 Adding more colour to Valentine’s
Red roses are the classic Valentine’s Day symbol. Higher prices are inevitably the result of supply and demand and the “red rose rip-off” story is often a hot media topic in the days leading up to Valentine’s.
In the U.K., Bloomsbury Flowers, located in Central London, has been rebelling against the red rose tradition for 12 years. A year after opening their shop, owners Mark Welford and Stephen Wicks decided they wouldn’t carry red-coloured blooms on the floral holiday. “It was quite an absolute nightmare ordering in the red roses. The prices as well were ridiculous,” says Welford. The two felt that they could serve their customers better by offering blooms that would give customers better value for their money.
On the shop’s second Valentine’s Day, Welford says they provided customers with a choice between red-free mixed bouquets and arrangements. The following year, the shop chose a specific colour theme for that particular year and still carries on that tradition today. “Our customers start to get excited after Christmas and they start asking us what theme we will have,” says Welford.
The shop was one of the first to experiment with their Valentine’s Day offerings and since then a number of florists have followed suit across the U.K. Welford estimates that because of the red bloom ban, they lose maybe less than a half a dozen customers every year. In the end, they feel this policy best fits in with Bloomsbury Flowers’s motto of providing “flowers with attitude.”
“Our style of floristry is not the run-of-the-mill flowers,” Welford says.
Back on our side of the pond, we asked Canadian florists from across the country to tell us whether they would ever consider a ban on roses or the colour red on Valentine’s Day. Here’s what they had to say:
“I don’t think so. For us, roses are still a huge factor on Valentine’s Day. We really, really work hard with our suppliers and we are really picky . . . . We sell a pretty good quality product. We get people calling us more often to say that they were happy than unhappy.”
Sheila McIvor, owner,
Wainwright Flower Cart,
Wainwright, Alta.
“Absolutely not. There’s unquestionably no way that would work. It’s all market driven and I have no qualms about selling roses for $8 or $9 a stem. The pricing is driven by market and availability . . . I always suggest using other flowers but people seem to think that roses and romance go together.”
Joseph Laudi, owner, Terrafolia Flowers, Montreal, Que.
“I try to educate customers on a regular basis and I say to them [customers] ‘Come in three times a year and get three bouquets a year for that price.’ I understand where they are coming from in not wanting to sell red roses but in doing that that’s not helping people who want to embrace the day. It’s a tradition for some.”
Martha Kekkas, owner,
In Bloom, Kingston, Ont.
“I think it’s a fabulous idea. I definitely really try and talk people into mixed bouquets – red roses can be trite – or a nice European hand-tied versus the red rose classic. Last year we tied boa feathers around red roses to mix it up and they sold really well. I’m torn. I’d love to [go without red roses] but I think the clientele just demands it.”
Colleen O’Farrell, owner,
Foxglove Flowers, Victoria, B.C.
“Pretty much everybody wants roses, Valentine’s is the day for roses. We’ll always be selling roses here.”
Sandra Walsh, floral designer, Hearts and Flowers,
Charlottetown, P.E.I.
|
