The acquisition of enduring memories is one of life’s goals that rarely have a spotlight shone upon it. Have you ever wondered how the rose has accomplished this feat? Well we are dive back into time and have a look how the rose became so prominent in our modern day culture.

The rose has touched many cultures and beliefs over the centuries. It has taken a prominent position in personifying the people of the past, from the Virgin Mary to the War of the Roses. In ancient Greece the rose was associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. It was said that she protected the body of Hector using the “immortal oil of the rose”. There is also a story that says, Aphrodite wounded herself on a thorn and stained the rose red with her blood and that is why the rose is red. The roman’s also had an interest with the rose; using it in various religious ceremonies, where the rose symbolized a rebirth of humanity. In Christianity the Virgin Mary was associated to the rose with the obvious note of the rosary. In the 15^th century the Carthusians promoted the rose symbol with the idea that the rose was linked to the sacred mysteries. Furthermore, the Iranians have held the rose in high esteem believing that the beauty of the rose provokes the longing song of the nightingale. In Hindu legends, the goddess Laxmi was created using 1008 small red rose petals and 108 large roses. Similarly, from this, the Hindus have likened the red rose to romance and love.

The rose, in history, also became the symbol of the houses of Lancaster and York, in the war of the roses. An English civil war that would see the destruction of most male born claimants, until Henry VII could unite the Yorkist and Lancastrian claims. The house of York chose the white rose whilst the house of Lancaster chose the red rose. Still today the English have kept the red rose as their national symbol.

The rose’s magnanimous appeal to us has certainly made it an unforgettable flower, with its sweet scent and bulbous looks; one must lust after it. This Valentine’s Day, we implore you to buy something unforgettable from our collection of roses and create one of life’s enduring memories for a loved one.