Ever wonder how Valentine’s Day got its name? The origin of this holiday stems from a clergy man named Valentine who secretly married couples in ancient Rome and was executed for this. In 496 A. D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honour St. Valentine. With so many flowers to choose from, use this special day as an opportunity to use your creativity to make a beautiful gift. Here’s an assortment of Valentines flower tips.
- As the traditional flower for Valentines’ Day, one dozen roses arranged with filler always make a strong statement.
- Use other types of flowers aside from roses to make arrangements and bud vases. Other popular flowers are carnations, tulips, lilies, spray chrysanthemums, orchids, alstromeria and callas.
- Using decorative wire bent into a heart shape makes a pretty addition to any flower arrangement.
- Add a helium-filled balloon to a Valentine’s Day gift to add some colour.
- A simple two rose bud vase with leather leaf fern and a few sprigs of baby’s breath make a very easy gift.
- Another easy arrangement would be to use a round clear glass bowl about 5 inches, fill with prepared floral food in water. Add your choice of greens such as salal, or leather leaf fern. Make a base of the greens by crisscrossing the stems. You must remove the leaves below the water line as it will cause bacteria to grow and clog the flower stems causing them to wilt. Cut rose stems about 8 inches long for a 5 inch bowl. Arrange your roses around the edges and fill in the centre. Use your filler flowers in between the roses. You can also add a few sprigs of baby’s breath to give it an airy look.
Barbara Kirkpatrick is a freelance florist and owner of The Peace Lilly.
