Roses have long been associated with love, romance
Q. Why are roses traditional for Valentine's Day?
A. Unquestionably, the most traditional and popular flowers for Valentine's Day are red roses, the symbol of love, romance, beauty and great worth. Their honored status goes back as far as ancient Rome, where gardens of the nobility featured this coveted flower.
References to roses can be found in our Western tradition in historical events, songs, nursery rhymes and poetry:
• In 15th century England, the War of the Roses brought into conflict the House of York (symbolized by the white rose) and the House of Lancaster (their emblem was the red rose), each vying for the throne of England.
• In 1794, Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote: "O my love is like a red, red rose …"
• The affectionate taunt, "roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet and so are you!" is found in the 1784 collection of English nursery rhymes, Gammer Gurton's Garland.
Valentine's Day was originally a Christian holiday celebrating the martyrdom on Feb. 14 of Saint Valentine, who performed Christian marriages in defiance of the ban on marriage instituted by Roman Emperor Claudius II. (The emperor believed single men made better soldiers.)
Today, people around the world celebrate this now largely secular holiday, reciting love poems, sending cards with the request "Be My Valentine," and giving presents of flowers, chocolate and candy hearts in celebration of this holiday of love, passion and devotion.
During the 19th century, interest in the "language of flowers," or "floriography," peaked in Victorian England and the United States, with different flowers representing different attributes.
Today, red roses remain the traditional choice for Valentine's Day, with Teleflora, the floral wire service, citing a CNN report that as of January 2016 "51 percent of people (will) buy red roses for Valentine's Day." But Teleflora suggests other varieties of roses might also be an option. Or, they propose, consider carnations ("linked with fascination"), white casa blanca lilies ("fragrant"), alstroemeria ("representing devotion") or tulips ("a declaration of love in the Victorian language of flowers").
How to keep your Valentine flowers fresh? Michael Gaffney of the New York School of Flower Design, recommends the following:
• Add a few drops of bleach to the water.
• Spray with Crowning Glory Flower Spray to keep the blooms moist.
• If they wilt, turn the flowers upside-down and briefly submerge the heads in a bucket of water.
- Arlene Swartzman
• Provided by Master Gardeners through the Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines. Call (847) 298-3502 or email northcookmg@gmail.com.