What are forever roses?

Forever roses are real roses that have been grown from the ground and cut from the rose plant and then treated with a glycerin preservative to keep them looking fresh and beautiful for months to years. Forever roses go by many names on the internet and they also are sometimes called everlasting roses, eternal roses, eternity roses, infinity roses, immortal roses, roses that last forever, and preserved roses. Often times forever roses are confused with dried roses, wax roses, and artificial roses, but they are not the same; moreover, forever roses are preserved with a glycerin solution and undergo a multi-step chemical treatment to create the long lasting effect.

How long can a forever rose (glycerin preserved rose) last?

Unlike fresh flowers, which typically only last a week or two, forever roses can last for years without wilting or losing their color. Typically preserved roses will lose their vibrant color and fade over time if they are exposed to fluorescent light or a lot of sunlight. Also, very humid or dry conditions are not good for preserved roses, as too much moisture can cause the preserved rose to weep out the glycerin in its petals. If the rose is placed in a place with very low humidity for a long period of time (weeks/months), it's likely that the petals will become brittle faster and will be more susceptible to cracking or falling apart, much like you see with regular dried flowers.

How do forever roses last for years?

During the preservation process of the rose, the water inside the rose is replaced with glycerin which is a natural preservative that can help the rose last for several years. According to Robert Koch Industries reference guide on preserving and coloring foliage with glycerin and dyes,  "After a plant is harvested, its water content diminishes rapidly as it is lost to the atmosphere through evaporation. As a result, the plant becomes brittle and often undergoes great physical distortion. By replacing the water content of a vascular plant with a non-volatile liquid such as glycerin, the liquid content in the plant's cells remains high long after treatment, helping provide suppleness and value to the product. Because of its high boiling point, glycerin does not evaporate readily at ambient temperatures, helping to keep the liquid content from diminishing." 

Are dried flowers preserved the same way as forever roses?

Dried roses undergo no chemical treatment and do not look or feel fresh like glycerin preserved forever roses. The process of drying your flowers is either by hanging the plant upside down for a week or by putting the flower in a large container of silica gel crystals to remove all of the water and moisture from the flower. By removing the water from the flower, the flower becomes brittle and loses much of the vibrant color. Dried flowers are very fragile and do not last as long as glycerin preserved forever roses and flowers.

Where can I buy forever roses?

While many online retail florists such as Forever Monroe's sell forever roses in bouquets as a finished gift, forever roses are most commonly marketed for sale as preserved roses and are sold by flower distributors and the flower farms that produce them. 

Where do the best Preserved Roses come from?

The best preserved roses come from South America, more specifically Ecuador and Columbia. Ecuador produces some of the best roses in the world due to the fact that these country is close to the equator where there is lots of sunlight year round. The rose farms in Ecuador are located high in the Andes Mountains where there is plenty of water and the soil is rich in minerals which helps the rose plants grow big and tall. Due to the favorable environmental for growing roses, Ecuador is one of the top producers and exporters of roses to the USA.

Are Forever roses better than fresh roses?

There are several factors you may consider when choosing between fresh flowers and forever roses, such as cost, maintenance, appearance, and your own personal preference.

Do Preserved Forever Roses cost more than fresh roses?

If you evaluated which type of rose costs more if you were to have them for 1 year, you would find that preserved roses do not need to be replaced every 1-2 weeks and the overall cost of having forever roses year round versus having fresh roses year round is substantially less. For example you could purchase a dozen preserved roses from Forever Monroe's in a nice handcrafted box and it would cost around $150 with free shipping delivered to your door, wile the cost of a dozen average quality roses from the local supermarket may only cost $15-30, these roses would need to be replaced every 2 weeks at a minimum and that would be equivalent to buying fresh roses 26 times a year with a total yearly cost of $650-$780. If you were to have these dozen fresh roses delivered directly to your door instead of picking them up from the store the cost could be 2-3x as much due to the extra cost of express shipping. As you can see, if you were to have roses in your house year-round the preserved forever roses would cost substantially less versus buying fresh roses every 2 weeks.

How do you Care for preserved Forever Roses?

Unlike fresh roses that need to be trimmed and placed into a vase with water and have a flower food packet added an additionally having the water replaced every few days, preserved forever roses don't require any water or special handling. The only maintenance you may need is to just dust off your roses every few months like any other decorative item you have displayed in your home.

Are preserved Forever Roses safe if I'm allergic to pollen in flowers?

Preserved Forever Roses are a good choice for someone who has allergies or has sensitivity to the pollen that some fresh flowers may have. Sometimes you want to give fresh flowers to a loved one in a hospital but it may come as a surprise to you that some hospitals have no flower policies due to the flowers containing pollen. One of the benefits of preserved roses and flowers is that they don't contain pollen because the pollen is removed during the preservation process and it makes them safe for people with pollen allergies.

Do preserved Forever Roses have a rose scent?

Not all preserved roses and flowers come with a natural rose scent. All of Forever Monroe's Rose bouquets come with a fresh natural rose scent, just like fresh roses, only the scent lasts longer. Some people may prefer to have their flowers without any scent at all and Forever Monroe's can prepare custom rose bouquets without rose scent as well.

Are the box of roses on Amazon any good?

If you have ever browsed reviews of some products on Amazon that are preserved roses in a box, you may see that there are lots of people complaining of the roses not having a scent or actually smelling like chemicals. Not all of the companies selling preserved roses are the same and the quality of the roses and the preservation process is different for each company. When it comes to the quality of the roses of many of the cheaper rose boxes seen on Amazon, it is my opinion after purchasing several of these products to test them, that many of these rose boxes are of inferior quality to Forever Monroe's and the roses are much worse because the roses are smaller, they fall apart more easily, many of the petals have fallen off, the roses are being held together by glue and there is glue on the box, and the roses don't have a fresh natural rose scent. 

Do forever roses make a good gift?

Forever roses make a great gift for any occasion as long as you purchase your forever roses from a reputable and trustworthy company like Forever Monroe's. Not only are Forever roses a unique and long-lasting alternative to fresh flowers, they can be a thoughtful and appreciated gift for someone who loves flowers but may not have the time or ability to care for fresh flowers or they have pollen allergies. When deciding on your purchase it is important to consider the recipient's preferences and the occasion when deciding on your gift. Forever Monroe's customer service representatives are available to help answer any questions you may have when deciding on the best bouquet to purchase and Forever Monroe's offers a money back guarantee on all purchases made if any problems were to arise.