There is one thing that florists can bank on when it comes to Valentine’s Day — order a lot of red roses.

“People generally buy a dozen or an arranged bouquet,” said Maddie Conlon, owner of Spring Garden at 100 Spring St., West Roxbury. “[But] when you get [an order of] two or three dozen roses from the same person, you know they’re in deep trouble. In the past, I’ve had people with multiple dozens, and they’re hurting dudes.”

Conlon said the majority of men order red roses to impress gals. But she said men also send arrangements to their grandmother, mother or aunt.

Ruth Kennedy, owner of the Birch Flower Shop at 719 South St., Roslindale, has been in the flower business for more than 35 years and the family-owned shop has been open for more than 60 years.

“[Customers] like roses, and it hasn’t really changed very much,” said Kennedy. “They still want roses, and they’ll go out of their way to take care of their sweethearts. It isn’t just for their sweethearts; it’s for aunts and grandmothers.”

Kennedy said some people would get a couple of dozen on special occasions, such as for a Valentine’s Day wedding proposal.

But florists know that their rose prices are going to go up come mid-February, because they’re getting charged more for flowers that are being delivered from places as far as Holland, California or Florida.

Kennedy added that she was worried about a freeze that happened down in the Orange State, which hurt citrus season as well as the flower industry. But she knows that her customers will still come in and buy roses.
But what does Kennedy want for Valentine’s Day?

“I’m around flowers all the time, so I’m looking at them all day. I get a piece of jewelry or a card,” she said.

Conlon agreed. “My husband certainly doesn’t get me flowers. I have them here. He gets me something else, but I don’t want to say what he gets me because I’m a florist. There are other alternatives out there, but flowers are the nicest.”

source : www.townonline.com