Of sensual roses and demure lilies

Add some zing to your bouquet of love on this special day, with a rainbow of colour, suggests Trisha Bhattacharya.

A basket of sensual reds, or a vase of deep orchids. Isn’t that what you were thinking of ordering on Valentines Day for your beloved?  Some flowers like roses, orchids and tulips liven up and add much colour to your mood.

And these are the first flowers we usually think of ordering on Valentines. But how about doing the unexpected this time and surprising your partner? In fact, choose the unusual this season and send your Valentine not roses, but different flowers. Florists have a wide range of flowers on offer, and one just needs to be aware that there is more choice.

Elegant and unusual flowers, just like the rose and the orchid, rise in glory and celebrate your love on Valentines.  Charismatic, and enchanting, they too have the desired effect on those who are special to you. Let’s go through a list of flowers that will make you swoon and forget the rose, even if it’s for a while.

Go by fragrance, or don’t. The beauty of flowers compensate for their lack of fragrance, so let it not be compulsory when you are making a choice.

However, for you to know, some perfumed flowers are jasmines, lilies, hyacinths and rajanigandha. Colours signify emotion and therefore, flowers you choose this Valentines should be a reflection of your own spirit and the true spirit of this special day.

Preference should be given to colours like red, pink or even orange. Those sending flowers this Valentine’s to their good friends and relatives can opt for whites, yellows and lighter shades.

Flowers in loving reds are poinsettia, dahlia, red ginger lily, perfumed passion and gerbera.

Those in fiery orange are orange cestrum, marigolds and dahlias. Those in pretty pinks are carnations, boronia, lily, cape lily, sweet pea, peony, tulip, ranunculus, tulip, and protea. 

Those in meditative lavenders are lilac, Himalayan lilac, trailing lantana, lavender, statice, iris, delphinium, and hydrangea. Some in optimistic yellows are of course, sunflowers, tulips, gerbera, lily, daffodil, amaltas and freesia (also available in red). One can even opt for flowers in cool blue, (grape hyacinth, hyacinth, bluebeard, blue forest champa, musk larkspur). Most of these are fragrant flowers.

Those in eternal whites are milk and wine lily, gold spot ginger lily, butterfly ginger lily, gysophila, common white frangipani, jasmine (night blooming jasmine, river jasmine, rosebud jasmine, water jasmine, Malabar jasmine, wild jasmine, divine jasmine), camellia, narcissus, gardenia (brilliant gardenia has fragrance), sweet pea, cape coast lily, and lily of the valley.

Seasons change, and flowers too. You must also choose flowers according to the season. Ask your florist for a list of seasonal flowers to choose from, because seasonal flowers will be easily available and will be less expensive as compared to those that are non-seasonal. Go for spring flowers or winter flowers or even all-the-year-round flowers this Valentines Day.

Request your florist to combine your choice of flowers with foliage like rose leaves, ferns and other unusual smaller flowers like Rangoon creepers, butterfly bush, white butterfly bush, Chinese wisteria, and gypsophila to make the bouquets look larger.

You can also customise the  kind of bouquet you’d like your flowers to be arranged in — round bouquets, for large flowers, arranged with foliage and ribbons. Large bouquets that cascade look grand. Also, as tied bouquets, tied with a wire and even a posy (usually laced with a ribbon). As a finale, once you’ve made up your mind, your florist can embellish your bouquet with crystals, glittery beads and pearls and enhance it further with translucent colour organza, net ribbon or satin tied in a bow to give the bouquet a beautiful and graceful look.

Adding a box of chocolates, and a greeting card later on to your unusual and well-thought-of floral bouquet this Valentine’s day will truly establish that you care for your beloved.