The love of flowers, especially the rose, is universal, one of the simple but beautiful things of life that cannot be destroyed even by the mechanization, noise, and overcrowding of modern cities. The poorest home in a city slum will have its geranium, its hollyhock, its cactus or its wallflower, and usually its rose, struggling for existence perhaps, but bravely representing man’s undying love for plants.
Man is a gardener by instinct. However limited may be his opportunity because of restricted area, lack of leisure time, or physical disability, some use is made of the floral gifts that Nature pours out to us so generously.
Some houses and flats have no more than a commonplace shrub, a narrow strip of lawn, or just a window-box or a pot-plant a patch of color contrasting with a drab wall and unimaginative surroundings. Meager as it may be, each is somebody’s garden, and is associated with an apparently inevitable affection for trees that give us shade, lawns that ease our tread and soften the surrounding harshness, and flowers with their wonderful fragrance and beauty.
There is beauty in any garden, small and simple, or large and elaborate. There is beauty in any plant, leaf, or flower-even in those we choose to call ‘weeds’.
The rose has ever been the world’s favorite flower, the pride of the rich and poor the rich because it has no superior, the poor because, despite its superiority, its plants have never been beyond their reach. Easy to grow, lavish with its blooms, adaptable to almost any conditions, the rose is the unchallenged Queen of Flowers.
By careful plant-breeding almost all flowers have been vastly improved in the last century, but the rose has maintained it is pre-eminence to such an extent that no garden seems complete without it, and its blooms are always the most cherished of cut flowers.
There are approximately five thousand varieties of roses being grown today, surely an embarrassment of riches, but the average rosarian surveys a modern catalogue, selects varieties that meet his needs, and is content. It is not the number he grows that matters; it is the pleasure he derives from them.
The origin of the rose is quite prehistoric; geologists tell us of evidence of its existence more than thirty-five million years ago. It is mentioned in many of the earliest writings, and it has been found indigenous to almost every part of the Northern Hemisphere, even to Iceland and Lapland, but never south of the Equator.
The Earliest Roses
All the original roses were five-petalled, but double roses have existed since long before any surviving records were made. These are really freaks, in that many of their stamens have been metamorphosed into petals. The earliest roses are usually referred to as rose species. They vary in color from white to deep pink and dull red, while yellow is represented by the double Rosa hemispherica (R. sulfhured) and, probably of earlier origin, the single JR. foetida (the Yellow Austrian Briar), a very misleading name, for its original habitat was from Crimea to Thibet, far from Austria.
Its companion, R. foetida var. hicolor, is the only bicoloured species, having, in most flowers, petals that are of a deep copper colour on the inner side and vivid yellow on the reverse; in some of its flowers yellow appears in stripes, on half a petal, or even more, in place of the darker colour.
R. centifolia (the Cabbage Rose, Hundred Petalled Rose, or Provence Rose) in the gardens of Midas is described by Herodotus (about 484-425 B.C.), “The Father of History”. Hippocrates (460-361 B.C.), Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), Virgil (70-19 B.C.), Ovid (43 B.c-A.D.17), Horace (65-8 B.C.), and Juvenal (A.D. 60-140) all laud the rose. Omar Khayyam (A.D. 1050-1123) knew R. damascena (the Damask Rose) and it still grows on his grave at Nishapur.
In the House of Frescoes at Knossus, Crete, is the earliest known European depiction of a rose, painted about 1550 B.C. It had six petals instead of the usual five, probably an error.
The love of roses will never die, but will live on to produce and nurture these wonderful flowers.

As many of us know Valentine?s Day is considered as a special day for lovers. On this day lovers usually give various gifts to express their feelings. The most well known gifts for Valentine?s Day includes chocolates and flowers. While roses are thought of as being one of the Valentine flowers there are others that you can choose.

The other Valentine flowers include carnations, iris, tulips, lilies, daffodils and even daisies. The reason why some people will choose carnations to give as Valentine flowers is because of their rich, heady and spicy scent. The smell of cloves and the many dainty petals of the carnation all seem to convey the idea that these beautiful flowers are ideal to have as a symbol of love.

The Iris is also chosen as one of the many Valentine flowers. Its long stems open to show graceful and colorful flowers. You can place these flowers next to some fragrant baby?s breath flowers to frame the spectacular coloring of the iris flowers.

Of course even with these different flowers many people still prefer sending red roses as Valentine flowers. Red roses are considered to be the symbol of true love and many women love the idea of being presented with a bouquet of long stemmed (no thorns) red roses.

