Roses have been around for centuries and the meanings associated with them date back centuries as well. While most of us know that red roses are a symbol of love, not everyone realizes that each color of rose has a very distinct and time honored meaning. The type and amount of roses that you choose to send can even send a message to the recipient. So the next time that you want to send a rose bouquet, refer to the following guide by Flower Places to make sure you are sending just the right message.

Red Roses: Red roses can be traced back to their affiliation with the Greek and Roman goddess of love. Many ancient cultures used red roses to decorate marriage ceremonies or as part of the wedding attire. The red rose has continued to be a symbol of lasting love and a way to say "I love you" to that special person in your life. While an entire bouquet of roses is always welcome, a single red rose has always been a way to say "I still love you" while a thornless red rose tells some that it was love at first sight.

Pink Roses: Pink roses existed in the wild long before people started to cultivate roses. When roses first became popular, they were cultivated predominately in shades of pink - from pale pink to deep crimson. Today, pink roses carry a variety of meanings depending on the hue. Pale pink roses symbolize gentleness, sweetness and admiration while dark pink roses mean gratitude and appreciation.
Yellow Roses: Surprisingly, yellow roses were once associated with feelings of jealousy and dying love. Many eastern cultures, however, associated the sun and feelings of warmth, joy, wisdom and power with the color yellow. Today, those are the feelings that most people associate with yellow roses.

White Roses: Many legends hold that the first rose was white and only after it was stained with blood or a first kiss did it turn to red. White roses symbolize innocence and purity and are often thought of as the bridal rose. Conversely, honor and reverence are also associated with white roses which make them popular in funeral arrangements as well.

Orange Roses: Orange roses are relatively new having been cultivated after the discovery of wild yellow roses. The color orange often brings to mind fire and passion. As orange roses are literally a mix of yellow and red roses, they are often thought of as symbolic of the move from friendship to love between two people.

Lilac, Lavender and Purple Roses: The mystical shades of purple roses often represent wonder, the impossible and evoke a sense of magic. Enchantment is often expressed by sending lavender roses while lilac is thought to represent love at first sight. Purple roses can be a very romantic alternative to the traditional red rose.

If you would like help choosing just the right Rose bouquet to send to that someone special the rose experts at Flower Places are ready to help.