Through the ages, roses have symbolized love, beauty, passion, and appreciation. Ancient Romans believed roses grew where the tears of Venus fell to the ground. According to Greek mythology, it was Aphrodite who gave the rose its name. Shakespeare refered to roses more than fifty times in his writings. Napoleon's wife Josephine adored them. French explorer Samuel deChamplain brought the first cultivated roses to North America in the seventeenth century. And, today, the rose is the official flower emblem of the United States.

Traditionally, red roses convey love, respect and courage. Yellow roses mean joy, gladness and freedom. Pink and peach roses symbolize gratitude, appreciation or admiration. White roses denote reverence, secrecy, purity and heavenly things, while red and white roses together symbolize unity. But, the most important meanings of roses may be what they mean to the individual giver and recipient. Because, every rose gift carries its own individual meaning and personal message between any two people who share their ageless beauty.