Red roses are not the only roses that are sent for Valentine?s Day. In fact you could send a bouquet of white, pink and red roses as a Valentine flower gift. Roses are sent not just because they are the symbol of true love but also because they have a gorgeous scent as well.

For the person who wants to give different flowers for Valentine?s Day tulips are the ideal choice. These graceful cup shaped flowers come in many beautiful shades so that even a few of these flowers mixed in with other flowers like carnations and daffodils will definite show how you feel.

Besides sending real flowers for Valentine?s Day you can select silk Valentine flowers instead. These flowers have the advantage of looking real without causing you or anyone else allergies.

As a result there are people who buy silk Valentine flowers when they want the flowers to last for a time. In addition to sending silk flowers your Valentine flowers can be in the form of scented and shaped candles.

The next time that you are looking to buy Valentine flowers you should see the many different flowers like daffodils, carnations, iris, tulips, daisies and even lilies that you can buy for that special Valentine bouquet. These flowers, candles, silk flowers and chocolates that are bought for Valentine?s Day are all reminders of what this special day means for lovers.

Who doesn?t like flowers? Whether it?s to celebrate a special event like a birthday or graduation, to cheer someone up, or the most common use of flowers: to declare love for that special someone. Known as a universal gift for every occasion, flowers can simply brighten up one?s day. There are various types of flowers, but one of the most common flowers that are more popular are roses.

Traditionally, roses are given by men to women to symbolize admiration and love. Did you know that the different colors of roses connote different meanings too? The different colors are ways of expressing feelings and emotions. Let?s start with the least popular colors first. Orange roses indicate enthusiasm, desire and fascination. Pink roses convey happiness and gracefulness, thus, used in birthday parties of women. Blue roses, like their color are used to describe the uniqueness of the recipient. Dark pink sends out gratitude, while light pink describes one?s joy and sweetness. Peach roses have the same meaning as pink roses too. Yellow simply means caring and symbolizes friendship, while white roses express purity, innocence, heavenly and charm.

Let?s now move on to the most popular rose color: red roses. They say if you give a bouquet of red roses to someone, it means you really love them. But what do red roses really mean? In a nutshell, red roses mean love, respect, and passion. This is probably why most roses given out on Valentine?s Day, are red. For the longest time, red roses have also been used to depict strong romantic feelings for someone. A gentleman who gives a dozen red roses to a woman, clearly has deep feelings for that woman. Seen as the classic rose color, this color is also seen in most movies or even read in classic fairytales.

Red roses, when combined with other colors, give out a different meaning altogether. When combined with white roses, they can signify courage and unity. Red and yellow rose combinations are for happy feelings, and joviality. For most honeymoon suites that use scattered petals as lovely room decorations, red is also the most prominent color. This is probably to promote excitement and romance in the bedroom. Even the leaves of the roses have significance too: hope.

A different meaning corresponds to the kind of red rose a gentleman gives out too. Cardinal red signifies desire, and firery red is for the flames of passion. A deep red rose is for admiration, or sometimes, embarrassment.Different amounts of red roses have several meanings too. A single red rose, for instance, has a simple yet powerful meaning: ?I love you.? Two roses joined together mean gratitude, and a dozen roses is the ultimate declaration of love. Twenty five red roses is sent out to congratulate someone, while fifty roses mean unconditional love.

Even if there are a lot of flowers available in flower shops, online shopping is readily available too. Some flower directories are also available online. Red roses are still the most romantic. They will always remain a classic because there?s no more passionate way to tell your significant other you love her: other than red roses.

People in the Victorian era took the language of flowers very seriously. Due to the repressive atmosphere of the times, flowers became the means by which women communicated with their suitors. The distinct scent of a particular flower or the grouping of flowers in a bouquet conveyed unique messages. Often, these botanical gifts demonstrated feelings and emotions nobody dared say out loud in public. Even the way flowers were given to someone had its own hidden message. For instance, if a man handed a woman an upright bouquet of flowers, he had something happy and positive to tell her. An upside-down bouquet, on the other hand, meant he was bringing her some dark news. Handing a man a flower with the right hand indicates that she is agreeable to his proposal, while presenting the flower with the left hand often means that she is declining his offer.It was important for those in the Victorian age to know what each flower meant so that they would send the right message to their lovers or anyone else. Entire dictionaries were written and published to explain this mysterious language to everyone. However, it was fairly common for mixed message nightmares to occur when two people had conflicting version of the ?language of flowers dictionary.? One of the most popular flowers during this era was the pink rose. If you?ll look at figurines, paintings, jewelry, and other heirlooms and antiques from that time, you?ll notice that the pink rose is a predominant motif in Victorian art. The rose as a symbol of love was already common knowledge then, but they also knew that each type and color carried its own meaning. Pink roses come in different shades, from a blushing pale pink to a dark crimson. The pale pink rose was the favorite of women during that time – they often used rosebuds to adorn their hair and dresses, and took care of their pink rose gardens like they would take care of children. The pink rose is said to mean a lot of things ? romantic love, in particular ? but the appeal of the pink rose today isn?t so much the message they are supposed to contain as the sheer beauty of their color and form.If you want to send your beloved a bouquet of pink roses, go for the pale pink color of aqua roses. Besides their sweet and delicate shade, aqua roses also have a heady aroma that clings to their petals; creating an aura of mystery in the room they are kept. Chances are she won?t know about the meanings Victorian women placed on the pink rose, but she will love its pastel shade and the overall effort you placed in sending her flowers.

