Care:

Rose Facts:

Meanings:

Medicinal:

Highest in vitamin C - While the rose may bear no fruit, the rose hips (the part left on the plant after a rose is done blooming) contain more Vitamin C than almost any other fruit or vegetable.

Rose water was successfully used to cure all kinds of ailments, such as trembling, constipation, drunkenness, skin and throat infections and insomnia.

Rosehip tea is often recommended in pregnancy because of roses medicinal properties, .

Rose oil can also reduce high cholesterol levels.

Roses keep you young. Roses are used in face toners and perfume and are one of the most effective anti-ageing ingredients.

Fascinating Facts:

The World's Oldest
The world's oldest living rose bush is thought to be 1000 years old. Today, it continues to bloom on the wall of the Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany.

Confucius
The great Chinese philosopher, Confucius, is said to have had a 600 book library specifically on how to care for roses..

Christianity
The red rose is symbolic of the blood of Christ and a symbol of martyrdom, charity, the passion and resurrection.

The White Rose
The white rose is linked to the Virgin Mary — the rose without thorns.

Islam
In Islam, the rose signifies the blood of Mohammed and his two sons.

Rose Jelly
Old scented roses were used to make jelly in the 19th century .

National Emblem
The Rose is the official National Floral Emblem of the United States.

National Rose Month
June has been the National Rose Month in the United States for the past 30 years and counting, .

New York
New York's state flower is the rose.

England's Symbol
The red rose is the symbol of England and is worn on St George's Day.

Symbol of Love
The red rose is also the symbol of love and is hugely popular on St Valentine's Day, as roses make up the largest proportion of the million spent on flowers on that day in all countries which celebrate the holiday.

Dolly Parton's Name
Dolly Parton was named after an orange / red variety of rose  .

Rose Care:

Rose Facts:

Meanings:

Legends:

It was Aphrodite (according to Greek Mythology) who gave the rose its name.

In Ancient Greek mythology, when Venus' son Cupid was stung by a bee he accidentally shot arrows into a rose garden. It was believed to be the sting of the arrows that caused the roses to grow thorns. When Venus walked through the garden and pricked her foot on a thorn, it was the droplets of her blood which turned the roses red.

During the Roman Empire, legend has it that there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe. Her beauty drew many suitors who pursued her relentlessly. Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe was forced to take refuge in the temple of her friend Diana. Unfortunately, Diana was of a jealous nature and when the suitors broke down her temple gates to get near the beloved Rhodanthe, she became furious. Enraged, Diana turned Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.

In an Arabic legend, all roses were originally white until one night when the nightingale met a beautiful white rose and fell in love. At this stage nightingales were not known for their melodious song — they merely croaked and chirped like any other bird. But now the nightingale's love was so intense that he was inspired to sing for the first time. Eventually his love was such that he pressed himself to the flower and the thorns pierced his heart, colouring the rose red forever.

The Prophet Mohammed, in another legend, was away fighting a war when he began to long for his wife, Aisha. Mohammed was tormented by the idea she was being unfaithful and asked Gabriel for help. Gabriel suggested Mohammed give his wife a simple test. When he returned home he should ask Aisha to drop whatever she was carrying into the water. If she was faithful, it would stay the same color and prove her unwavering love.
Mohammed finally returned from his battle and Aisha rushed to greet him, carrying a huge bouquet of red roses. She was surprised when he commanded her to drop them into the river, but obeyed and the roses turned yellow.
Eventually, Mohammed forgave his favorite wife but, for some, the yellow rose remains a symbol of infidelity.

Rose Care:

Rose Facts:

Meanings:

The Meaning
Behind the Roses

Why are you sending some one roses?..  Or what do the roses you received mean?
Traditionally used by lovers, each rose or bouquet can communicate thought and feelings, or secrets between two people..

What's are the messages?

Let's take a look at the answers!

Rose Color Meaning
Rose Quantity Meaning
Rose Arrangement Meaning

Rose Colors:
   What they mean:

Red ~ Love, Beauty, Courage and Respect, Romantic Love, Congratulations, "I Love You", "Job Well Done", Sincere Love, Respect, Courage & Passion.

Dark Red ~ Unconscious beauty.

Deep Burgundy ~ Unconscious, uncontrived Beauty

White ~ Purity, Innocence, Silence, Secrecy, Reverence, Humility, Youthfulness, "I am worthy of you", Heavenly.

