A gift and a message

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Why flowers?

Flowers, from small to large, are rich in history and culture, their varying shapes, growth, and colors allowing for a diverse set of uses. One such use that we see commonly on days such as Valentines day is a gift. Flowers have been used as gifts for centuries, going back to ancient times, where it was not just a gift from person to person but even offerings for their gods. 

Current uses of flowers come back from the Victorian era and times where courtship has strict rules and guidelines of what can be gifted, flowers being one of those accepted gifts. A humble plant, but with varieties, each with its own meaning and story behind it. Initially, on Valentines day, violets were given; however, as you can see now, the red rose has quickly taken over as a popular gift. This method of using flowers to send a message is called Florigraphy or the language of flowers. An example of this would be in the 1800’s in Turkey. 

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Why the rose on Valentine's?

Roses have long been a symbol of love, with some stories dating back to ancient Greece, with stories of the goddess of love, Aphrodite, giving rise to the first rose with her tears. Ancient roses first grew 35 million years ago, these look far different from current ones, especially since the modern roses we commonly see and gift are from a hybridization of two different rose species done in 1867 in Europe.

Rose production first began 5000 years ago in China; currently, rose production is being studied and changed more and more. One issue from the hybridization of the modern rose is the loss of its disease resistance, leading researchers to work on creating varieties that are once more disease resistant. Another way they are being changed is through gene editing. Specifically, some researchers are looking to see if they can remove the thorns on roses and create smooth varieties. Currently, its estimates that more than 250 million roses are sold on valentines day alone.

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Flower farming:

Flower farming on a large scale began in the 1500’s in the Netherlands with the construction of greenhouses purely for cut flower production. Now it's a business marketed at 45 billion dollars a year globally, the United States is a large producer of cut flowers with $20 billion in revenue, and California leads the states with the most flowers produced.

Flower farming is something that is accessible for everyone and can start small and easy, go out and grab a pack of seeds, following the directions that are typically on the back, and plant them. As you improve, you can look towards different, more challenging varieties and get more experimental but even starting small can make small impacts on the world around you. Many pollinators and other insects use flowers for food, habitat, and more. Planting your own flowers can be more than just a bouquet you gift to someone, but a gift to the small ecosystem in your very own backyard.

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Beautiful free images & pictures | unsplash. (n.d.-a). https://unsplash.com/

Mogensen, J. F. (2026, February 14). How roses evolved to become the flower of Valentine’s day. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-roses-evolved-to-become-the-flower-of-valentines-day/

Povey, O. (2026, February 13). Why are roses given as a gift for Valentine’s Day? are there any alternative flowers for 14 February? AS USA. https://en.as.com/latest_news/why-are-roses-given-as-a-gift-for-valentines-day-are-there-any-alternative-flowers-for-14-february-f202602-n/

What is floriculture and why is it important – forestry.com. (n.d.-b). https://forestry.com/guides/what-is-floriculture-and-why-is-it-important/

Wright, K. (2024, September 19). Why do we give flowers as gifts? A brief history. History Facts. https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/article/why-do-we-give-flowers-as-gifts-a-brief-history/