Did you know that fossil evidence found in Egyptian tombs suggests that roses have been around for about 35 million years? Cultivating roses was a practice that only began five thousand years ago in China, though it did not take long for the genus Rosa to spread to the West and develop new uses besides aesthetic ones.

Ancient Romans were rather obsessed with roses – they used the red flower petals as confetti during parades and celebrations, as a source of perfume, and as ingredients for medicine. In fact, the red rose became so useful to the ancient Romans that they found ways to make these flowers bloom beyond their natural peripheries. So that their experiments would not go to waste, Roman nobles established sprawling public flower gardens at the south of the city for everyone to appreciate and enjoy. Perhaps the beauty of Roman flowers was so captivating because around this time, people began the practice of exchanging red roses to communicate romantic love.

If you think all red roses are the same, think again. Today, there are about 150 species of red roses, most of them developed by flower breeders, and every single species has its own unique origin, shape, and shade of red. Just like flower gardening and cultivation techniques, the meaning of red roses was something that developed in time. Be careful when choosing flowers to send out because each aspect, like the shade of red or the state of its bloom, conveys different messages.

The Grand Gala variety was quite popular in the late 90’s. However, the proliferation of more productive varieties has forced many European and American farms to stop producing this flower. In some countries in Asia with relatively cheaper land prices, the Grand Gala Rose continues to be popular. In the Philippines for example, the Grand Gala outsells any other flower variety in the market. Island Rose, the largest florist in the Philippines, delivers more of this variety than any other flower in their inventory.

Red roses in full bloom symbolize a strong, mature love that has withstood the test of time and the trappings of love. For anniversaries or Valentine’s Day, send your mate a dozen Grand Gala roses. The Grand Gala rose is hybrid tea rose created in France in 1994, and its size makes this rose perfect for the task of communicating love in full blossom. This flower is one of the largest roses commercially available – the diameter of a blooming Grand Gala measures no less than five inches!

Besides the size of its blooms, there are other reasons to send your love a Grand Gala rose bouquet. The deeper the red tone, the more the man is supposed to love a woman. The Grand Gala’s bright, clear red color and its abundant cluster of petals makes most other red roses look pale and small in comparison. If you lean closer to inhale its scent, you’ll discover that the Grand Gala has a strong, pleasing fresh fragrance that any woman will love. Florists also love this variety because of its long thorn less stem. This makes the flower easy to handle when making complicated flower arrangements. Whether it’s for a special occasion or no real occasion at all, no other flower can communicate an intense, enduring love the way Grand Gala roses can.

