Throughout time, the rose has been the ultimate symbol of love, beauty and gracefulness.   The Romans, in fact, used roses to indulgently that the flowers were disallowed in many churches.  The blooms also came to represent religious martyrs and those who persecuted them.  

Today, however, a red rose is the ultimate symbol of love and romance.  White roses still characterize innocence, purity and charm. They have are also given as gestures of sympathy.  Pink roses symbolize happiness and joy, and other colors have various individual meanings.   The yellow rose is the rose of friendship.  It is, ironically, traditionally associated with jealousy and infidelity too.   Nowadays, however, roses are given and accepted as the ultimate gesture of love and thoughtfulness.