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Roses, Roses, Roses for Valentine’s Day

Roses. Submitted photo

Valentine’s Day equates with gifts representing love and romance. Roses, especially red roses, which represent passion and love, are the flower most often associated with Valentine’s Day. As tokens of love, bouquets of roses are offered with a box of chocolates or jewelry and a fancy greeting card to celebrate this occasion.

In nature, roses (Rosa spp.) are found as shrubs or vines with stems that usually are covered in prickles (thorns). They are native to warmer areas of North America, Europe and Asia. Rose flowers found for sale in February are grown in Columbia, Ecuador, the Netherlands and Kenya. Columbia and Ecuador are the major suppliers for the United States. Cut roses are incredibly beautiful but relatively short-lived. If you are interested in exploring new avenues for giving roses to mark this day, consider one of the following ideas.

Rose shrubs can replace a rose bouquet, but not in February! A gift card to a local nursery for a native or cultivated rose shrub is appealing to gardeners and rose lovers alike. In preparation for spring, peruse online nursery vendors for rose shrubs that are hardy to USDA Zone 6 or colder. Assess your garden to determine the best site for a rose shrub, which is a location that is sunny with well-drained soil. There are many interesting varieties of roses, such as climbers, standards and reblooming shrubs. Choose a rose with the size and scale that will enhance your current landscape design.

Miniature roses grown in pots are also an option. Miniature roses are exactly as the name describes: perfect miniatures of larger roses. Flowers, leaves and prickles are all scaled-down versions of larger rose shrubs. Miniature rose plants range in size from 6 to 18 inches high. They are equally hardy and can be planted outside in a border.

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