A Classic Valentine's Day Gift

The colors of roses can vary. Each color has a different meaning that seems to be redefined over time. But, a red rose has just one meaning.

“A red rose always means love,” said Debbie Schmidt, owner of Huntley Floral.

There are lots of red roses filling Schmidt’s flower shop on Route 47 this week as she and her staff prepare for Valentine’s Day.

February 14 remains the number one holiday for florists, according to www.aboutflowers.com. An estimated 198 million roses were produced for Valentine’s Day last year, the site states.

Schmidt received countless red roses from her vendor who gets the flowers from Columbia. The flowers sit soaking in water in her cooler as she starts filling orders this weekend.

A florist for 18 years, Schmidt finds roses are classic, whether a single one or a bunch.

 “A single rose can be as romantic as a dozen or two dozen roses,” she said.

But mixed flowers are popular, too, she said.

Bouquets of tulips, daisies or daffodils are big sellers on Valentine’s Day. According to www.aboutflowers.com, 44 percent of consumers bought mixed flowers last year while 43 percent bought red roses. Rounding out the list: multicolor roses at 29 percent, tulips, carnations and lilies at 23 percent and plants at 20 percent.

A majority of the people buying flowers on Valentine’s Day are men, Schmidt said. Her personal experience mirrors national statistics with about 60 percent of consumers men, the About Flowers website states.

Many men wait until the very day to pick out flowers, she said. Schmidt’s shop usually gets a rush around 2 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. The shop is ready to put together any type of bouquet, she said.

This weekend, the shop will be open Saturday and Sunday and open late on Monday.

If you receive flowers, Schmidt has a few tips to keep them fresh:

 *Make sure to use a preservative or add 7-Up or sugar to the water.

 *Keep flowers in a cool place. You can keep flowers in the refrigerator during the day while you are at work then take them out to enjoy. The flowers will last longer.

 *Go ahead and pull off brown petals to keep the bouquet healthy.

 *Roses take water up through the entire stem so make sure you fill the vase with water at least half -way.