When a Rose Is More Than Just a Rose

Plus, romantic gardens, tempting treats, and more! [From The Old Farmer's Almanac]( [Almanac]( Thank you, Tom Wieland in Stillwater, MN, for [this week's cover image!]( With Valentine’s Day just a week away, we find ourselves at one of the busiest times of the year for florists! For example, did you know that, according to the National Retail Federation, a third of the $20 billion spent in 2020 on Valentine’s Day was on flowers? A lot of this likely went to the staggering 250 billion roses produced for the holiday each year! Have you ever wondered why we send romantic partners red roses and not, say, snapdragons? Sure, roses are beautiful and smell wonderful, but it’s more than that: All flowers actually have their own unique meanings and symbolism dating back centuries. The “secret language” of flowers can be traced to the creative endeavors of ancient peoples. Myths, folklore, sonnets, and plays of the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Chinese are filled with flower and plant symbolism. Even fans of Shakespeare can attest to the Bard’s love affair with using flowers for deeper meaning in his work. In the Victorian era, flowers were often used to express thoughts and feelings that couldn’t be said out loud. In fact, most households had guidebooks to help decipher each missive’s true meaning. This brings us back to roses. Depending on their color, roses can mean many things. The traditional red rose signifies “love,” while dark crimson roses are tied to mourning and grief. Pink roses mean “happiness,” and white ones say, “I’m worthy of you.” Yellow roses from a romantic partner—possibly alluding to “jealousy” or “infidelity”—could spell trouble. Of course, the traditional symbolism of a flower means far less these days. Most people just appreciate a beautiful bouquet, especially of their favorite flower—even if this happens to be snapdragons (“deception,” “graciousness’). The [hidden language of flowers]( is quite a bit of fun. [Find out what your favorites mean](! Roses aren’t the only flowers that speak to love. Mix things up with one of these [10 Romantic Flowers for Valentine’s Day](. Your sweetheart will appreciate it! Speaking of flowers … you may have already started to think about your spring garden. Some inspiration: Consider a [romantic garden](, full of plants symbolizing attraction, seduction, passion, and affection! Finally, this is the week to make something delicious for those you love to enjoy on Valentine’s Day. We have [our favorites](, from [Strawberry Hand Pies]( and [Classic Sugar Cookies]( to [Chocolate Truffles]( and [Toll House Cookie Pie](. Remember, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about just romantic love—feel free to treat your parents, children, friends, and even yourself! As sure as the Sun will rise and set each day, The Old Farmer’s Almanac is here for you, now and always. Your Friends from The Old Farmer’s Almanac “Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” –Lady Bird Johnson (1912–2007), First Lady of the United States (1963–1969) and founder of the National Wildflower Research Center (since renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center) FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM [@THEOLDFARMERSALMANAC]( [February Birth Flowers]( Oddly enough, the red rose is not February’s birth month flower! [Find out more about this month's flowers](, plus the meanings behind them. WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS WEEK [Learning the Language of Flowers]( [LEARNING THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS]( [Finding Out Flowers to Make Love Blossom]( [FINDING OUT FLOWERS TO MAKE LOVE BLOSSOM]( [Planting a Romantic Garden]( [PLANTING A ROMANTIC GARDEN]( [Making Sweets for Our Sweet(s)]( [MAKING SWEETS FOR OUR SWEET(S)]( [The 2021 Old Farmer's Almanac]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [Pinterest]( [Twitter]( [Visit Almanac.com]( [Shop Our Store]( New to this newsletter? It’s free! [Sign up here](. You received this email because you signed for updates from The Old Farmer's Almanac. If you do not wish to receive our regular e-mail newsletter in the future, please [click here to manage preferences](. *Please do not reply to this e-mail* © 2021 Yankee Publishing Inc. An Employee-Owned Company 1121 Main Street | P.O. Box 520 | Dublin, NH 03444 [Contact Us]( [View web version](