Did you know that fossil evidence found in Egyptian tombs suggests that roses have been around for about 35 million years? Cultivating roses was a practice that only began five thousand years ago in China, though it didn?t take long for the genus Rosa to spread to the West and develop new uses besides aesthetic ones.? Ancient Romans were rather obsessed with roses ? they used the red flower petals as confetti during parades and celebrations, as a source of perfume, and as ingredients for medicine. In fact, the red rose became so useful to the ancient Romans that they found ways to make these flowers bloom beyond their natural peripheries.? So that their experiments would not go to waste, Roman nobles established sprawling public flower gardens at the south of the city for everyone to appreciate and enjoy. Perhaps the beauty of Roman flowers was so captivating because around this time, people began the practice of exchanging red roses to communicate romantic love.? If you think all red roses are the same, think again. Today, there are about 150 species of red roses, most of them developed by flower breeders, and every single species has its own unique origin, shape, and shade of red. Just like flower gardening and cultivation techniques, the meaning of red roses was something that developed in time. Be careful when choosing flowers to send out because each aspect, like the shade of red or the state of its bloom, conveys different messages.?? The Grand Gala variety was quite popular in the late 90?s. However, the proliferation of more productive varieties has forced many European and American farms to stop producing this flower. In some countries in Asia with relatively cheaper land prices, the Grand Gala Rose continues to be popular. In the Philippines for example, the Grand Gala outsells any other flower variety in the market. Island Rose, the largest florist in the Philippines, delivers more of this variety than any other flower in their inventory.Red roses in full bloom symbolize a strong, mature love that has withstood the test of time and the trappings of love. For anniversaries or Valentine?s Day, send your mate a dozen Grand Gala roses. The Grand Gala rose is hybrid tea rose created in France in 1994, and its size makes this rose perfect for the task of communicating love in full blossom. This flower is one of the largest roses commercially available – the diameter of a blooming Grand Gala measures no less than five inches!? Besides the size of its blooms, there are other reasons to send your love a Grand Gala rose bouquet. The deeper the red tone, the more the man is supposed to love a woman. The Grand Gala?s bright, clear red color and its abundant cluster of petals makes most other red roses look pale and small in comparison.?? If you lean closer to inhale its scent, you?ll discover that the Grand Gala has a strong, pleasing fresh fragrance that any woman will love. Florists also love this variety because of its long thorn less stem. This makes the flower easy to handle when making complicated flower arrangements. Whether it?s for a special occasion or no real occasion at all, no other flower can communicate an intense, enduring love the way Grand Gala roses can.

Copyright (c) 2009 Kevin Lim

There are many different rose you can choose to grow in your garden. With so many different type to choose from, it might be difficult to pick the right one for you.

To make this task a bit easier, I’ve added some crucial factors that you should consider, and some of the different types of roses to aid in your search.

- Color may seem like a trivial matter, but it is usually a factor to those that want to grow roses. Usually it is simply a matter of personal preference.

- The final growth height of a rose should be considered as it would be unattractive to grow roses that are higher than the area of the garden that it grows in. Some roses can grow to be as high as 20 feet.

- If you live in an area that is prone to cold winters, you would certainly want a rose that could survive during the off season.

- If certain fragrances invoke an allergic reaction, you would want to plant roses that have a softer fragrance than the others.

- You would certainly want to learn what the advantages and disadvantages would be if you were to choose certain roses over others.

- You will want to consider the size of your garden space, so that you can ensure proper exposure to the air and other elements as well. – If you are hoping to make your roses into bouquets, you will want to know if they can be cut. Hybrid teas can. Petals may fall apart for some rose when they are cut.

- You should also consider what other types of flowers or plants you intend on adding to the rose’s environment. You want to add plants and flowers that will not create a damaging environment to your rose’s ecosystem.

After you get a sense of the type of roses that you would like to plant, you will naturally want to know which type of rose’s best fit your ideas for planting.

There are too many to list here, but I can list some of them for you. You should consult your nearest garden center for advice on whether your choice is fitting to your garden’s abilities.

Landscape roses For novice gardener, land scape roses are good choice. They require little of few maintenance if they are disease resistant. Hybrid teas are not good for the novice.

Climbing Roses These roses grow vertically up as they are trained to do so. This is the basic different compare to regular roses. Most people like to use these for trellises, or buildings. Some of them are hybrid teas, wichuraine, and large flowered climbers. They are a beautiful addition to the look of one’s house.

Shrub Roses Shrub roses like the beautiful rugosa are both long blooming, and disease resistant. These are also great for the novice planter. They are gorgeous even when they are not in bloom because the foliage is so pretty.

Old Garden Roses These roses are not very good for those with severe allergies to strong fragrances because they have a strong fragrant odor. They can bloom for a prolong period if they are disease resistant.

The Modern Rose These are very special roses because they are the result of cross breeding the hybrid tea with the polyanthus. Floribunda is what they are being referred to. They are a beautiful combination of the best those two flowers have to offer. They are long blooming, fragrant, and they are great for cutting.

Miniature Roses

Miniature roses are exactly what they sound like. Even with a smaller blooms, they posses all the fragrance and beauty of any other roses. For planting indoor, these roses are great.

A ROSE GROWING GUIDE that will help you grow the most beautiful roses you could find.

Successful rose growing does take a little bit more time than most other gardening but the results will give you the most gorgeous roses you have ever had. The selection of roses available is huge but not only that, some are much easier to grow than others. The benefit of this is that depending on your available time you can choose those that are easy to grow, but just as stunning, or you can take ‘growing roses’ up as a true hobby and specialize in some of the more difficult species to maintain. We can help you choose the right ones for your location.

