‘Red roses mean love, and men aren’t taking any chances’
Crall's Monongahela Floral and Gift Shoppe owner Adeline Gilmore shows Kendrick Glover of Donora a box of roses he bought for his wife Angie.
Jamie Junk , along with all the floral designers at Neubauer's Flowers in Uniontown are hard at work preparing bouquets and arrangements for Valentine's Day this Sunday.
As Valentine蘑菇视频 Day approaches, district residents are contacting local florists with plans to surprise their sweethearts on this most romantic of holidays.
Top choice: red roses.
鈥淭hey want to be traditional 鈥� it蘑菇视频 roses, always roses,鈥� said Adeline Gilmore, owner of Crall蘑菇视频 Monongahela Floral and Gift Shoppe.
鈥淭hat蘑菇视频 the favorite,鈥� said Steve Neubauer of Neubauer蘑菇视频 Flowers in Uniontown. 鈥淓veryone goes for red.鈥�
Neubauer said florists have done an effective job of marketing red roses for Valentine蘑菇视频 Day, noting, 鈥淩ed roses mean love, and men aren鈥檛 taking any chances.鈥�
In fact, Gilmore finds 鈥淚t蘑菇视频 the same thing every year. In all the years, I鈥檝e been here 鈥� it蘑菇视频 always traditional.鈥�
But there are customers willing to try something different.
It could be something as simple as a change in shade as customers seek to personalize an arrangement by selecting their sweetheart蘑菇视频 favorite color.
鈥淭he next popular color is yellow after red,鈥� remarked Gilmore.
Neubauer noted, 鈥淲e carry five different shades of pink. We have lavender, white 鈥� whatever her favorite color may be, we can generally work with it.鈥�
For those who want a change away from roses, there are many choices available.
Neubauer said popular selections include tuberoses, which are very fragrant, and nerine lilies, which are very bright. Also fashionable are stargazer and white oriental lilies.
Neubauer finds people are enjoying flowers such as hydrangeas, which come in colors such as lavender, purple, pink and mojito green.
鈥淪ome garden variety flowers are becoming popular 鈥� hydrangeas, larkspur, snapdragon and lilies,鈥� he said.
Customers may want to try some of these other flowers as the high demand for roses at Valentine蘑菇视频 Day puts a squeeze on the supply, coming just weeks after another high demand at Christmas.
Neubauer noted, 鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing more roses used at Christmas for centerpieces and gift giving. In years past, that was not the case.鈥�
Gilmore said a contributing factor includes roses being used at the end of the year for holiday events that include the Rose Parade on New Year蘑菇视频 Day in California.
鈥淚t makes things sparse here. You figure one float can have 10,000 roses,鈥� Gilmore said. 鈥淭hat蘑菇视频 a lot of roses. You have to wait for the next cutting.鈥�
Regardless of supply and demand, there are customers who don鈥檛 let anything affect their buying decision.
Neubauer said, 鈥淪ome people buy a single flower and there are people who come in and buy four dozen.鈥�
Gilmore said people generally spend anywhere between $80 and $120 but they get some orders for as many as three dozen roses.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 Valentine蘑菇视频 Day. They go all out. If someone comes to my door with three dozen roses, I鈥檇 be impressed,鈥� Gilmore said.
Sometimes customers want a little more than flowers and florists are happy to oblige.
Gilmore noted, 鈥淭hey like the whole package: roses, teddy bears and candy that says 鈥業 love you.鈥� 鈥榃ill you be mine?鈥濃��
Neubauer said there a package that includes roses, a stuffed animal and balloons for about $100. 鈥淵ou get a little bit of everything.鈥�
When Valentine蘑菇视频 Day is on a weekday, that蘑菇视频 the day everyone wants their flowers delivered. But since Valentine蘑菇视频 Day is Sunday this year, there will be deliveries on multiple days.
鈥淎 lot of men want the flowers to go where their wives work. It蘑菇视频 very impressive,鈥� commented Gilmore, who said today looks like the busiest day for her shop although staff will be making deliveries Saturday and Sunday.
Neubauer蘑菇视频 will also make deliveries to work places today but expects the busiest day to be Saturday. His store, which is open seven days a week, will also be making deliveries Sunday.
Why are flowers a Valentine蘑菇视频 Day tradition?
鈥淔lowers bring a smile to your face,鈥� said Gilmore. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e something good and positive in this day and time 鈥� to receive flowers is so cheery and happy.鈥�
Neubauer noted, 鈥淔lowers, over the years, have been used to say 鈥業 love you.鈥� Many times, they can convey feelings that you cannot put into words.鈥