Sending roses to someone can be a tricky process as you will want these flowers to look nice. It is important to consider what you want your rose arrangement to say. After all, sending what you think are pretty flowers to cheer someone up could send the wrong message — they might think you like them as more than friends — so it helps to know how the roses you send could be interpreted. The number, color, and stem length all send a message. While a note included with the roses could clear things up, of course, the initial impression that the receiver gets can be much different unless you do your research.
The Color
The color is the most obvious feature of the roses, with deep red being more love-related than other colors. White tends to mean innocence, and pink tends to convey sweetness. If you just want to send some roses out of friendship or gratitude, peach or ivory roses could be a good choice. Orange roses are fantastic for conveying pride and admiration for someone who has accomplished something.
If you like the recipient and want to make them feel very special, blue and purple roses mean mystery and uniqueness. Black roses signify change, so you may want to be careful about sending this color. Yellow is a nice color that your friends might like, but an anonymous yellow bouquet could send a message of jealousy.
The Number
The number doesn't always send an obvious message. One long-stemmed rose in a box, or two roses sent from an admirer, carry standard meanings that most people can guess. But did you know that 15 roses signify an apology? Or that 13 roses have several meanings, from being a long-time friend to having a secret admirer? If you're sending roses when there isn't an obvious reason (e.g., sending a dozen roses to your friend who has just graduated), check with the florist about local customs regarding numbers so that you don't send an unintentional message.
The Stem Length
Stem length doesn't carry specific meanings the way that the color and number of roses do. However, a long-stemmed rose is generally seen as either romantic or as a dramatic congratulations (such as sending roses to a performer after a concert), so if you send roses in a box — which are usually long-stemmed — be sure the occasion is appropriate.
If you know the recipient well, there's less chance that your message will be misinterpreted. However, it still helps to know these things as you craft a bouquet.
