22. In Greek myth, roses are red because they grow in places where the goddess of love once wept
Red roses had, of course, been linked with romance well before King Charles II of Sweden made flower-giving a Valentine’s Day tradition. The association dates all the way back to Ancient Greece, in fact. In Greek mythology, rose bushes grew in places where Aphrodite’s tears. Or drops of her blood, had fallen. The Romans added to this myth. They adopted Aphrodite, re-imagined her as Venus, and promoted the red rose as a popular symbol of both love and physical beauty.
