Flowers are a classic and universally meaningful way to show your appreciation for someone. And there’s no better time to use it to communicate how much you adore your loved ones than this coming Valentine’s Day.
Although iconic, roses aren’t the only flowers you can use to express your love. In addition, it is not necessarily easy on the wallet when demand is high during Valentine’s Day.
Just like each flower is unique, so is your loved ones. It is important to pick the right flowers that appeal to your partner’s personality.
That’s why we turn to Irene Ibrani from Irene & Flowers for a list of alternative flowers that are uniquely special in their own terms. They may not be typically associated with Valentine’s Day, but you can be sure that they will fascinate and excite your special someone just the same.
Dried Lavender
There is something quite therapeutic about a room that permeates with the mild aroma of Lavender. Its appeal is not confined to its versatility as fillers (placed to fill in the gaps between larger flowers in an arrangement), but extends to its multi-functionality. When the Valentine’s Day celebrations have past, one could put their creativity hat on and turn the dried Lavender into potpourri or sprinkle the dried blooms onto your favourite desserts and summer drinks.
Cotton Bolls
With a calming approach, its softness and pristine whiteness easily conjures up images of wispy clouds. Bringing a rustic accent with their woody branches, it is capable of forming a unique centrepiece on its own in a vase. Otherwise, coupling Cotton Bolls with foliage may just create arrangements that stray from looking generic. After all, the appeal of a bouquet is invariably increased the more unusual and personalised it looks. And who wouldn’t be impressed by a bespoke bouquet?
Japanese Sweet Pea
Appealing to the current trend of pastel-toned hues, the soft pink palettes of the Japanese flower add a nice contemporary feel while still retaining a feminine vibe. Interestingly, it also features multiple blooms per stem, which when bundled up together, bears a resemblance to Hydrangeas. With an equally romantic name, Sweet Pea’s rarity as a seasonal flower may make it even more memorable as gifts.
Scabiosa Pods
Who knew that the floral world is so rich in variety? Also known as Pincushion Flower, its ball-shaped head is divided into several smaller sections that almost resemble cupcake liners. It acts as great fillers with its greenish-brown muted hue, neutralizing other brighter colors in a bouquet. As it dries, it does become more brittle and will require some ‘Tender Loving Care’.
Blue Thistle
For the more discerning, Blue Thistle’s prickly steel-blue flowers add a jagged presence to an arrangement that exudes a whimsical and natural style. With time, it will also dry beautifully to reveal a seed head with muted grey undertones. While choosing gifts for men can prove challenging, Blue Thistle’s gender-neutral hues and aesthetics make it suitable as gifts for the men in our lives. So make the first move and secretly hope your gesture has inspired them to do the same, if not bigger.
