Magical Roses For Your love on Valentine's Day

Roses are beautiful and magical, associated to the Planet Venus and the deities Eros, Cupid and Isis among others. They have been - and still are - used in love spells, baths and divination so it’s no wonder that it’s become the tradition to give red roses to your love on Valentine’s Day. However, modern roses whilst they are beautiful to look at have no perfume. The classic Damask rose has a glorious heady perfume which has been used for millennia for its aroma and healing properties, but is sadly hard to find at your local florist.

Maybe you could be more inventive with your gift giving this year? Here are some suggestions to consider:

Rose Essential Oil aka Rose Otto is expensive but so delicious and can be used to perfume the air, added to bathwater and diluted can be used on the skin as perfume – you can also buy it as ready diluted which helps with the cost!! Rosewater aka Rose Hydrosol is a by-product of the oil extraction process and makes a wonderful skin spray to cool and refresh your skin in the hot weather. It can also be used to perfume clothes and hair.

Rose Body Products are beautifully perfumed, really good for the skin and feel so luxurious – but do try to buy natural products rather than synthetic as the smell and benefits are absolutely not the same!! Get down to your local health shop and browse the shelves for soap, skin and bath products to bring the exotic to your love’s bathroom.

Dried Rose petals, buds and pot pourri to leave in bowls around the home, they can be refreshed with a few drops of essential oil or a spray of rosewater to keep the perfume level up over time.

Food!! Rose Petal Jam or Tea, Turkish Delight, Rosehip Syrup or Cordial, Rosé Wine or Champagne etc. Search online for Rose or Rosewater recipes and you’ll be amazed at the range of recipes you’ll find. Middle Eastern and Indian cookery make good use of roses and rosewater; maybe you could cook something as a very special and different gift.

Does your love have some garden space? Then buy them a Damask Rose plant. You can find Roses of many different sizes to suit the space available and there is a fantastic range of colours available.

Use a mix of the above to give your love a “Rose Experience” that they’ll remember and love.