Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Rose colors and their meanings

By Tracy Anderson

"That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," according to the English poet William Shakespeare.

Indeed, when we want to convey our innermost feelings to someone special, nothing beats roses as the ultimate symbol of our emotions.

But did you know that there are different meanings attached to the different colors of roses? Just as there are many ways to express ourselves, roses come in a variety of colors that convey a broad range of feelings.

If you want to express yourself clearly or want to know what the bouquet of roses you've just received really means, read this article first.

Red roses are commonly given and are traditionally associated with love and romance. Red rose buds are universally recognized as a way of saying "I love you" for the first time while fully bloomed red roses mean, "I still love you." Among others, red roses also symbolize beauty, perfection and passion.

Pink roses signify grace and elegance. They are often given as a sign of admiration, appreciation and gratitude. Send dark pink roses if you want to say, "Thank you" while light pink roses are a good way to express sympathy or friendship. If you have a romantic relationship, mixing pink and red roses is fine.

"With the many ways in which they can be used to express a range of meanings, pink roses continue to maintain their popularity. The beautiful appearance and fragrance so strongly associated with roses in general, as well as their symbolic importance, can be traced back to the pink rose. While much has changed over the years, pink roses have consistently held their place of prominence in the world of flowers," said the editors of Florapedia.

"Today, pink roses enjoy their own unique position representing elegance and refinement, as well as communicating thanks and admiration. The recipient of an arrangement of pink roses is sure to feel appreciated and special," they added.

Yellow roses were once associated with jealousy but today they signify friendship and happiness. Like the sun, they carry a positive message of warmth and joy. Give them to a true friend or to someone you truly appreciate.

"Throughout history, the color yellow has been closely associated with the sun. As the source of light and warmth, the sun is integral to life on Earth, and has been worshiped in many early societies. It should come as no surprise that the color of the sun would hold many positive connotations. In many Eastern cultures, for example, the color yellow represents joy, wisdom and power," explained the editors of Florapedia.

"However, in Europe at the time of the introduction of these roses, the color yellow carried much more negative overtones. Consequently, yellow roses were long used as a symbol for jealousy and dying love. As time went on, however, the more universal meanings connected with the color yellow have come to prevail and entwine themselves with the yellow rose. Today yellow roses are more commonly associated with joy and friendship," they said. - 15784

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