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Valentine's Day Flowers
There is no better way of showing someone you care than giving them flowers on Valentine's day. Tell the one you love you care by giving them a gift of flowers. Even if you are giving them other Valentine gifts, flowers add that bit extra to any Valentine's day gift.
What flowers to give
For some people roses are the only flower that will do as Valentine's day flowers. Nothing says "I love you" better than a bunch of roses.
Roses are the ultimate romantic flower, and the most popular present for Valentines day. According to a French saying from la republique, white roses are for love, red roses are for passion, and yellow roses are for friendship. For love at first sight, give lilac roses. Red roses are the most traditional flower used, but white, yellow or pink are also used. Red Roses signify passion or strength of feeling, yellow roses stand for love, and white roses traditionally reflect innocence. A dozen red roses are considered to be a gift of love, while a single long stemmed red rose is usually seen as a passionate gift.
If you fancy choosing something different why not pick from a variety of Valentine's day flowers.
To help you select suitable Valentine's day flowers you can also read our tips on what differently coloured flowers mean or represent, Flowers to send for specific occasions, Seasonal Flowers and The meaning of different flowers.
Leave a thoughtful message
Make sure you add a thoughtful message to your Valentine's day flowers. It can be Romantic or humorous or even a quote from a poem. Even if you are giving the flowers in person, a nice message in your own handwriting can go a long way. It doesn't have to be too clever or elegant; "Be my Valentine" and a few Xs works very well.
Sending Flowers to Men
The majority of the flowers given on Valentine's day are bought by men for women. It is often forgotten that men love flowers and most men enjoy receiving flowers as much as women. If you have a special man in your life, show him how much you care by giving him some flowers.
Choose flowers that suit his mood and personality. Choose an arrangement that is simple and natural with vivid colours such as red orange and yellow.
Tip - order early
This is a busy time of the year for florists so if you are ordering through online florists, make sure you order in good time. Many online florists can deliver next day, but their stocks may run out so check their web sites for delivery details and order your flowers early.
Don't buy your flowers at the last minute. You may not get a good choice of flowers, which will show you haven't been as thoughtful as you should.
The story of Valentine
In the early days of Rome the Romans called upon one of their gods, Lupercus, to protect them from the
wolves which roamed the nearby woods. A festival held in honour of Lupercus was celebrated February 15th.
One of the customs of the young people was name-drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man drew a slip. The girl whose name was chosen was to be his sweetheart for the year.
The Emperor Claudius II believed soldiers would want to stay home with their families rather than fight wars after being married. The Emperor thought this would weaken his army and banned all marriages.
Valentine was a Christian priest in Rome. Valentine defied Emperor Claudius II by breaking the law and secretly marrying countless couples. Claudius found out about Valentine's actions, and Valentine was arrested, imprisoned, and put to death
Valentine was beheaded on February 14th, the eve of the Roman holiday Lupercalia at the time Christianity was a new religion. After his death, Valentine was named a saint. As Rome became more Christian, the priests moved the spring holiday from the 15th of February to the 14th - Valentine's Day. Now the holiday honoured Saint Valentine instead of Lupercus.
Prior to his execution Valentine had befriended his jailor's daughter to whom he left a farewell note, and signed it From Your Valentine. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius set February 14th as a day to honour St Valentine, and decreed him the Patron Saint of Lovers.
Ever since it has been a custom for men and women to send messages and exchange gifts to their sweethearts, friends, and members of their families.