Planting roses can be a little difficult in itself but with the right advice and expert tips this can be made much simpler and much more enjoyable.

For example when choosing the particular plants to grow there are many issues you will have to consider. Most people start with color, either because it suits their decor or garden design, or purely and simply because it is their favourite rose. Then very importantly climate has to be considered, then height of the plant. Setting out your garden is very important and this is not necessarily just the rose garden, consideration has to be made of other plants to be planted alongside the roses.

Two other factors are the fragrance of the rose and/or if it is of value to you and also the purpose to which you are going to put the rose blooms; whether it be a bowl of flowers, a bridal boquet of whatever.

There are many factors to consider when you look at how to grow roses and once these are understood then you have a greater chance of more blooms than you ever imagined. Factors to consider are: sunlight, water, soil, fertilizers, bacteria, diseases and lots more that are covered in our ebook 101 TIPS FOR GORGEOUS ROSES.

We have compiled expert advice to help you start growing your own gorgeous roses.

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The ancient Muslim poet, jurist, and theologian, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, may not have stumbled madly upon the very first rose back in 13th century Persia but he certainly immortalized it poignantly in his writing.

Roses are believed to have originated in ancient Persia but their cultivation quickly spread across the Northern Hemisphere, first from China to Europe and finally to North America. Rose enthusiasts throughout time and geography have helped to spread the cultivation and the adoration of this arrestingly lovely flowers to the point that, today, there are more than 20,000 varieties available.

Roses run the gamut of the color spectrum. They come in every color, including the elusive blue and black ones that have dogged rose breeders for ages. Every shade of every color is represented, too, with many rose blossoms sporting multiple colors or shades.

These enchanting plants have been bred to grow straight and tall or trail over slopes and fences. Some roses grow close to the ground while others become bushy. Many rosebushes bloom once in the spring or summer, others bloom again in the fall, and others still bloom from early spring until winter.

Diversity aside, a few rose gardening tips might improve your rose-growing success.

Planting is the first step to consider when compiling a list of rose gardening tips. Folklore tells us to plant flowering plants when the moon is in a waxing phase. Indeed all plants that produce their most desirable growth above ground are said to be best planted during the time the moon is growing into its biggest, most visible, phase.

(In turn, plant carrots, potatoes, and other plants where underground action is most desirable when the moon is waning, or becoming less visible.)

Trim your hair, visit your barber, or comb your dog the day before planting your roses. This, another of folklore rose gardening tips, ensures you have a bit of hair to mix in with the soil in which you plant your roses. Decomposing hair is said to provide excellent fertilizer for thriving roses.

Sunshine is one of the most important rose gardening tips. Make sure to plant your roses, always during their dormant phase, in a spot where they can get at lease six hours of full sun every day.

Rose gardening tips include trees, too. Keep your roses away from tree roots, especially deciduous trees, or they will divert the nutrients of the soil from your hungry roses

There are many varieties of flowers that can be considered beautiful and romantic of course but roses always had and still have something special in the heart of most people.

Many types of flowers and especially roses have a romantic history, with their sweet odors, silky soft surface and cheerful look.

Roses can represent different emotions, and even generate or renew those that faded from awareness to lift a person outlook; it is in nature’s bounty for all of us to see the inherent beauty in life.

You wouldn’t believe how many times that I’ve sold a dozen roses to a customer with stars in their eyes. It always seems like buying a dozen roses represent only a period when you are the most in love. A dozen roses is a big and bold declaration. It can even be called a proclamation. I remember that the times I was offered a dozen roses in my life were few and dear.

A man came by my shop last month looking for a dozen roses. He looked so happy and anxious to explain to me the reason he was buying a dozen roses.

The man proceeded to explain to me that he was buying his loving wife a dozen roses because they had just found out they were expecting with their second kid. He was so glad that he was almost dancing. We had the dozen roses prepared and sent to her house and I was the lucky person that got to deliver them. They lived in a pretty nice house in an affluent district. They had flowers in the front yard and it looked nice.

The lady looked a little pale when she opened the door to receive the dozen roses. She explained to me that she was experiencing morning sickness. She really looked happier after the dozen roses were delivered.

The busiest time of year around my shop is mother’s day. We sell quite a few vases containing a dozen roses to men that decide to honor the mother of their children.

My dad has always bought a dozen roses for my mom on Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, her birthday and their wedding anniversary. He really has kept up the purchasing of many dozen roses each year for as long as I remember. If I find a guy who will buy me a dozen roses many times a year like my dad does for my mother I will know I’ve found the right guy for me. I’m still waiting quietly.