Ah love! It's always with us. But on February 14th when the patron saint of lovers has his day, what is in our hearts is said in a special way. Traditionally, sentimental gentlemen rely on fresh flowers to speak their words of love. More hearts have been captured by flowers than by words alone. Flowers express those three magic words, "I love you," most quickly, eloquently, and ardently. Flowers kindle sentimentality in any feminine heart, from Sweetheart or Wife, to Mother, to that special daughter whose love you cherish. Flowers say "you are dear to me" on any day, but they are especially meaningful on Valentine's Day.

What Does Romance Look Like Today?       

       Some things never change. A recent poll of 1,000 adults found that almost half of all Americans - 47 percent- still believe that flowers are the best way to say, "I love you."
      But some things do change. More and more women are giving flowers to men. A full 36 percent of 2012 Valentine's Day purchases, in fact, were made by women. While men made 64 percent of the purchases, women are clearly catching up. And what do they like to receive? The Society of American Florists reports the average woman likes pale pink flowers, and the average man prefers red.

     A Rose is a Rose

      Ranking right up there with football and pizza in the list of American favorites are roses!
      Roses are true natives of our land. Christopher Columbus quickly associated then with America. On October 11, 1492, he wrote in his ship's log that his sailors had found a rose bush floating in the sea, a sure sign that land was near.
Our first president was also our first rose breeder. He developed a pale pink hybrid and named it "Martha Washington."
       In 1986 the United States Congress proclaimed the rose America's national flower.
Though ceremonies of courtship have changed tremendously over the centuries, one thing has remained constant, no flower says "I love you" better than roses.
In case you're inclined to jump to hasty conclusions, keep this in mind: even though Gertrude Stein said: "A rose is a rose, the truth is, a rose is NOT just a rose. There are long-stemmed hybrid tea roses, smaller sweetheart roses, and the recently introduced spray roses with several miniature rosebuds on a single stem. They bloom in red, white, burgundy, yellow, salmon, and lavender--just about every color. All are romantic and possess a heavenly rose scent.

If you are lucky enough to be given a bunch of roses, or even one delicate rosebud, here's how to keep them fresh.

      Using a sharp knife, cut one inch off the stems underwater - this allows the stems to draw in water instead of air. Remove all the leaves and thorns from the part of the stems that will be below the vase's waterline.
Keep your vase filled or floral foam soaked with warm water, and add the flower food the florist included with your flowers. Make sure to ask for the flower food, it can lengthen the vase life of roses by 50 percent!
      Add fresh water daily. If the water turns cloudy, replace it immediately.
It's a good idea to keep roses away from heaters, air-conditioners and windows that get direct sunlight. By leaving them in a cool room with diffused light you can slow their maturation process and enjoy them for the longest possible time.
If a rose starts to wilt: remove it from the arrangement, and recut the stem underwater. Then submerge the entire rose in warm water. The rose should revive in one to two hours.