The bond between roses and romance began long ago, rooted in the mythology and rituals of ancient civilisations. In Greek lore, the rose was born from the tears of Aphrodite, goddess of love, as she mourned the loss of her beloved Adonis. Legend has it that her grief mixed with his blood to create the first red rose which then became poignant emblem of love’s intensity and its bittersweet fragility.
For the Romans, the rose was sacred to Venus, their goddess of beauty and desire. Roses were used as decoration for banquets and filled the air with their heady fragrance, symbolising indulgence and the fleeting nature of passion. They were also woven into garlands for lovers, whispered tokens of devotion passed from hand to hand.
As centuries passed, the rose became more than a symbol of sensual love. By the Middle Ages, its place in courtly romance was firmly established. Knights carried roses to their sweethearts, while troubadours sang of love’s triumphs and tragedies under banners adorned with rose motifs. Yet the rose also found a quieter, spiritual role, its white petals representing purity and grace in religious art and iconography.

In Victorian times, roses took on new layers of meaning. The era’s fascination with floriography, the art of expressing emotions through flowers, took the rose to the pinnacle of romantic symbolism. Each colour, each bloom, carried a specific message: a red rose spoke of ardent love, a pink rose of admiration, and a white rose of new beginnings. Even the number of roses in a bouquet had significance, creating an unspoken dialogue that required no words.
The tradition of roses as tokens of love grew into something timeless. Whether exchanged between star-crossed lovers, placed in the hands of a bride, or sent as a quiet declaration of affection, the rose became a universal emblem of the human heart.

Though most closely associated with Western traditions, roses hold deep meaning in cultures around the world. In Persian poetry, the rose often symbolised the beloved, an unattainable beauty both inspiring and tormenting the soul. Rumi, the 13th-century poet, wrote of the rose as a metaphor for love’s purity and its thorns, for love’s trials.
In India, roses are woven into the fabric of celebration, their petals scattered in rituals of union and devotion. Rose water, with its delicate fragrance, symbolises the sweetness of love and is often used in weddings to bless the couple’s bond.
Even today, the rose retains its universal significance. It graces proposals, anniversaries, and quiet gestures of appreciation, a reminder of the connections that unite us.

Throughout history, the rose has adapted to the times while remaining true to its essence as a symbol of love, beauty, and the emotions we hold most dear. From ancient myths to Victorian parlours and modern-day celebrations, roses have always spoken to something eternal.
Their petals remind us of the fragility and strength of love, their fragrance of the memories it leaves behind. Whether a single bloom exchanged in the quiet of a moment or a cascade of roses marking a grand celebration, the rose is more than a flower, it is a messenger, a keeper of promises, and a reflection of the human heart.