February 14th is a chance to go above and beyond, taking some time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to highlight your appreciation for the exceptional individual in your life.
There are many ways to do this, but flowers are a must-have for Valentine’s Day. Most people go by their local pharmacy or Wal-Mart the day of, pick up a bouquet, and pass it on. However, for stand-out results, here are some options.
Essentially, grocery flowers will nearly always be inferior to those at a designated florist. They maintain their flowers to last longer, and they are of higher quality.
That’s not to say your average grocery display flowers are not usable, but that is where a lot of people get flowers last minute. If you do choose to rely on those, it’s a risk; you might end up with the more neglected, wilting examples if your timing isn’t just right.
The safest practice is to call or go to a local florist and place an order of flowers. You will not only be guaranteed a quality bouquet on the day you need it, but you can also customize the flowers in it.
Be prepared to spend quite a bit more, but these arrangements are the best you can get. They often can be delivered, and come artfully presented, minimizing your effort on a busy week. Some Chickasha area florists are Ootsie’s Flowers, Life in Bloom, and Kendall’s Flowers.
If you want to go the less professional, but cheaper route there are ways to turn a boring store-bought bouquet into an amazing arrangement yourself.
First, look for hardy flowers. Carnations, roses, daylilies, lavender, and peonies are long-lasting examples. Those that have not yet bloomed fully are good picks especially if shopping before the 14th. In general, those with thick stems will stay the freshest.
Then be creative! You can buy multiple different small bouquets of complimentary shapes and colors to combine later and include greens like ferns to add variety.
Depending on how you want to present them, get some tissue paper and twine to wrap them in. If you don’t mind a bit of a hunt, go thrifting for a unique and affordable vase, but make sure it will be the right size for what you have picked out.
You will then want to strip the leaves off the bottom half of the stem only. The upper leaves will help the flowers open, but the bottom leaves will grow bacteria in water, shortening their lifespan.
If you are placing them directly into a vase, cut the stems to help them absorb water. In either a wrapped bouquet or a vase, you’ll want the flowers at varying heights, so don’t cut them all the same. You can either lay them on the table and fan them out, or place them in the vase, turning it from time to time as you go to ensure it looks great from every angle.
Lastly, the most important thing: attach a card or letter to the flowers, not just signed with your name, but with a real message. Be thoughtful, and don’t make it seem like a simple obligation. Let your loved one know what they really mean to you with a heartfelt note, and your gift is complete.
Thomas Buchanan is a third-year art major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
