Pink Roses in the Victorian Era

People in the Victorian era took the language of flowers very seriously.  Due to the repressive atmosphere of the times, flowers became the means by which women communicated with their suitors.  The distinct scent of a particular flower or the grouping of flowers in a bouquet conveyed unique messages.

Often, these botanical gifts demonstrated feelings and emotions nobody dared say out loud in public.  Even the way flowers were given to someone had its own hidden message.  For instance, if a man handed a woman an upright bouquet of flowers, he had something happy and positive to tell her.  An upside-down bouquet, on the other hand, meant he was bringing her some dark news.  Handing a man a flower with the right hand indicates that she is agreeable to his proposal, while presenting the flower with the left hand often means that she is declining his offer.

It was important for those in the Victorian age to know what each flower meant so that they would send the right message to their lovers or anyone else.  Entire dictionaries were written and published to explain this mysterious language to everyone. However, it was fairly common for mixed message nightmares to occur when two people had conflicting version of the “language of flowers dictionary.”

One of the most popular flowers during this era was the pink rose.  If you’ll look at figurines, paintings, jewelry, and other heirlooms and antiques from that time, you’ll notice that the pink rose is a predominant motif in Victorian art. The rose as a symbol of love was already common knowledge then, but they also knew that each type and color carried its own meaning.  

Pink roses come in different shades, from a blushing pale pink to a dark crimson.  The pale pink rose was the favorite of women during that time - they often used rosebuds to adorn their hair and dresses, and took care of their pink rose gardens like they would take care of children.  The pink rose is said to mean a lot of things – romantic love, in particular – but the appeal of the pink rose today isn’t so much the message they are supposed to contain as the sheer beauty of their color and form.

If you want to send your beloved a bouquet of pink roses, go for the pale pink color of aqua roses.  Besides their sweet and delicate shade, aqua roses also have a heady aroma that clings to their petals; creating an aura of mystery in the room they are kept.  Chances are she won’t know about the meanings Victorian women placed on the pink rose, but she will love its pastel shade and the overall effort you placed in sending her flowers.