Floral Friday: Roses, a Symbol of Love

Good evening from a warm Hastings evening.

Continuing on with my Valentine’s Day theme of roses but this time for another challenge by nancy merrill photography.  The look of love.  But this can also go under Floral Friday as well.

Nancy asks us to show us the look of love.  That I can’t do but then while I was doing my housework today I suddenly thought of a chapter in the book Jo’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott.  Demi is unsure how to approach his sweetheart Alice about her feelings for him.  His younger sister Josie helps him by giving him three roses – a rose bud, a half blown rose and then a full blown rose.  He writes a note asking her to chose what to wear so that he would know what her answer would be.

Roses are heavy in symbolism.  Especially when it comes to love.  I searched the Internet and found out a bit about the meaning of roses.

A single love in full bloom means I love you.

A half blown rose means timid love.

2 roses intertwined means an engagement.

1 rose is love at first sight.

2 roses means deeply in love

3 roses means I love you.

Colours give added depth to the meanings but that would take too long.

I couldn’t quite get the real meaning from the book but you get the meaning.

For those who haven’t read the book Alice then places all three roses on her breast above her heart – which in itself means that she accepts his offer.

So that is how one proposed in Victorian times……….

Check out Nancy’s challenge here

http://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/a-photo-a-week-challenge-the-look-of-love/

and here are a couple of other Floral Friday posts.

Floral Friday: Valentines Day The Lotus

http://forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/floral-friday-4/#comment-2729

http://nowathome.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/scadoxus-multiflorus-fireball-lily/

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.co.nz