Flowers of Valentine Day!
Red Rouse
The traditional Valentines Day gift, red rose. Red also signifies strong feelings.
The rose, undoubtedly the most popular flower in the world, speaks of love and has been the traditional choice of sweethearts during every century. Precisely how it came to be the universal symbol of love and beauty is unclear. However, the rose was a sacred flower of the Roman God- Bacchus (God of Wine and Joy) and Venus (Goddess of Love and Beauty) both considered the beauty and fragrance of flowers to be tied with romance and love. , and the color red is associated with strong emotions since the time of Solomon, the primary flower linked to romance was always the rose. Cleopatra of Egypt covered the floor with roses before receiving Mark Anthony.
A Roman myth is that Cupid was carrying a vase of sweet nectar to the gods on Mt. Olympus and spilled it on the ground. From that spot of spilled nectar, roses grew!
But if roses are so symbolic of romance and love, then why in have the thorns? Well, another story goes like this:
The soft west wind named Zephyr one day opened a lovely rose and Cupid bent over to kiss the elegant petals. When he did, an irate bee hiding inside stung him. Venus got so angry she told Cupid to shoot some bees and string them up on one of his arrows. She then planted this string of dead bees on the rose stems, and the stings became the rose's thorns and ever since roses had thorns.
The ancient Romans also believed that anything discussed under a rose was considered sub rosa and to be kept secret. Today the Latin term is still used today to express something that is to be kept confidential.
Another Roman theory is that the Rose reminded the Roman Catholic Church of watching Christians devoured by lions. Later on, the Virgin Mary was called "The Rose of Heaven."
The rose is symbolic of both peace and war...both love and forgiveness. Interestingly, the letters of "rose" when rearranged, form the word "Eros"...God of Love. In terms of the sentiments expressed by the different colors of the rose, the commonly accepted meanings are:
Coral - Desire
Lavender -- Enchantment and Uniqueness
Orange -- Fascination
Peach -- Modesty, Gratitude, Admiration and Sympathy
Pink (Pale) -- Grace, Joy and Happiness
Pink (Dark) -- Thankfulness, Friendship and Admiration
Red -- Love, Respect and Courage
Deep Red -- Beauty and Passion
White -- Innocence, Purity, Secrecy, Silence, Reverence, Humility and (according to some sources)
True Love
Yellow -- Joy, Friendship, Jealousy, Hope and Freedom
Black -- Farewell
Red/White -- Unity or Engagement
Yellow/Orange -- Passionate Thoughts
Yellow/Red -- Congratulations
Rosebud -- Beauty, Youth and a Heart Innocent of Love
Red Rosebud -- Purity and Loveliness
White Rosebud -- Girlhood
Single Red Rose in Full Bloom -- "I Love You"
One Dozen Red Roses -- "I Love You"
Tea Roses -- "I'll Remember Always"
More Meaning of Flowers
Daisies, Violets and Bachelor Buttons - Kyanus
Except the rose Valentine Day has are a few other flowers considered to be romantic also. .
The Romans believed that the Daisy was once a wood nymph. One day, while dancing in a field she was seen by Vertumnus, the God of Spring who get fell in love with her. But when he reached for her she got frightened. So, out of pity the other gods let her sink into the earth and she became a Daisy. .
I do not know how the superstition of holding a Daisy and plucking off it's petals saying "He loves me" or "He loves me not" got started. .
About Violets: one day it is said that Venus got jealous of a group of beautiful maidens. And when Cupid refused to say that his mother's beauty was better than theirs, Venus go furious, so she beat her rivals until they were blue and she watched them shrink into violets. .
In the Science of Botany, the cornflower is known as Kyanus, named after a Greek youth who was born in a field one day, making garlands of the blue blossoms for the altar of Flora, Goddess of Flowers. He died, unfortunately, leaving some of the garlands undone and so this touched Flora's heart and so in his honor she named the flowers after him.
Say your feelings With Flowers...
You can read page Meaning of Flowers, but in fast explanation here you can find are some traditional meanings for other flowers often sent for Valentine's Day or other touching moments:
Gardenia -I love you secretly.
Gladiolus -You are pierce my heart.
Lily-of-the-Valley -Let us make up.
Sweet William - You are gallant, suave and perfect.
Violet- I return your love.
Green leaves - represented hope in a love affair.
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