You can't beat the classics, especially an elegant classic like the rose

When it comes to impressing a woman, nothing wows like a great big boquet of roses. They're a mainstay for Mother's Day, but roses also top the list on Valentine's Day, birthdays, and forgive-me flowers. Still life paintings with flowers almost always include roses and perfumes pay homage to the scent of the rose.

You can't go wrong with roses unless your mom absolutely hates them.

But shopping for roses can be confusing, especially if you're wondering why they cost so much more than so many other flowers.

Some of the price of roses is undoubtedly the old law of supply and demand. But some of it involves the fact that you're getting very precisely grown blooms picked at a peak moment in a very short life span.

Roses are sold already done in arrangements (and they can part of an arrangement of other flowers or by themselves) or you can buy a box of roses which should be placed in a vase full of water upon delivery. When roses appear solo, they are usually accompanied by some greenery and baby's breath. Baby's breath is a very delicate-looking white flower than almost seems fake.

Picking a floral arrangement with roses in the mix allows you the benefit of including this regal, elegant flower without having to break the bank. But if you opt for something with roses included, don't expect to see lots and lots of roses. They're accents rather than focal points.

An arrangement of all roses definitely has a wow factor, but you'll be paying a lot more for it than comparably sized arrangements or boquets of diverse flowers. And don't expect to get a "baker's dozen" roses. A dozen roses is 12 and don't think they don't count them.

Roses come in an almost uncountable number of varieties. Most florists sell hybrid type roses, that is, roses that were especially developed for beauty in floral arrangements.

You may hear people talk about “heirloom” roses. These are roses grown from stock that can be traced back many years. Many areas of the country have native roses that grew wild at one point in history. These heirloom roses may be related to those rugged natural beauties. One advantage of heirloom roses is that most are very hardy and disease-resistant (they had to be in order to survive)! It is more common to find heirloom roses at a nursery or specialty store than at a flower shop, but you may still hear the term. Your florist won't likely be selling these, but if your mom likes to garden, a heirloom rose is a great way to commemorate Mother's Day with a gift that will last for many years.

What about fragrance? There are roses that have a strong scent, but most of the stuff you'll get from the flower shop will have mild to no fragrance.

Roses come in an almost infinite variety of colors from black (yes, there are black roses) to white, to red, blue (yes, there are blue roses), pinks, oranges, and yellows. Some roses offer two tones or variegation in the leaves.

Although the colors of roses are sometimes portrayed as having some meaning, the fact is that red roses remain the “classic” rose but other colors of roses are appropriate if you like them. Red roses for Mother’s Day will make a spectacular and chic arrangement. However, many women develop a special taste for a certain type of rose, so if your mom prefers white roses or yellow roses or pale pink roses, you should order the roses that will most delight her.

If your mom likes roses but does not favor any particular color, consider some of the two-toned or multicolor roses. They're artful, unusual, and a bit playful, yet still offer the elegance of the traditional rose boquet.

The long-stem rose is a type of hybrid rose that is bred to have a very long stem in relationship to the rose. A rosebush can often be full of flowers with very stubby stems, so the long-stem rose was a special development that helped the floral industry. Some of these long-stem roses can grow six feet tall or higher. Note that many long-stem roses are not as fragrant as other varieties, but the long-stemmed elegance is thought to be a good trade-off.

Roses in nature have thorns, but the kind that florists sell are often bred to have fewer and less offensive thorns. You still should be careful when holding roses from the florist, but know that many roses "in the wild" have way more dangerous thorns than the store-bought kind.

There's no doubt about it: roses are extravagant. They're beautiful, expensive, classy, classic, and delightful. If that's what you want to say to your mom, roses are a great choice this Mother's Day.

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