What do roses symbolise?

Roses are most widely known to symbolise love and romance, however, this is symbolism has only been favoured in recent history. The Roses symbolism has evolved over the years, the 17th-century roses – and rose water – were in high demand and used widely as legal tender, whilst during the 15th century, the rose symbolised allegiance, namely, a white rose was symbolic of York, and a red was synonymous with the house of Lancaster – collectively they were associated with the “War of the Roses”.

What colour roses should I send?

While red is traditionally associated with love and romance, pink is widely regarded as a sign of gratitude and appreciation – perfect to send to a loved one or a friend – and white is tied to the themes of purity, innocence and sympathy. Meanwhile, roses of the yellow variety are a sign of both joy and friendship, and orange channel the welcome traits of enthusiasm, passion and desire. But when it comes to the rose that possesses the most power, look to those of the lavender variety – consider them your Cupid’s bow for they’re said to represent love at first sight.

How many roses should I send?

How many roses you send is up to you, however, if you’re a stickler for tradition, there are some benchmarks. Sending three roses is a traditional one-month anniversary gift. Sending six roses is a sign of first love and infatuation, whilst any more than six suggests a strong relationship between those that have been together for some time.

How to care for your delivery of roses

1. Get your roses into water as soon as possible, they'll be quite thirsty by the time they reach you.

2. Trim the stems of the roses by removing any dead or wilting leaves or flowers.

3. Cut off about 2cm from the bottom of each stem (it sounds crazy, but trust us here). Ensure you only use sharp scissors or secateurs, as if you use a blunt implement you risk damaging the stems and reducing their ability to take up water.

4. Ensure that the vase you use is squeaky clean. Washing with hot, soapy water and giving it a thorough rinse afterwards should have it clean enough.

5. Once your flowers are in the vase remove any thorns or leaves that fall below the water level - otherwise there is the opportunity for algae and bacteria to form (and no-one, least of all your rose stems, want that).

6. Remember that roses are summer flowers, so they prefer lukewarm water rather than cold water as it helps them to absorb their food and water more efficiently. Who does prefer cold water though?

7. Check the water regularly and change it every couple of days to keep it fresh and algae-free.

8. Cut roses are delicate flowers, so keep the bouquet out of direct sunlight and away from cold draughts if possible.

Can you send roses to a friend?

Roses can be sent to anyone, however, if you are concerned, you can send roses that are white, yellow, purple or pink to avoid the romantic connotations of a red rose.