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Valentine's Day

What to Do When They Arrive • Long Stems • Gifts of Flowers • Cut Flowers • Preparation

They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but for most women, flowers are the path to romance. And since Valentine's day is the official day for romance, it is not surprising that it also happens to be the busiest day of the year for florists.

Sending flowers is not reserved solely for your sweetheart. Times are changing. Romance is still celebrated in a big way on February 14th, but an increasing number of other consumers, including women, are sending valentine flowers to people other than sweethearts. Flowers are a welcome gift for a friend, a relative or a co-worker. And flowers aren't just for women. Men enjoy receiving flowers almost as much as women.

We never think about valentine's Day without thinking of roses. And while red is the most popular, statistics show that the majority of women prefer other colors, from the salmon Sonia, to pinks and yellows. But men, who are the primary buyers, prefer red roses. Red is also considered the traditional symbol of love. Your gift of roses may be as simple as a single stem in a bud vase, to an elaborate design of roses costing in the hundreds of dollars. They may come pre-arranged, or purchased loose for the recipient to arrange. How you care for them can determine how long they last.

What to Do When They Arrive

When you receive your arrangement, there will be a floral preservative already in the water. Never dump out the water, simply add to it. Home remedies of soda, Listerine® or aspirin, won't be necessary, and some solutions may actually decline the shelf life. The most important factor, other than plenty of water, is temperature. Try to keep them in the coolest location in your house, away from direct sunlight, or drafts. Never store them on top of the tv, or the heat generated from the tv will cause them to deteriorate more quickly. The average life expectancy for a bouquet of roses is three to five days, while some may last as long as a week.

Long Stems

If you receive loose stems, give them a fresh cut before you put them in water. Use a clean, sharp knife to get a nice open stem which will be able to take up water. Then care for them as you would a normal arrangement.

Gifts of Flowers

A gift of flowers should not be limited to just roses. There are hundreds of flowers to choose from, some depending more on the time of year than others. Carnations, may be a less expensive alternative to roses, and one that lasts longer. But there are mixed arrangements with roses, along with calla lilies, ginger, alstromeria lilies, orchids and heather. For fragrant bouquets, include freesia, tuberose, spray roses, carnations and snapdragons. Spring bulbs from daffodils to tulips to hyacinths are all wonderful additions. Mixed miniature gardens of spring bulbs, called English gardens will last for a week or more.

Cut Flowers

And while cut flowers are by far the most popular for this holiday, there are potted blooming flowers to choose from. Azaleas, cyclamens, hydrangeas and potted bulbs are all available, and can last for several weeks.

Preparation

Florists start preparing a week in advance, making bows, wrapping pots, lining up extra help from delivery personnel to extra designers. They have ordered thousands of different kinds of flowers, stuffed animals, candies, and balloons. They will work well into the night, some even pulling all-nighters for the two to three days leading up to Valentines Day. Unlike Mother's Day, their second busiest time of the year, they don't have the flexibility of delivering flowers all week; everyone wants their flowers delivered on the 14th. War stories abound with florists of nightmares that have to be solved, -- everything from opening boxes of ruined flowers to sick delivery workers or mixed up orders. They do their best to make sure that everyone gets their flowers on time.

Flowers and Valentine's Day go hand-in-hand, but flowers aren't just for holidays. Flowers are a welcome gift any time of the year. For centuries, flowers have been surrounded by their own unique legends and folklore. The "language of flowers" serves as a code for lovers and friends. While you may not know all the prescribed meanings, a gift of flowers will brighten your day.

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