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Bunches of love

Bunches of love

Have you guys ever given serious thought to where you buy your Valentine’s flowers?

It says a whole load about how you rate your loved one and, while we know there are many ladies who will appreciate the fact you bought them any flowers at all, we reckon you can earn yourself some serious brownie points by going the extra mile and choosing the right bunch.

Women can spot a hastily-bought bunch from the garage a mile off. Not only is that more likely to get you a scowl rather than a kiss, the flowers may not last long enough for you to make up.

The Flowers & Plants Association — which just happens to be run by a team of ladies — has come up with some hints on where to buy your flowers and has compiled the Man’s Guide to Choosing Flowers as well.

Here are our top tips:

Supermarket flowers: Flowers here are often incredibly cheap, and we know it might be convenient, but be careful! She knows supermarkets better than you, and even if you manage to get that dreadful sticky price tag off without ripping the packaging she will still know it was a budget purchase.

Garage forecourt flowers: This is probably the worst purchase of all because you were not even multi-tasking i.e. doing the shopping. You had simply forgotten! Take it from us — garage flowers are a complete no-no for any self-respecting man looking to woo his woman.

Online ordering: Not bad, especially if you use one of the decent websites who use a network of florists to make and deliver your order. However, be careful if you are having them couriered, rather than delivered by a local shop, because you run the risk they may not arrive on time, and then you will really going be in the doghouse!

Street Stalls: A good combination of economy and personal choice. And because many stalls offer as good a range as a bespoke florist you can have your gift personally made and wrapped. The downside is that they do not deliver, so you will need to hide them in a bucket of water somewhere from Saturday, or they will not dead last until Monday morning.

Local Florists: When it comes to special deliveries, a local florist is quite simply the best option. Not only will your lover know you took the time to pick up the phone or visit the shop to order the flowers, but you will also have had the chance to hand-write the card.

And don’t worry if you are stuck for ideas on what to buy — we have a whole load of suggestions from £10 to a £1,000!

Send an e-mail to info@flowers.org.uk and we will send you our complete Man’s Guide to Flower Buying, which gives you flower variety and design ideas, and even includes some suggested messages.

The picture, right, was supplied by The Flower Bank (www.theflowerbank.co.uk) one of the north west’s leading wholesalers and run by Helen Wilson who was in event management before deciding on a career in flowers.

The Real Men Buy Flowers campaign was kickstarted after a survey suggested that up to 65 per cent of British men had never walked into a florists.

“I think a lot of British men think there is something unmanly about being involved with flowers,” says Helen.

“Yet some of the greatest flower growers and demonstrators in the world are men, and every woman loves receiving a beautiful floral arrangement. If food is the way to a man's heart, then flowers are the way to a woman's heart.”

 
Published on 03/02/2011
Bunches of love