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Few symbols of love are recognized as quickly and easily as the red rose.
Theories abound as to how this relationship developed. But whether it comes from Greek mythology, the distant love in the 1700s or the Victorian’s affection for floriography, the meaning of the red rose stands strong. It communicates love, passion, and romantic interest.
While receiving a bouquet of red roses may feel good, the story of how that bouquet came to be isn’t always so rosy.
The environmental impact of Valentine’s Day roses
For the environmentally conscious, buying into the rush for red roses on Valentine’s Day can show a lack of love for our planet. The cut flower industry generally produces a large carbon footprint, as it relies on:
- greenhouses that need power for artificial light and temperature control
- refrigeration (to keep the roses fresh once they’re cut)
- road and air transportation for delivery.
Red rose production puts extra pressure on these processes as growers scramble to meet the huge demand from retailers and consumers. In fact, a study by Cranfield University in the UK found the carbon footprint for Valentine’s Day roses delivered from the Netherlands (a major red rose supplier to the UK) produced 39 tons of CO2 emissions.
To break that down into single-stem figures, that’s about 4lb to 5kg per rose. For context, twenty outdoor-grown snapdragon stems produce roughly the same amount of carbon emissions. This highlights just how much energy and resources are needed to get red roses from the farm to the store.
Here in North America, most of our stock comes from Colombia and Ecuador, which isn’t really that far. But with almost 3 billion red roses sold on Valentine’s Day, and around 30 cargo jet trips needed to meet that demand, the environmental impact is high.
Our changing climate, droughts, and fewer pollinators are also making it harder to grow red roses.
Romantic flower ideas that show you care about them and the planet
The iconic beauty of the red rose is hard to ignore. But as an eco-friendly florist we try to encourage people to think outside the box. Whether that’s reconsidering how many red roses to use or breaking with tradition completely, we can show you how to do Valentine’s flowers differently this year.
Send seasonal flowers
The carbon footprint for a bouquet of blooms naturally in season will be much less than for one with out-of-season flowers. Mother Gaia does a fine job of providing what they need. Not only is less power needed, seasonal flowers are also more readily available which translates as more affordable. So it can help you save money as well as the planet.
Flowers that naturally bloom in North America around Valentine’s include:
- camellias
- hellebores
- cyclamens
- daffodils
- crocus
- pussy willow.
Extra tip: If you’re hell-bent on sending red roses, their natural bloom time in this part of the world is from late March to around November (although this can vary from state to state). If you and your partner are game, adjust your dedicated day for romance to fit the flower season. (It will also be easier to book a table at your favorite restaurant.)
Mix them with other blooms
Rather than sending half a dozen, a dozen, or even 100 red roses (see what that looks like below), include just one or two. Then use other flowers and foliage to make them pop. A single red rose could symbolize your heart, while two roses could represent each of you.
The rose less traveled
There are more than 300 species of rose, with about 20 attributed to modern varieties. Florists may use many different varieties, but the ones most commonly used on Valentine’s are Mr Lincoln, Oklahoma, and Freedom, which are all specifically bred for commercial use.
When looking for an alternative, you could try sourcing different rose varieties such as:
- the Alba rose
- the Austin rose
- the Gallica rose
- a hybrid tea rose
- the musk rose
- the swamp rose.
Most of these are referred to as old garden roses and look different from modern garden roses or bouquet roses. And while you can get them in red, why limit yourself?
Different shades of love
Love can feel romantic. But it can also feel passionate, safe, and comforting. It can stir lust, and make you blush. It can be deep and all-encompassing, or light and breezy.
When choosing your Valentine’s Day bouquet, think about the feelings you want to celebrate and choose the colors that symbolize those feelings. Here’s a list to help you.
- Yellow for friendship, joy, and good health.
- Orange for energy and enthusiasm.
- Blue for peace, support, calmness, and intimacy.
- Fresh greens for harmony, good fortune, strength, and resilience.
- Purple for admiration and adoration for a partner.
- Pink for platonic love, happiness, and grace.
- White for purity and honesty.
More flowers that embody love
Many flowers say ‘I love you.’ So many, in fact, that once you’re married there’s a flower for every wedding anniversary. So when you’re ready to move away from roses but still want to create an arrangement full of blooms that embody love, include these beauties.
- Orchids: beauty, strength, and seduction.
- Peonies: romance and playful flirting.
- Carnations: new love.
- Hyacinth: commitment.
- Lavender: a long life together.
- Red chrysanthemum: passion, lust, and romance.
- Asters: associated with Venus, the Goddess of Love.
- Tulips: perfect love.
- Peruvian Lilies: friendship and devotion.
Your challenge: embrace the non-traditional
With so many options—from the flowers you use to the colors you choose—you can easily move away from the traditional red rose this year. And let’s be honest: giving a bouquet that’s different from everyone else’s will surely create a lasting memory for your loved one.
For those of you in Nevada, we can help get your floral message of love to your partner in time for Valentine’s Day. Choose your bouquet from our Valentine’s Collection (and yes, we’re aware there are some red roses in there) or get in touch with us to make full use of our Just For Them service, so you can send a bespoke bouquet to your special someone.
