Love is in the Air

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Mums And Roses: Valentines Day need not be a rosy celebration
By Chris Coates/ Mums And Roses
Thursday, February 3, 2005

Valentine's Day is approaching! Can you feel the love? Men, consider this your final warning to get out there and plan, or do something special for your loved one.

The history of Valentine's Day is a bit fuzzy but it can be traced back to a Roman festival called Lupercalia. It can also be traced to at least three different St. Valentine's who all died as martyrs. I won't get into a detailed history because all of the stories and research give differing, and sometimes conflicting, accounts. But when all is said and done, the act of celebrating Valentine's Day can be summed up by lyrics from a Beatles song, "All You Need is Love."

Flowers and Valentine's Day go hand and hand. The tradition of giving flowers on Valentine's Day dates back to the time of King Henry IV of France. King Henry's daughter is said to have organized a Valentine's party where she distributed bunches of flowers for her friends to give to the men they had chosen as their Valentines.

When it comes to flowers, roses are still a popular item. Roses of course are known for their association with love and are available in a wide variety colors that can be used alone or combined to create an impressive presentation. Roses are usually offered in three main styles on Valentine's Day: The vase arrangement, the boxed arrangement and the wrapped arrangement. All three styles make a beautiful display but remember that if you don't purchase a vase arrangement, the recipient will have to arrange the roses in their own vase. If you are the recipient of boxed or wrapped roses remember to take the water tubes off the stems before arranging. Use the supplied food packet in a vase of lukewarm water and cut at least a half inch off the stems to help improve the intake of water. These care tips apply to most cut flowers.

Buyer beware! When you purchase roses on Valentine's Day it is important to remember the old saying, "You get what you pay for." If you think that you are getting a great deal on roses then you are probably buying a low-quality product that will have a short life-span. If your roses do die quickly, take them back to your florist. A reputable florist will replace them for you without any hassle. Remember, your florist wants you to be happy so you will come back next year.

One of the most popular questions directed at florists during Valentine's Day is: "Why are roses so much more expensive?" Contrary to popular belief, florists do not raise the prices in order to take advantage of customers on Valentine's Day. There is a very simple reason for the price increase: As any economist would tell you, price reflects supply and demand. The economics of roses are no different from the economics of tomatoes. Since demand spikes up on Valentine's Day, the price rises to allocate the available supply. If we could store roses the way we store diamonds, then the price wouldn't change very much, because wholesalers would just draw on accumulated inventory. But roses are perishable, so wholesalers can't store them. And sure enough, the price of candy won't go up at all on Valentine's Day, though seasonal demand for it increases far more than the demand for roses. Why? Candy isn't highly perishable.

Don't feel like you have to buy your sweetheart a dozen roses on Valentine's Day. In fact, less than half of our Valentine's Day sales are attributed to purchases of arrangements made entirely of roses. If you want to send flowers, but are looking for something other than roses, your local florist can provide lots of options. The trend these days is toward the mixed arrangement. Most florists will have a wide variety of flowers on Valentine's Day to meet almost any request or color scheme. Women tend to respond well to mixed arrangements with pastel tones of pinks, peaches and lavenders, while men - yes even manly men can appreciate flowers - tend to prefer bold and vibrant colors such as red, orange, purple, blue and yellow.

One popular item that isn't often thought of as a Valentine's Day flower is the tulip. Tulips are much less expensive than roses and make a beautiful arrangement. You can purchase a simple, yet elegant arrangement of one or two bunches of tulips in a clear glass bowl or you can add them to your custom-made mixed arrangement.

In addition to cut flowers there are a number of plants that are very suitable for Valentine's Day. These include potted cyclamens which are available in many colors and have beautiful decorative foliage and lots of blooms. Other favorites are miniature roses, gerberas, African violets and azaleas. The bromiliad, a relative of the pineapple, is a daring choice. Commonly called air plants, these beautiful, exotic plants require very little care.

In order to get the best selection and timely delivery of your Valentine order, I suggest you place your order at least a week before. Remember, don't pay an order taker, like "toll-free flowers.com." Cut out the middleman by calling the florist that will be designing and delivering your order. This can often save you up to $10 in processing/service fees. You will get a better value, meaning your Valentine will receive a beautiful arrangement. Also, you will often talk to an experienced floral professional and not someone who is just reading to you from a script on a computer screen.

The bottom line for Valentine's Day floral purchases is that it really comes down to what you think your loved one would like and what you are comfortable spending. Talk with your local florist so that they can help you come up with a happy medium.

So on Valentine's Day you should get out there and spread the love!

For additional information about flowers and plants visit www.aboutflowers.com