We've come to associate rose colors with various meanings based on history and mythology.
Cleopatra valued the flowers for their scent; Aphrodite is credited with creating the first rose from a mixture of her tears and Adonis's blood.
Roses are woven throughout the ages in music, paintings, literature, and more.
We give roses as gifts, and knowing what meaning is attached to their colors will help select the right sentiment we mean to express.
The Red Rose Everyone knows about red roses; they express passion or love.
The most popular color flower for Valentine's Day and expressions of romance and love, red is the number one best seller for florists.
Red roses are typically given in the long-stem style.
The Pink Rose When giving a pink rose, with its soft soothing shades one thinks of affection or maybe admiration.
Thank you's are frequently accompanied with these pastel-tinted flowers, as well as the occasional expression of sympathy.
The White Rose When we think of white, we think of brides and weddings; white roses are a symbol of purity.
The main choice for bridal flowers, this flower is sophisticated yet simple.
This color of flower is often used at funerals, where we show honor and respect with white.
There is a spiritual component to white which ties in with honoring a departed one.
The Yellow Rose The color of the sun, bright and strong, yellow roses are all about happiness.
The color is relatively new for roses, post 18th century, and is strongly associated with friendship.
It is a very popular color for roses.
The Orange Rose The orange rose can be soft and coral-like or fiery like the sunset.
Either way, orange is for passion and desire.
If you picked this flower as a gift you might be hinting at a possible romance.
It's a 20th century rose, a hybrid of red and yellow, and as a new flower color its meaning will change with time.
The Lavender Rose If the message is mysterious or hinting of enchantment, then the lavender rose is perfect.
The rareness of the color lavender has caused people to associate the flower with the unusual.
It could be a love at first sight gift.
If you pick a deeper shade of purple the color hints at royalty and elegance.
The Mix of Roses If roses of varied colors are combined the significance of their colors is changed.
Red roses in a bouquet with orange and deep gold colors are autumnal and no longer speak of passion.
A soft pink flower can combined with other pastel flowers for the perfect baby gift or a spring bouquet.
Use creativity when combining rose colors; combine them for seasonal affect or to express a wider array of sentiments.