As the day fast approaches, florist Erica Berry suggests that Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about red roses, and that actually you can ‘say it with flowers’ with far more pezzazz if you look beyond the stereotypical romantic gesture.
Red roses will always be popular, having been associated with love as far back as the ancient Greeks and Romans. It was the ‘sweet rose of reason and virtue’ that saves the hero from his bewitched life in the form of a donkey in the allegorical classic The Golden Ass, however, for modern day man to avoid making an ass of himself, she suggests a little more thought may be required.
Instead of a hastily grabbed pre-packed bunch from a garage forecourt, Erica has a pretty good idea that most women would prefer to feel that they are a little bit special, and taking care to treat them as an individual goes a long way in earning brownie points.
Go for their favourite colour, or their favourite blooms and have a bouquet put together specially, she suggests.
Romantic alternatives to red are shades of cerise, pink, magenta and the vibrant, jewel colours in mixed flowers really give the wow factor. Far from being an expensive alternative, a thoughtful combination of stunning blooms can be far better value for money.
It’s not all about the ladies either, she points out, with men enjoying receiving flowers too, particularly spectacular contemporary bouquets featuring tropical blooms, so let’s not be sexist, ladies, but let your love blossom with innovation!
Erica Berry Flowers is a creative retail florist based on Railway Road, Ilkley.