(NAPSA)—Roses have symbolized love, friendship and beauty— across cultures and throughout time. It was not until the 1940s, however, that roses became so closely associated with Valentine’s Day. Today, roses are the most requested flowers to send for this special holiday. More than 100 million roses in more than a thousand different varieties are sold each year on February 14. Whether one’s taste leans to the subtle, the flamboyant or the delicate, there is a rose to please. Red roses, however, are symbols of love, dedication and beauty, and continue to be the most popular color choice for Valentine’s Day. According to the floral experts at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, thefollowing tips will help extend the life of your roses this Valentine’s Day: To arrange the roses, fill a deep vase with lukewarm water, and mix in thefloral preservative provided by theflorist. Remove any leaves that may fall below the waterline when placed in the vase. * Use shears to cut an inch from the bottom of the stem while holding it under water. This will prevent air from blocking the flow of water to the head of the bud. Place roses loosely, yet evenly spaced in the vase. Though redis the traditional color, roses come in hundreds of varieties and hues for Valentine’s Day. Keep the vase in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, vents and appliances that give off heat. e Add fresh water to the vase every day. Completely change the water every three to four days and re-cut the stems. After a week, when the flowers have fully opened, cut each stem very short—four to five inches in length—and arrange in a smaller vase. Visit 1800flowers.com on the Web for beautiful flowers, plants, sweets, gourmet foods and other unique Valentine’s Daygifts.
