 | Melissa Cedeño attended the University of Arkansas before attending the Kansas City School of Floral Design. She has studied under internationally known Floral Designer Bill Harper. Melissa is the owner of the Little Shop of Flowers in Pittsburg. The Little Shop of Flowers has been in business for 5 years. For more information or to reach Melissa, please call 620-231-2400 or visit www.pittsburgflowers.net. |
Flowers & Plants
2011-02-01 14:17:00
The meaning of flowers on Valentine’s Day
Question: What is the meaning of flowers on Valentine’s Day?
Answer: Generally speaking, February 14th is widely known across the world as Valentine’s Day. “A holiday created by greeting card companies or florists,” you might grumble. Actually, no...the origin of Valentine’s Day dates back to the Roman Empire, when the Emperor Claudius II decreed that no men in his army could wed. St. Valentine, a catholic priest, secretly married these young couples but was later sentenced to death for breaking the law. Folklore has it that St. Valentine sent a red rose to his jailer’s daughter before his death, thus the creation of Valentine’s Day.
Now jump forward to 2011. What to send? Consider the meaning of each individual flower. Let’s take roses...red denotes deep and long lasting love. Pink signifies admiration and joy, yellow happiness and warmth and white purity and innocence. The most popular remembrance for Valentine’s Day continues to be one dozen red roses. Classic, elegant and traditional. You can’t really go wrong with these! However, consider what the recipient might like. Since 73% of Americans ordering Valentine flowers in 2009 were men, I would suggest that you consider what the recipient might like to receive. What is her favorite color? Roses come in so many beautiful colors in addition to the ones listed above....a few of my favorites are green (named Green Tea), lavender (Cool Water) or Esperance...a gorgeous ivory rose with touches of pink and green. Consider adding chocolates to the flowers. DOUBLE WHAMMY!
Now when ordering please consider these tips...
1. This year Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday. It will be more difficult for your florist to divide the delivery over two or three days, so the majority of flowers delivered are going to go on Monday. My point is...it would benefit you to order early!!
2. Rely on your florist. A good florist will assist you with placing your order, designing the perfect floral arrangement and making sure it is delivered with “kid gloves” to your loved one.
3. Try to be understanding when ordering. There simply are a few restrictions for delivery during the Valentine’s Day rush that simply do not apply on a normal business day. For instance, most florists have difficulty delivering large balloon bouquets and “timed deliveries” usually cannot be guaranteed. At our shop we promise that deliveries to schools and businesses go out first, followed by home deliveries.
4. Expect satisfaction from your florist. The volume of floral arrangements that a designer will create for Valentine’s Day is much different that what he/she will do on a normal workday. However, it’s the ONLY arrangement your loved one will receive! Your roses should last anywhere from 5-10 days, depending on the variety you receive. Do not expect less.
Sending flowers continues to be one of the easiest ways to convey love and appreciation for that someone special in your life. So consider St. Valentine when February 14th rolls around...if he can do it under those conditions it should be a “breeze” for you. Happy Valentine’s Day!