White (Bridal) ~ Happy love.

Pink ~ Appreciation, "Thank you", Grace, Perfect Happiness, Admiration, Gentleness, "Please Believe Me"

Light Pink ~ Admiration, Sympathy, Gentleness, Grace, Gladness, Joy, Sweetness.

Hot Pink ~ Appreciation, Gratitude, "Thank You".

Orange ~ Desire, Enthusiasm.

Peach ~ Appreciation, Closing the deal, Let's get together, Sincerity, Gratitude.

Pale Peach ~ Modesty.

Coral ~ Desire.

Lavender ~ Love at first sight, Enchantment.

Yellow ~ Joy, Gladness, Friendship, Delight, Promise of a new beginning, Welcome Back, Remember Me,  Jealousy, "I care".

Gold ~  Absolute achievement

Yellow with Red Tip ~ Friendship, Falling in Love.

Cream ~ Richness, perfection and the best qualities

Green ~  Freshness, good health and abundance

Blue * ~ The unattainable, the impossible (* Blue roses are colored since they do not actually exist in nature).

Black * ~ Death, Farewell  (* Black roses are colored since they do not actually exist in nature).

Examples
of Color Color Combinations:

Red & White ~ Given together, these signify unity.

Red & Yellow ~ Given together; jovial celebration, and happy Feelings.

Pink & Red ~ Given together; passion and romance.

Yellow & White ~ Given together; harmony.

Lavender and Orange ~ Given together; falling in love and desire to know them even more.

Blend of Pastels ~ Pastel or pale blends of roses together represent friendship and sociability.

Rose Color Meaning
Rose Quantity Meaning
Rose Arrangement Meaning
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Rose Arrangements:

A Single Red Rose ~ I love you". When in full bloom it expresses a deeper love or "I love you still"..

A Single Rose in any color ~ Simplicity, Gratitude.

Thornless  Rose ~ "Love at first sight"

Two Roses Entwined ~ "Marry me" or means that an engagement or marriage is in the near future..

Petite (Sweetheart) Roses ~ As the name implies, these roses convey the message "You are my sweetheart". Because they are small, they are usually come in bouquets with a large number of roses and mixed assortment of colors. Like most roses, they can also convey messages of love and gratitude.

Short Stemmed Roses ~ Short stemmed roses symbolize sweetness, youth and innocence.

Long Stemmed Roses ~ Long stemmed roses are the most popular roses for all occasions. With their elegant appearance, these roses convey a message of love and rememberence. Long stemmed red roses are the classic symbol of romantic love. The traditional meaning for a bouquet of long stemmed roses is "I will always remember you"

A Dozen roses of one color and 1 of a contrasting color ~  Given to express appreciation for anothers uniqueness and as a means of illustrating to that person how they stand out amongst all others. Colors chosen are specific to the emotional feelings involved. For example; Eleven yellow roses with a single red rose tells someone you would like to be more than just friends.

Rosebuds:

Red Rosebud ~ Symbolic of purity, beauty, innocence and loveliness.

White Rosebud ~ Symbolic of purity and girlhood.

Pink Rosebud ~ Symbolic of youth, grace and loveliness

Rose Color Meaning
Rose Quantity Meaning
Rose Arrangement Meaning
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Quantity of Roses:

  1 Rose:  Love at first sight or devotion to one.
 
  2 Roses: Mutual feelings of love and affection

  3 Roses: "I love you"

  4 Roses: "Your charming"

  6 Roses: "I miss you"

  7 Roses: Infatuation

  8 Roses: "I hunger for you"

  9 Roses: Together forever

10 Roses: Perfect love

12 Roses: One dozen roses is a declaration of love and appreciation

13 Roses: From your secret admirer or "we are friends forever"

24 Roses: Two dozen roses says "I belong to you" or "thinking of you 24 hours a day"

36 Roses: Head over heals in love or "I cherish our relationship"

40 Roses: "My love for you is genuine"

50 Roses: Unconditional, boundless love

100 Roses: Represents a century and says "I want to grow old with you"

108 Roses: Proposal of marriage

Rose Color Meaning
Rose Quantity Meaning
Rose Arrangement Meaning
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Care:  Important information on making your roses last longer.

Facts: Fascinating info concerning rose history, medicinal  values, and mythic legends

Meanings: What rose color and the number of roses in an arrangement are trying to say

Posh Posy Florist www.poshposy.net