Romantic flowers: a guide for perplexed paramours

Send someone a bunch of long-distance kisses;
It’s a gesture that’s quaintly old fashioned,
But you’ll weaken the knees of the trendiest lover
With sweet petals that whisper of passion.

There’s this girl, you see (it always starts like that, doesn’t it?).  And you’ve got your eye on her (or your arm round her, or you heart in her pocket). And you’d like to send her some flowers. And you’ve got absolutely no clue how to choose the right ones. Well, sigh no more, gentlemen, sigh no more. If romance and flowers are on the agenda, we’ll show you how to ensure you make the perfect presentation.

When it comes to sending flowers for a romantic occasion, there’s no easy one-size-fits-all approach. The blossoms must suit the stage of seduction. But fear not, the Serenata Flowers guide to sending romantic flowers will see you crowned Prince Charming of the petal world in no time.

From a distance
“From a distance, the world looks blue and green, and the snow capped mountains white…” It’s a shocking song, but it holds some pretty good advice for the fellow who's been admiring someone from afar. Blue, green, white… no mention of red, now, is there? That’s right: first-time flowers are not about laying on the romance thick if you’ve not even shared a cup of coffee with your cutie. Keep it friendly and light at first; you’ve got to save the fireworks for later.

What’s more, the first bunch of flowers you send to the nubile nymph that you’d like to see more of (or ‘more often’, should we say, as this piquing-of-interests period is all about chivalry and decorum), will set the tone of any togetherness that may ensure, so choose wisely, dear Romeo.

This bunch is also about letting her know a bit more about you – and there are more ways of doing that than spelling it out in the accompanying note. Are you a practical, happy-go-lucky fellow? Gerberas in yellows or oranges are a good bet. A little bit of a dark horse? Try a single green orchid stem for far-eastern mystique. Roses? Hold ya horses, mister. As a general rule, steer clear of roses, and any flowers that are red, pink or white. Something seasonal and bright will get her heart racing without making her want to run away. 

Prelude to a kiss
When they say ‘timing is everything’, they don’t just mean you mustn’t be late to your rendez-vous. They mean you’ll do yourself a lot of favours by sending her a bunch of flowers the morning of the big date.

Romance is in the air, and if you give her an opportunity to inhale it – by sending some lush scented flowers, for example – it’ll be firmly in her head by the time you meet for dinner.

Our recommendation: pink lilies hint of romance without being too pushy, and mixed or all-white freesias are a glamorous yet girly treat – and they all smell fabulous!

The morning after
Hot diggity, Don Juan. That was some date! Now you can get bring out the roses, oh yes. But not the red ones, just yet, mind you. You might be feeling like the king of the world, but she might only fancy being your princess for a bit. So stick to pinks or whites.

Send yellow roses at your peril – they signify friendship (and, some say, infidelity). Don’t say we didn’t warn you…

Random acts of romance
Girls are big on important dates. Unfortunately, guys don’t always know when those are. She’ll never forgive you for missing the big ones (Valentine’s, birthdays, annual anniversaries), of course. But there’s a flipside to that: she’ll favour you forever if you remember the little ones… especially if she’s forgotten (or doesn’t know them herself). 

Try a dozen red roses for “xxx days since you first made my heart skip a beat”, or a Pink-A-Boo gift wrap a month after that flirtatious dance you shared – perhaps some crimson gerberas for that one-month milestone? Make up occasions as you go along, and you’ll always be one step and a hundred bonus points ahead.

Rekindling the flame
You’ve got your favourite bars, you favourite restaurants, your favourite TV shows, your favourite ready meals. And this spells real trouble for romance. But you can stop the ennui. You'll never be scolded for sending a bunch of red roses, but there are other tricks you can try, too: a single rose to her desk, a bunch of sunflowers for a Saturday morning delivery… or, for the ultimate in romance rekindling, a bunch of flowers just like the ones you sent her the very first time.   

Tags: flowers, romance, romantic flowers, Valentine's flowers,Serenata