Gather the rose of love whilst yet is time.
— Edmund Spenser
Roses and Valentine’s Day go together like strawberries and cream, Daphne Bridgerton and the Duke of Hastings, Netflix and chill. The one is practically synonymous with the other. So, when it comes to choosing flowers for Valentine’s Day, the rose is the easy option. But what if you don’t want to make that grand passionate [expensive] statement that 100 red roses implies? What if you’re at the beginning of a relationship, or hoping to be? At that delicate point where too big a gesture can be just that. What if your Valentine is one of those rare creatures who doesn’t actually like roses? (They do exist!)
While we can’t argue with the choice of the rose for special occasions, we do know that sometimes, you just want something a little bit different. So, here are our top five recommendation for anyone looking beyond the rose this February 14th.
Five Valentine’s Flower Options that Don’t Rely on Roses
Tulips
Like most flowers, tulips come in a variety of colours and each colour can carry a different meaning. But in floriography – the language of flowers – the overarching meaning of the tulip is ‘perfect love’. And of course, there’s that beautiful pun of tulips sounding like ‘two lips’. So, an arrangement of tulips is pretty much a gift delivered with a kiss.
Lilies
Whether you go for the open, hopeful faces of the star-gazer, or the implied passion of the tiger, the lily is an excellent choice when selecting a bouquet for romance. Lilies come in a wide range of colours and sizes and always make a ‘wow’. So, as long as you’re not buying for a pet owner (lilies are poisonous to some animals), the lily makes as fabulous Valentine’s choice.
Carnations
Carnations have fallen out of favour a bit in recent years, but pretty, delicate and gorgeously scented, they really are tremendous little flowers. They also have a long association with love. Pink blooms symbolise admiration. Red, deep love. While white stands for purity, which is always a great basis for a relationship.
Alstroemeria
A symbol of devotion, the alstroemeria flower comes in a variety of shades and is one of the longest lasting cut flowers around. Big and blousy, they make a wonderful arrangement all on their own, but blended with other blooms, they can be breath-taking. And if you mix them with lilies, or even a rose or two, you have a double or triple whammy!
Ranunculus
The ranunculus is the closest you can get to a rose without actually buying roses! Delicate and charming, they symbolise admiration. So, if you’re looking to let someone know that you’d like to get to know them a little better, an arrangement of ranunculus makes a fantastic choice.
A Valentine’s bouquet shouldn’t be about going as big and expensive as possible. It should be about thought, consideration and care. About finding something that will set your lover’s heart alight. Not because you’ve spent as much as you were possibly able. But because you took the time to get things right and choose an arrangement that would mean something to them. And that’s why, although the rose will always be the bloom of romance, sometimes it’s worth looking beyond it.