Did you know that fossil evidence found in Egyptian tombs suggests that roses have been around for about 35 million years? Cultivating roses was a practice that only began five thousand years ago in China, though it didn’t take long for the genus Rosa to spread to the West and develop new uses besides aesthetic ones.

Ancient Romans were rather obsessed with roses – they used the red flower petals as confetti during parades and celebrations, as a source of perfume, and as ingredients for medicine. In fact, the red rose became so useful to the ancient Romans that they found ways to make these flowers bloom beyond their natural peripheries.

So that their experiments would not go to waste, Roman nobles established sprawling public flower gardens at the south of the city for everyone to appreciate and enjoy. Perhaps the beauty of Roman flowers was so captivating because around this time, people began the practice of exchanging red roses to communicate romantic love.

If you think all red roses are the same, think again. Today, there are about 150 species of red roses, most of them developed by flower breeders, and every single species has its own unique origin, shape, and shade of red. Just like flower gardening and cultivation techniques, the meaning of red roses was something that developed in time. Be careful when choosing flowers to send out because each aspect, like the shade of red or the state of its bloom, conveys different messages.

The Grand Gala variety was quite popular in the late 90’s. However, the proliferation of more productive varieties has forced many European and American farms to stop producing this flower. In some countries in Asia with relatively cheaper land prices, the Grand Gala Rose continues to be popular. In the Philippines for example, the Grand Gala outsells any other flower variety in the market. Island Rose, the largest florist in the Philippines, delivers more of this variety than any other flower in their inventory.

Red roses in full bloom symbolize a strong, mature love that has withstood the test of time and the trappings of love. For anniversaries or Valentine’s Day, send your mate a dozen Grand Gala roses. The Grand Gala rose is hybrid tea rose created in France in 1994, and its size makes this rose perfect for the task of communicating love in full blossom. This flower is one of the largest roses commercially available - the diameter of a blooming Grand Gala measures no less than five inches!

Besides the size of its blooms, there are other reasons to send your love a Grand Gala rose bouquet. The deeper the red tone, the more the man is supposed to love a woman. The Grand Gala’s bright, clear red color and its abundant cluster of petals makes most other red roses look pale and small in comparison.

If you lean closer to inhale its scent, you’ll discover that the Grand Gala has a strong, pleasing fresh fragrance that any woman will love. Florists also love this variety because of its long thorn less stem. This makes the flower easy to handle when making complicated flower arrangements. Whether it’s for a special occasion or no real occasion at all, no other flower can communicate an intense, enduring love the way Grand Gala roses can.