Roses are without a doubt nature’s number one expression of romantic love. And, let’s be honest, is there anything better than receiving a fresh Bouq of roses?
We’re going to assume you agree with us, considering roses are far and wide the world’s most popular flower. Actually, when you stop to think about it, it’s not hard to see why. For one, roses are insanely versatile. They come in a huge variety of colors, shapes, and sizes and roses are undeniably aromatic. That combination, we have to say, does make for one heck-of-an allure that we just can’t get enough of.
Roses also have a wealth of history and symbolism, which is a huge part of the reason they have been such a mainstay in Western culture throughout the ages. They’re literally everywhere, from the Bible to films like American Beauty to fairy tales such as Alice in Wonderland and Beauty and the Beast. It’s not a stretch to say that roses have captivated humans for as long as we can remember.
And roses aren’t just marvelled at for their dazzling beauty, either. They are also extremely useful. In fact, roses are a common ingredient in many perfumes and skincare products as well as food and drinks. From rose tea to rose jam, to desserts and pastries, roses can be used in a huge variety of tasty recipes—if you can bring yourself to churn them up, that is.
But to preserve the beauty of your roses, you’ll want to make sure you know how to care for roses. After all, you wouldn’t want that gorgeous Bouq wilting prematurely—especially when it’s a gift from a loved one who will be expecting to see them on display looking their absolute best! And we’ll be the first to tell you; it doesn’t have to be rocket science to take good care of them. Just follow our simple step-by-step guide below, and they’ll live a happy and healthy life in their new home.
First, though, let’s dive into some of the interesting rose symbolism from different cultures around the world. It’ll make that rose Bouq you received from that special someone all the more meaningful.
Rose Symbolism and Meanings
As we already said—and if you aren’t living under a rock, you already knew—roses are most typically associated with romance and love. In fact, 72% of roses purchased are by men to give to a love interest or partner, and over 100 million roses are grown each year just for Valentine’s Day alone. But while red roses overwhelmingly represent romance, love, passion, and devotion, the symbolism of other kinds of roses go much deeper than that.
- White roses symbolize innocence, humility, purity, charm, and are extremely common in weddings.
- Pink roses symbolize gratitude, admiration, appreciation, and gratefulness (the perfect Mother’s Day gift!)
- Yellow roses symbolize joy, warmth, happiness, and friendship.
- Orange roses symbolize enthusiasm, passion, desire, and excitement.
- Lavender roses symbolize a new love and eagerness.
How to Care for Rose Bouquets
You received a gorgeous Bouq of roses from your significant other or a blossoming love interest. Lucky you! But now it’s time to give those pretty little things and all their prickly goodness some much-needed tender loving care. So grab a squeaky clean vase and let’s get down to business, aka rose bouquet care.
Prep Your Roses
First things first, you’ll want to rehydrate your fresh roses as soon as they arrive at your home—they’ll literally be dying of thirst. So fill up your sink with cool water and fully submerge your cut roses—a 10-20 minute bath should do the trick! Next, follow the steps below to get them nice and ready to go into their new housing unit. (Remember the squeaky clean vase we mentioned?)
- Fill said vase with clean, room temperature water and add the packet of flower food that came with it. If you don’t have flower food, you can actually use sugar and a bit of bleach (to kill bacteria and fungi.)
- Use sharp scissors or garden shears to trim 1-2 inches off the bottom of the rose stems (make sure to hold them underwater while cutting at a 45-degree to promote max water absorption.)
- Remove any excess foliage that would otherwise rest below the vase’s waterline—it could add harmful bacteria to the water, and you don’t want that happening.
- Drop your roses in the vase and arrange them as desired.
Find Your Roses the Perfect Home
Okay, so your rose-filled vase is ready to pretty up your home. Nice work!
Now you’ll want to make absolutely sure that you give them the perfect place to call their own. This means putting them in a cool room away from any hot or cold drafts. Also, it’s paramount that you keep them away from direct sunlight. Either one of those things can (and will) spell the end for even the strongest flowers out there.
Recondition Every Other Day
Wait, wait, wait…You’re not quite finished yet. One more step to go!
Once every two days, you should make sure to recondition your roses. Essentially, this just means you should change their water and trim their stems again so that they stay healthy and at peak attractiveness. A few flower preservatives (or the DIY substitute we mentioned) would help to keep them radiant and preserved for as long as possible.
There you have it! Now you can officially say you know how to care for roses. And that’s a really good thing because trust us, you don’t want the special someone who gifted them to walk in and see them wilting due to a lack of care and attention, especially now that you know how easy and painless it is to keep them in tip-top shape!
If you don’t already have a rose Bouq or you just simply want another (you can never have enough roses,) then head over to The Bouqs Co. and grab a stunning, handcrafted, farm-to-table Bouq of roses for yourself. We guarantee you will absolutely love our farm-fresh options for online flower delivery! I mean, who wouldn’t?
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