Valentine’s Day Roses The rose, as a symbol of love has been recurring literary theme since the thirteenth century. There were at least three wild species of roses in Medieval Europe: the French Rose: “Rosa Gallica,” the Dog Rose “Rosa Canina” and the Eglantine Rose “Rose eglanteria” which was the rose celebrated in the ancient story “The Romance of the Rose.” Decorative Valentine’s cards with flowery pictures and verses have been popular since the sixteenth century, though the practice of giving red roses as Valentines gifts is a modern phenomenon. The long stemmed red roses that are sold for Valentine’s Day are the result of careful hybridization. Growers follow a very precise schedule in order to ensure that their roses bloom in time to meet the demand for Valentines Day. The blooms look so perfect, but the scent is often not as enticing as that of old fashioned roses, and prices peak shortly before the 14th. An alternative to the all red bouquet is to buy some white roses and insert one red one in the center of the bunch. Actually the celebration of Valentines Day as a day celebrating love seems to have little connection with the Saint who died a martyr’s death on February 14, AD 270.