Here are some fabulous facts about the ever so popular wedding flower- Roses!
1. According to a recent survey, around 45% of you are opting to include this classic flower in your wedding displays. From vintage-style pastels to vibrant red and faded purples, you’re guaranteed to find a rose to match your colour scheme.
2. Think seasonal when choosing roses. In the UK, our rose season runs from May through to September, so you’ll pay less for them during the summer months than you would out of season, when they need to be imported (usually all the way from Kenya!)
3. All flowers are graded by quality, with ‘A’ being the best. However, unlike most flower varieties, roses are graded by the length and straightness of their stem, rather than the bloom. So if you just need the bud or a short stem for the arrangement, make sure you request a lower grade and you’ll get an equally good result for a lot less cash!
4. As the traditional symbol of love, the rose is the ideal choice for a romantic wedding ceremony. The red and white ‘Tudor’ rose (symbolising the united houses of York and Lancaster) is the traditional emblem of England so a great choice for patriotic couples looking to display their national pride.
5. With more than nine million given on Valentine’s Day in the UK alone, the red rose is associated with all things love-related, but other colours have meanings too. Why not select a shade that means something to you? Did you have a whirlwind romance? Choose lilac roses which mean love at first sight. Did you start out just as friends? Yellow roses represent friendship. Do you struggle to keep your hands off each other? Go for orange roses, which are said to symbolise desire. Alternatively, think pink and choose the colour symbolising perfect happiness.
6. One of the main reasons Brides love roses so much is for their sublime, heady scent. If you’re looking for the most fragrant variety, go for David Austin garden roses which are renowned for their nostalgic, old-fashioned perfume. Plus their full, blowsy appearance makes the pink varieties a fantastic stand-in for peonies.
7. Celebrity Brides have long since had a love affair with roses. Movie stars Drew Barrymore and Reese Witherspoon both carried the blooms in their bouquets – Drew chose a mix of pretty pink garden roses and spray roses with peonies when she walked down the aisle in June 2012, while Reese opted for a beautiful bunch of white English garden roses when she tied the knot last year. Other famous names to choose the classic bridal bloom include supermodel Kate Moss and singer Lily Allen.
8. If you’ve embraced the DIY trend and opted to arrange your own big-day blooms, you’ll have to time the buying of your roses carefully so they are at the right stage of their bloom. To prevent drooping, make sure your roses are placed in water as soon as you get them home. If any begin to wilt, cut the bottom of their stems at a diagonal angle and put them in boiling water. Leave for around half an hour before topping up with cold water.
Kara at Leez Priory
