The Truth About Forever Roses

Everyone loves flowers. But there are those of us that hate buying flowers for Valentine's Day or simply to dress up our homes — not because they aren't beautiful, but because they don't last very long, and to be honest, we feel terrible about paying for something that goes from gorgeous to grungy in just a few days.

But companies are now finding ways to keep roses going for at least 12 months (and maybe more, if you're lucky) with no effort on your part and with the help of chemical dehydration processes and preservatives. These blooms, known as forever roses, may set you back a pretty penny (House Beautiful estimates a dozen can cost more than $250, and a single rose can set you back $40 to $70 a flower) but if you're keen on the idea of keeping your buds and blossoms around for a long time, forever roses may be just the thing.

The making of a forever rose isn't as straightforward as it might look, but then again if a company can keep roses looking good for 365 days, it really shouldn't be. One company, Venus ET Fleur, says its flowers are grown in Ecuador, and when they reach full bloom, they are shipped to the company in New York. The flowers, which begin their cycle as red roses, are then bleached and treated with a non-toxic process which involves a silica-like chemical and which also dehydrates the flowers. The roses are then resoaked in dye to give them a pop of color before they are arranged and sold.

Forever roses like Venus ET Fleur's keep for a year, and the company says it is best if they are not watered and kept in the box that they arrived in. The roses should also be displayed in a room-temperature environment. If you find the roses attracting dust bunnies, the company says swishing them lightly with a duster should keep them looking spiffy.

But if you really want to make a statement, you can opt to wow your loved one or dress up your home with a single bud or a bouquet from The Forever Rose that's either completely dipped in or trimmed with platinum, gold, or silver. Each rose is hand-selected, and coated with a lacquer shell before it is either completely covered, or dipped so the tips are covered with one of the three precious metals. 

And because it's not enough to offer roses, Forever Rose offers orchids tipped with platinum, gold, or silver too. These forever flowers also come with a limited lifetime warranty in case accidents occur. And with prices that can go as high as $300 for a half dozen bunch of platinum roses, we are glad that they do.