Flower Factor: A Lifestyle Blog From Aboutflowers.com

Every Valentine’s Day floral arrangement is an expression of love. As a florist, it is truly a privilege and honor to see how people love and be a part of their love story. Here are a few examples of different ways flowers show affection and reveal part of your sweetheart’s personality:

Some Valentines carefully select each blossom for their beauty and meaning. The card messages that accompany these bouquets melt my heart. Each flower in this hand-tied bouquet was chosen for its meaning: alstroemeria symbolizes “devotion,” ranunculus “radiant charm,” tulip “perfect love,” and stock “lasting love”.

Some Valentines celebrate the contemporary and gravitate toward an arrangement like this one with trendy metallic accents. Elegant cymbidium orchids and spray roses are surrounded by foliage with eye-catching whispers of gold in a compact design.

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This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Wednesday, making it the perfect opportunity to surprise your sweetheart at work. Pavé floral designs and flowers in keepsake coffee mugs are two great options for Valentine’s Day flowers, especially if your sweetheart works in an office. Here are a few ideas sure to inspire you this Valentine’s Day.

For the love of your life, a modern pavé design of red roses shaped as a heart makes a bold declaration.

If your sweetheart enjoys gardening, you cannot go wrong with a heart pavé of succulents and lisianthus.

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With the new year, it’s human nature to reflect on the passing year. In 2017, we celebrated prom and Valentine’s Day in a big way. We showed the true power of flowers through Petal It Forward, randomly surprising people with flowers in more than 465 cities in all 50 states, and by participating with Wish of Lifetime on a “Cupid Crew,” delivering Valentine’s Day roses to seniors in assisted living communities. We got an inside look at the U.S. Postal Service’s new Celebration stamps, showcasing a corsage and boutonnière. And we saw some really neat trends, including Pantone’s 2017 Color of the Year, “Boroccan” weddings, flower crowns, kokedamas, and much, much more.

Thank you to our contributors for their trend-spotting and sharing their floral expertise. And a great big thanks to YOU for reading and sharing the ideas on all things floral.

And now, please enjoy our look back at some of the most popular Flower Factor posts of 2017:

Wonderful Wristlets: Prom is such a special time! As a florist for more than 40 years, we have seen the prom corsage design change over the years. Even with all the change, flowers continue to be the star of the corsage, also known as “wristlet.” However, over the past couple of years not only has the flower been the main component of the wristlet, ribbon and flower accents have become a great way to add personality and make your wristlet uniquely yours.

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The holiday of love can be a stressful event. Couples together for years are on the hunt for a new twist on the flower gifting. Those in a new relationship are wondering how to send the correct message without being over-zealous or too remote. Singles raise their hand and ask, “What about me?” There’s no need to be a Valentine’s Day amateur. Everyone can feel like a Valentine’s gifting pro with a little help from your flower friends.

Flowers can convey a gentle caress, a big bear hug, a simple “you’re special,” or a grand “I love you.” Which message is correct for you? Florists around the world are at the ready to help you navigate the flower world to find the perfect floral gift with just the right amount of romance and unique creativity.

Let’s start at the beginning with young love (no matter the age). A bright palette of sunshine hues is sure to make the recipient smile. Male, female, young, old – everyone likes to receive flowers. Add a creative wrap at the base and you are on-trend with textured style.

Photo Courtesy Florists’ Review magazine

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The origins of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to both ancient Roman and ancient Christian traditions. The holiday is associated with the Roman Lupercalia (a fertility festival) and to Christian Saint(s) who had romantic legends associated with that name.

Valentine’s Day is most often perceived as a celebration between lovers sending each other tokens of affection. While men buy mostly for romantic reasons, women use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to show they care to mothers, friends, children, as well as their sweethearts. Women even treat themselves on Valentine’s Day.

Flowers, hearts and cupids are traditional symbols of love and affection. While the heart is an essential part of our circulatory system, it has long been associated with our emotions and has become symbolic of love and romance. Cupid, known through mythology as the god of love and desire, has come down to us as a chubby little cherub who likes to shoot arrows that inflame desire. Your florist can incorporate hearts and cupids into your Valentine’s Day gifts.   Read More