Red Roses
The Meaning of Red Roses – Red Roses, the Universal Symbol of Love & Passion
Ask any school girl the meaning of a gift of red roses, and they will tell you about “true love” and “happy-ever-afters”. Red roses have been used as symbols for thousands years. The rose is one of the oldest plants depicted in ancient pictographs and cuneiform script on cave walls, clay pots and tablets from the Babylonians to the oldest Chinese dynasty. This article will explore a little bit of the history and meaning of red roses.
It has been said that roses were one of the exotic flowers and shrubs that were featured the famed hanging gardens of Babylon. Of course there is no written records of what color roses, were planted those Babylonian rose plots but we can speculate due to its outstanding beauty that the red rose would have been highly sought after.
This storied flower has been carved into stone, drawn in countless sketches and immortalized in paintings and murals for over 5000 years. Even in modern times, the red rose is the most popular color of all the roses, due to its international claim to represent both true love and deep passions.
Many song writers and singers have been so inspired by the meaning of this rose that are several songs like that 1794 “hit”, “A Red, Red Rose” based on the Scottish love poem by Robert Burns (My Love is Like A Red, Red Rose) to a more modern love song like American Country singer Alan Jackson’s tribute to romance with “Like Red on a Rose”.
But the red roses that we see most often today are actually hybrids introduced to the European market from China in the late 1700’s. This color of rose were considered unique and exotic at the time (hence the popularity of Robbie Burns’s poem).
Red roses remain of the most popular means to convey the message, “I love you”. Considered to be the “lover’s rose”, the red rose is symbolic for romantic intentions, enduring or true love, “stronger than thorns”. Red roses are often given as gifts to express deep feelings to someone special, especially on Valentine’s Day, birthdays and anniversaries.
Red Roses Meanings
Red roses in general symbolize: Love, Beauty, Courage and Respect, Romantic Love, Congratulations, “I Love You”, “Job Well Done”, Sincere Love, Respect, Courage & Passion
Red (Dark): Unconscious beauty
Red (Single Rose): “I Love You” or “You are the One”
Red (3 Roses): “I Love You”
Red (Single Rosebud): Purity and Loveliness, “I Love You” or “You are the One”
It is always good to know the meaning of red roses, so you can properly express what you feel during those special occasions. But no matter the occasion, a gift of red roses has an appeal that is hard to resist!