Flower Factor: A Lifestyle Blog From Aboutflowers.com

Believe it or not, Valentine’s Day was not created by florists, greeting card companies or candy makers.

In the 5^th century, Pope Gelasius established February 14th as Valentine’s Day. Named for a martyred Christian saint, it was a move to cast the holiday’s predecessor, Lupercalia, as pagan. Celebrated by the ancient Romans, Lupercalia was a bacchanalian party meant to purify the city of evil spirits, releasing health and fertility.

Valentine’s Day as we know it started around the early 1800s, when companies began to mass-produce elaborately decorated cards, which were often attached to boxes of candy. As cut flowers became more accessible, they too became popular gifts given on this special day … and so, a tradition was born.

The rose is undoubtedly the flower most associated with the modern Valentine’s Day, and flower shops carry a large selection of beautiful blossoms, some specifically brought in for Valentine’s Day. Florists select these blooms based on their longevity, color diversity, unique characteristics (such as petal shape) and fragrance.

Flowers come in all colors, shapes and sizes, and your florist can help you select the perfect gift to wow your sweetheart.  Read More

One of the things on my bucket list was to go to the Kentucky Derby, and I was lucky enough to get the opportunity last year. And boy, I was not disappointed!

As a floral designer, I have always been excited by the tradition of the Garland of Roses presented to the winner. I had no idea about all the other flowers before, during and after the race.

The minute I got off the plane in Kentucky and walked into the terminal, we were greeted with every ticket area decorated with red roses.

On the moving escalator, a huge floral arrangement of probably 150 red roses lined the walkway every 10-ft. I counted about 24 arrangements! The red roses continued at the car rental desk, and the lobby of our hotel had flowers everywhere.  Read More

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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