【英语时差8,16】情人节的玫瑰

（单词翻译）

 Valentine’s Day Roses The rose, as a symbol of love has been recurring¹ literary theme since the thirteenth century. There were at least three wild species of roses in Medieval Europe: the French Rose: “Rosa Gallica,” the Dog Rose “Rosa Canina” and the Eglantine Rose “Rose eglanteria” which was the rose celebrated² in the ancient story “The Romance of the Rose.” Decorative³ Valentine’s cards with flowery pictures and verses have been popular since the sixteenth century, though the practice of giving red roses as Valentines gifts is a modern phenomenon. The long stemmed red roses that are sold for Valentine’s Day are the result of careful hybridization. Growers follow a very precise schedule in order to ensure that their roses bloom in time to meet the demand for Valentines Day. The blooms look so perfect, but the scent⁴ is often not as enticing⁵ as that of old fashioned roses, and prices peak shortly before the 14th. An alternative to the all red bouquet⁶ is to buy some white roses and insert one red one in the center of the bunch. Actually the celebration of Valentines Day as a day celebrating love seems to have little connection with the Saint who died a martyr’s death on February 14, AD 270.