The rose is a symbol of love, hope, joy, passion, remembrance, and condolence. No flower has been the subject of sonnets, plays, songs and poems more than the rose.

The history of the rose goes far back. The Greeks revered the red rose as having come from the blood of Adonis; the Romans used roses in their parties and thought nothing of carpeting the floor with rose petals; the Persians associated the rose with the heart; the early Christians made the rose a symbol of love in connection with the Virgin Mary and Christ's Blood.

The Victorians even talked in roses, and some of that language still survives today. A red rose, of course, signifies respect and love. A yellow rose, in Victorian times, meant a jealous suitor but today means friendship. The white rose signified innocence and purity. In the US, white roses are often used at weddings and have acquired the additional meaning of happiness and security. Pink roses are often used to signify appreciation or gratitude. White and red roses together signify unity. White roses fringed in red have come to mean the same thing.

The Victorians used more than just colors. Two roses bound together signified an engagement. A thornless rose signified love at first sight. A wilted rose, of course, signified rejection. There were also meanings in rosebuds, half-open buds and roses in full bloom, as well as meanings in the number of roses given; fifty roses, for instance, signified unconditional love and twenty-five roses were given as congratulations.

For Valentine's Day, rather than give any number of individual roses, why not give a rose bush? There may be no meaning in the language of roses for a rose bush but in the language of gardeners, it's surely a gift of love!

With the focus on roses this time of year, an important beneficial insect to get to know is the ladybug or, more properly, "lady beetle." We'll talk about two here: the vedalia beetle (Rodolia cardinalis) and the convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens).

Vedalia lady beetles eat aphids, scales, and other soft bodied insects. Most people are familiar with the adult, which is round, red with black spots, and about 1/4 inch long. This beetle was brought to the US from Australia in 1888 and saved the citrus industry in California by controlling cottony cushion scale. It is well-established in Florida now, as well. In addition to scale, the adult and larva have an appetite for aphids - a common rose pest. The larvae look like little dragons or alligators. Their long narrow bodies - about 1/3 inch long - are reddish-gray.

Convergent lady beetles are a native species and far more common. These are the ones most Americans think of when the word "ladybug" is used. They, and their larvae, also have an appetite for aphids and other pests. The larvae are darker with brighter markings

These ladies are easy to spot - look near the new growth at the tips of plants and on young buds. Watch for them in your own garden. Don't spray them; they are our best helpers!

Get to know your beneficial insects. They can be very useful in keeping the pests away and reducing the use of chemicals. And remember - when you do need to use chemicals in your garden, read the instructions carefully and consult with one of our nursery professionals, who can advise you on the best one to use for your particular problem.

Don't be confused by all those numbers! The N-P-K numbers (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) on the label simply give you the percentage of each of these primary nutrients in the fertilizer. For example, a 10-20-20 fertilizer contains 10% nitrogen, 20% phosphorus, and 20% potassium. This means that 100 pounds of this fertilizer will have 10 pounds of nitrogen, 20 pounds of phosphorus, and 20 pounds of potassium. These nutrients certainly aren't the only ones plants need, but plants use them in the greatest quantities. You'll sometimes hear the term "fertilizer ratios." This is simply the ratio of each to the other. Divide the numbers by the lowest number in the group of 3 and you will have the ratio. For instance, 10-20-20 would have a 1-2-2 ratio, and 15-15-15 would be 1-1-1.

Nitrogen is the nutrient most often in short supply in soils. It stimulates vegetative growth such as leaves and stems, and gives a lush green color to leaves. Phosphorus stimulates root growth, hastens flowering, and promotes increased disease-resistance, whereas potassium increases the size and quality of fruit and flowers, among other benefits.

The balance of these nutrients can be as important as how much you apply. For instance, a tomato may respond with lots of vegetative growth and few fruits if you give it too much nitrogen. If you give it too much phosphorus and potassium, and no nitrogen, the result can be a small plant that produces only a few tomatoes. Be sure to use a fertilizer that is specialized for the type of plant you are feeding.