I don’t like getting flowers on Valentine’s Day anymore. After working as a floral designer on Valentine’s Day, my feelings for Valentine’s flowers changed. Know why?

#1 I hate seeing this…

I realize how handy it must be to grab your sweetheart a stuffed animal, flower arrangement and a Bud Lite gift basket on your way to pick up some lunch meat and toilet paper, but I want a little more thought and effort put into a gift. Actually, I’d much prefer no gift at all to this scenario.

#2 The cost…

…$49.99 for a standard florist vase, cutesy ribbon, tons of filler and no originality…

#3 The flower quality…

Some (certainly not all) growers and wholesalers start building up inventory by holding flowers longer than normal just before Valentine’s Day which greatly compromises the vase life of the blooms. As a designer, it’s annoying and upsetting to receive a shipment of flowers in poor condition when your customers are depending on you to create a beautiful and long lasting arrangement.

#4 The last minute calls…

Designers, you know what I’m talking about…the call from the college-aged cowboy hoping to get lucky on Valentine’s night that comes at 2:00pm on Valentine’s afternoon? “Yea, I want to get some flowers for my girlfriend…can you make it big? And I want to spend about $25. And can you deliver it by 4:00…she’s leaving work early today to get ready for our date tonight…” Ever heard of planning ahead?

#5 Flowers are expected on Valentine’s Day…

Unless it’s an arrangement that’s unique and memorable, just surprise me with flowers on a non-holiday…

By unique, I mean…an artistic bouquet created by a designer who takes great care to tailor the arrangement to the requests of the sender (who usually knows the recipient best!)…not a bouquet that looks exactly like the other 35 sitting next to it on a shelf…

For example, I would love to receive one of these on Valentine’s Day…

image via Designs by Ahn

image via Hilary Miles Flowers

image via Jayson Home and Garden

image via The Empty Vase

image via The Cutting Garden

Just saying…

Here’s a post every floral designer can identify with…Valentines From the Edge…check it out! Don’t forget to read the comments…they’re just as entertaining. Thanks for your honesty and sense of humor, Jane!