Not everyone wants red roses at Valentine’s. Not only are they a little ‘old fashioned’ but with the world saying I Love You with red roses, market forces kick in and prices go up.
However, think outside the box and there are a whole lot of love flowers out there that will send your romantic message with style and impact.
Good Florist Guide, the only independent, merit based listing of florists around the UK and Eire have come up with their top twelve alternative flowers for lovers, each accompanied by a gorgeous picture to show you how wonderful they are.
- Anthurium
Available in red, white, citrus green and palest pink, these heart-shaped flowers last for ages and look oh so stylish with either floaty bear grass all wrapped up in swathes of glistening cellophane and elegant ribbons or in structural designs.
2. Tulips
All Tulips are gorgeous when presented in a big bundle wrapped in Kraft paper and tied with raffia. But to be different ask your florist for the amazing feathery Parrot varieties like TopParrot and Rococo or the gorgeous, glossy and very appropriately named Pretty Woman. They last well and look absolutely amazing, especially as Tulips keep on growing and will curve and sway differently every day.
3. Ranunculus
Not the longest lasting flower in the world but certainly one of the prettiest with blooms that seem to have a million and one petals that gently open. Some of the best Ranunculus actually come from Israel. Ask for varieties like Fernandine, or the bigger and more exclusive Elegance and you won’t be disappointed.
4. Lisianthus (Eustoma)
They call it the poor man’s rose but that’s actually being rude about what is a very beautiful flower. There’s no red … the nearest is a dark pink called Piccolo Rose, but mix a large bouquet of green, purple and soft pink Lisianthus together and pop a heart-shaped pick in the middle and you’ve the perfect lover’s bouquet.
5. Carnations
Back in 2011 Oscar de la Renta chose them as his statement flower for his spring collection. Since then this once thought of Granny flower has seen a resurgence of interest, especially with growers developing ever sexier colour ways that look fab in a massed bouquet and will last forever.
6. Calla Lily
Very stylish, very modern and perfect for style lovers. Captain Romance is in limited supply at this time of year but its darker cousin, the richly warm Majestic Red, is in plentiful supply.
7. Alstroemeria
It’s also known as the Peruvian Lily which could be because some of the best Alstroemeria comes from South America. The multi-headed florets open into full blooms to provide loads of colour … look out for red varieties like Tornado and Napoli.
8. Anemone
They won’t last forever but a huge armful of red Anemones will thrill anyone and if you mix in some of the other stunning colours, like the decadent, fruity purple Meron Bordeaux, or the subtle Galil Pastel the gift will look even more amazing.
9. Bloom chrysanthemums …
Forget the fuddy duddy image, Bloom Chrysanthemums, with their big bold heads and incredible vase life, are this year’s ‘must have’ flower especially if you choose the designer types like the deep magenta Luba or pretty Resomee Dark.
10. … and Button ones too!
And don’t underestimate the power of button Chrysanthemums … the ‘spray’ version of their big brothers. They are just as gorgeous and anything but boring … we like the pretty purple and white Saba, the appropriately named red Merlot and think a mix of Lollipop pink and purples are just great fun.
11. Heliconia
For red hot lovers, tropicals like Heliconia, with their bright red flowers, are definitely hot, hot, hot! Structural in appearance, these aren’t for soft and fluffy types but certainly pack a punch.
12. Gerbera
Gerbera are fun, funky and come in every colour you could want including some stunning deep reds. But if you want a zany love message we’d actually suggest you mixed pinks, purples, yellows, oranges and reds all together for a fun, starburst explosion of affection.
