'My love is like a red, red rose, that's newly sprung in June...'

So wrote the talented Scottish baird, Robbie Burns, and we all recognise the red rose as the ultimate flower symbol of love.

A red rose is the traditional romantic gift given to your love on Valentine's Day. Different rose colours can send other messages.

For hundreds of years flowers have held hidden meanings, derived from mythology, folklore, religious and historical symbolism. The floral bouquet you send or receive brings a special coded message, depending on the flowers you choose.

see rose meanings

'Sweet flowers alone can say what passion fears revealing' Thomas Hood

The study of the meaning of flowers is an actual science known as floriography, and it reveals an extra underlying meaning to sending or receiving flowers - subtle and secret messages can be passed through the different blooms.

During the 18th century sending flower messages based on a Turkish secret language of flowers became popular. This was known as sending a 'Persian Selam' - a coded bouquet to reveal your feelings of love or attraction. The Victorians became very knowledgable in flower language and chose their bouquets carefully. Flowers gave them a secret language that enabled them to communicate feelings that the propriety of the times would not allow, there were strict restraints on courtship and any displays of emotion.

So next Valentine's day, birthday, anniversary, Mother's day or any other occasion you plan to send flowers make sure you don't send the wrong message in your flowers. Even the way you hand over the bouquet sends a message too - flowers held in your right hand mean 'yes', whereas flowers held in the left hand mean 'no'.