Roses are red, my love ...

That's the beginning part of the lyrics of a popular song, rose being the ubiquitous symbol for love. But here the roses are more than red, and are from China too (Rosa chinensis). How did I know that? Well, I was piqued by its name in Chinese, which appears in the Chinese painting guidebook that I'm using and which translates literally into monthly season, and not the usual Chinese name associated with rose. And I got the above answer from Wikipedia.


Yellow: joy, friendship, freedom

White: innocence, purity, secrecy, reverence

Pink: happiness, gratitude, appreciation, admiration

Orange: admiration, fascination, enthusiasm, desire