Say Be Mine Valentine with More than Roses

If you didn't get your red roses ordered in time for Valentine's Day, take heart because there are lots of red floral alternatives, grown right here in Ontario, that pay romantic tribute to February 14.

You can herald your love with huge trumpets of cut red amaryllis, a flower that makes a bold statement in a tall glass vase. Or if "friends first" is your strategy, try an arrangement of giant 'designer daisy' gerberas in a variety of reds - from dark maroon to orange-red - your tribute a tonal palette of appreciation. By contrast, red tulips suggest intimacy with all the 'two lip' possibilities.

Red cut stock compliments the spicy sweet side of love. And if you are really adventurous, experience an anthurium. Shaped like a giant love heart in glossy lipstick, it is the perfect flower for the fashionably love struck.

Consider impressing your Valentine with a romantic flowering plant that keeps on giving: a beautiful white Phalaenopsis orchid, commonly known as "the moth orchid", because the sequential flowers look like rows of little butterflies in flight.

Pick one with lots of unopened buds and it will bloom continuously for up to three months. And with a little loving care, the plant will flower year after year, like a good relationship should.

Finally, why not give what many people crave as the ultimate love token - a posy of seasonal, scented flowers in a glorious rainbow of colours. According to research carried out by the Flowers & Plants Association, scent is very important in conveying sentiment. Spring favorites like sweet pea, freesia, hyacinths, lilies, and narcissi all have wonderful fragrances and are widely available as cut flowers at this time of year. More unusual as a Valentine's gift, is a glamorous scented flowering potted plant such as jasmine, gardenia or stephanotis.

Research shows that flowers are perceived to be a personal and intimate gift believed to have taken a degree of consideration in their selection. Finding out your sweetheart's favourite flower or indoor plant would be a good first move for any would-be Valentine.

Don't forget, flowers are not just for females! More women are also showing their affections by sending bouquets to their men. Strong, sculptured, exotic flowers or bouquets featuring foliage and berries, convey masculinity with ease and comfort.

Flowers are a vocabulary in and of themselves. However you choose to express your floral sentiments on Valentine's Day, remember that Ontario grown cut flowers and potted plants have longevity on their side.