Red roses have been around since time immemorial. They have been used in religious rites, marriage ceremonies and even during funeral services. These marvelous blooms have proclaimed love and passion for centuries as well. The question is why. Why do we love red roses so much?

The crimson blooms came into notice during the Greco-Roman period of history. Ancient Greeks used roses as decorations and admired their beauty. They were associated with the god Adonis and goddess Aphrodite. The legend was that Aphrodite pricked her finger on a white rose’s thorn and her blood stained the petals crimson. As the pagan world transformed into a Christian one, the beautiful bloom became associated with the Virgin Mary.

Times progressed and rose bushes proliferated across Europe. The red rose became the national flower of England and figured largely in the country’s medieval history.It represented The House of Lancaster and King Henry VII. It was combined with the White Rose, the symbol of the House of York to create the insignia of the Tudor Rose, representing one of the greatest dynasties in all of British history – the Tudors.

The US also adopted the red rose as one of its’ national emblems.Five states, Iowa, North Dakota, Georgia , New York and Oklahoma have made it their official state flower. Not to be out done , American cities have also declared it their city’s flower. The most famous and the most obvious is Pasadena, California, home of the annual Tournament of Roses parade held every January 1st. The city of Portland, Oregon also celebrates it and declared it the city’s official bloom with an annual rose festival that started in 1905. The town of Madison, New Jersey was nicknamed “Rose City” because of it, thanks to local greenhouses producing scores of red and many other colored roses for 19th and early 20th Century florists in the New York City area.

Red roses have also had a political side. It’s been the symbol of Socialism in Europe since the 1880’s. It was first put into play during the Paris Commune, a radical socialist and revolutionary government during the 1880s. Yet it was the Victorians who returned it to its’ romantic origins, with their language of flowers. To this day it means “I love you”. A red rose along with its’ petals strewn on a bed can also signify passion. A bouquet of red roses is still the most popular gift on Valentine’s Day. They also have another , deeper, more devotional meaning. Sprays of them on a casket symbolizes great respect for the deceased and great love from the family. Any florist in Saddle Brook can assist you with creating a tasteful spray or wreath that shows your love and devotion to a lost family member.

Red roses are the most beautiful flower on the planet. They are stunning to behold, symbolizing great love, great passion and great respect.

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