Top 10 Occasions to Send Roses – And What Colour to Pick 

Given that roses are the most popular flower in the world, each colour has its own special meaning that people tend to associate with it. While any rose can be suitable for any occasion, there are some traditional colours for specific moments. 

The Meaning of Rose Colours: What Each Colour Symbolises 

Red roses: The most classic and well known colour, a red rose is a gorgeous stem on its own – or within a mixed bouquet. They symbolize love, passion and romance – what a combination! 

White Roses: These beautiful stems symbolize sympathy or new beginnings. They are the perfect gift to express condolences, or congratulations. 

Yellow Roses: Bright and fun, yellow roses symbolize friendship and joy. A lovely gift for a friend’s birthday celebration, or just to spread some cheer. 

Pink Roses: These are said to symbolize gratitude and admiration. Pink roses can be included in any gift – they are adaptable to any occasion, but as a ‘thank you’ or ‘well done’ gift especially. 

Orange Roses: A pop of colour in a mixed bouquet – or a refreshing take on the classic rose, orange roses symbolize enthusiasm and excitement. A ‘congratulations’ gift, perhaps?

Valentine’s Day

Our top picks would be red, pink and most importantly – whatever her favorite colour rose is! Red is the ultimate classic for Valentine’s Day, a way to express your love and care for your partner. Pink is fun and sweet, also a firm favourite with many ladies which makes it a good choice. You could also choose a different colour, just because you know it’s her absolute favourite (which is always the best choice). 

Mother’s Day

One of our favourite days of the year – Mother’s Day! We get to celebrate and spoil Moms all over South Africa, our dream job. Similarly to Valentine’s Day, ideally you’ll know your Mom’s favourite colour of roses and pick them for her. If in doubt, pink or white are safe bets that she’s sure to love. 

Anniversaries

The day couples celebrate each year that is unique to them and their love story – their anniversary! Red, white or pink are definitely anniversary appropriate, signifying love and romance. 

Birthdays

Getting to celebrate your loved ones on their birthdays can be such fun, unless you’re at a loss for what to get them as a gift. We highly recommend roses as they’re such a firm favourite and also a treat that your loved one might not spoil themselves to. Traditionally, yellow or orange roses are for birthdays – fun and bright, sharing joy and light. 

Sympathy

While celebrations and joyful moments are what we hope to share with our friends and family, there are unfortunately times of sorrow in life too. Extending condolences through fresh flowers is a lovely way to let them know you’re thinking of them in their time of grief. White or soft pink roses can work well for this circumstance. 

Apologies

‘I’m sorry’ gifts are all too common – a special way to share heartfelt apologies with a friend or partner for a mistake you’ve made. The best gift in this circumstance is your apology – but the roses don’t hurt. We’d suggest white, purple or pink for this. 

Graduation

An extremely exciting day worth celebrating – graduation! Roses are a fabulous gift for graduation – perfect for taking all of the celebratory pictures too. A mixed bunch can be fun – otherwise pink or orange, a pop of colour for the photoshoot. 

New Baby

Deciding what to gift a new mom can be daunting – you want to make sure that you get her something she’ll love to mark the special occasion and congratulate her on bringing life into the world! We’d always go for a soft pink rose (especially if she’s had a baby girl), otherwise cream or white. 

Friendship 

Friend feeling down? Or has something to celebrate? Roses are the perfect way to let them know you’re sending love during a hard time, or sending congratulations on a big win! Yellow or orange roses are a fun way to spread the love, but white or cream are also appropriate for a somber occasion. 

Just Because

The best reason to gift someone – just because you want to spread some love. We often have delivery notes that say ‘Just to let you know I was thinking of you’, or ‘Hope these brighten your day!’. The most important thing when choosing roses for this occasion is – which colour sparks joy? 

We hope these top tips have helped you to decide on which roses are best for your special occasion!