Have A Rose-Free Valentine’s Day

CELEBRATIONS | by DEBRA PRINZING

VALENTINE’S DAY IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED with the bouquet of one dozen long-stemmed red roses. According to the Society of American Florists, 187 million roses are produced for Valentine’s Day alone.

SOURCE: CALIFORNIAORGANICFLOWERS.COM

Holiday demand has pushed up the price of the ubiquitous (and surprisingly scentless) red bud on a long, stiff stem. In mid-February, you can easily spend $100 or more to send a dozen.

Flower enthusiasts and floral designers are ready for an alternative ― a fresh and authentic option to industrial-grown and imported flowers. Posies grown in our own gardens or purchased from a local nursery, farmer’s market or fair-trade grower are gaining in popularity.

Some romantic and organic flower-giving ideas:

• Plan ahead and force one dozen hyacinth bulbs or paper white narcissus bulbs in vases along your windowsill. When they bloom, their heady perfume rivals any fragrant rose. Stems can be cut and arranged in a tightly-packed bouquet for gift-giving.
• Harvest a natural winter bouquet from your garden. Look for delicate flowering branches, winter-blooming shrubs and early perennials. Gather the blooms and branches in a repurposed container and deliver the bouquet to a sweetheart or friend. Some of the best February-blooming plants include camellia, witch hazel, forsythia, winter Daphne and helleborus.
• Plant a winter annual in a tea cup. A 4-inch African violet or tiny cyclamen looks charming tucked into a piece of vintage china or a flea-market collectible filled with organic potting soil. The china probably won’t have a drainage hole, so it can be watered lightly with a spray bottle (water the soil area, not the leaves or flowers).

If you or your sweetheart really desires Valentine’s Day roses, seek out companies that supply organic, sustainably raised and domestically grown roses. Two of the best sources are Organic Bouquet and David Austin Roses.

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EDITOR’S CHOICE: Field-grown on a certified organic farm in Chico, Calif., and picked the day they’re shipped, the 24-stem bunch of ‘Soleil D’Or’ narcissus flowers (shown above) is a great organic choice for Valentine’s Day. Order from California Organic Flowers by 1 p.m. on Feb. 11 for Valentine’s Weekend delivery. $39.95 plus shipping.