What to Give.
We often use plants and flowers to mark special occasions. Poinsettias and amaryllis for Christmas (and a tree), lilies for Easter, Mothers day is typically the biggest day for flower and plant sales in Canada and the list goes on.
Valentines = long stem red roses. Though, our sources in the flower industry tell us that is changing. A broader assortment of flowers have greater appeal than in the past. Perhaps there is an awakening to the cost and short life of cut roses.
We have contended for some time that one of the attractions of fresh cut flowers is that they DON’T last long: fragrant and beautiful for a short period of time, but the message is “you are worth it”.
If you are thinking about the widower next door, or some other person that you might reach out to Feb. 14th, we encourage you to think about giving something other than long stem red roses (the message there might not be appropriate anyway). There are many flowering bulbs in retailers now. A pot of tulips, daffodils, or crocus not only provides a shot of colour during a dull time of year, when kept in a sunny window out of bloom the leaves will convert the energy of the sun into food for the bulbs beneath the soil.
Planted in the garden after the spring thaw those bulbs will put on a show NEXT spring, 2026, reminding the recipient once again that they are thought of.
An orchid has become a standard gift plant, usually Canadian grown, long lasting. It will keep on giving when it reblooms each year in a sunny window.
The list of flowering plants that perform well in Canadian homes is long: cyclamen (long lasting), mums, azalea (a bit fussy, but worth the trouble), hyacinths for fragrance and bamboo, while not flowering, for “good luck”.
And of course if you are so lucky as to have someone in your life, we encourage you to be extra nice to your sweetheart this Valentines Day.
Us? We have learned something important here: Mark is learning important life-lessons from his adult daughter and Ben may be a bit surprised by what he can learn from a sibling.
This Valentines, Lynn is going to have a day that she will remember. We’ll make sure of it.
With love and hugs all round,
Mark and Ben Cullen
Merchants of beauty and beans.
www.markcullen.com
www.cullensfoods.com
www.foodandsheltergoods.com
www.treesforlife.ca
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