For Valentine’s Day flowers, tastes are changing
Looking to give your loved one roses for Valentine’s Day? This year, the traditional dozen red roses might not be your best bet.
At least that’s the opinion of Jeff Double, who has been in the florist business for 25 years. Double runs “All About Reclaimed,” a florist shop on South Washington Street in Butler, along with “Weddings by Jeff Double,” a wedding and event supply rental business.
“I plan on doing this as long as I possibly can,” Double said.
The traditional Valentine’s Day flower bouquet consists of a dozen red roses, along with baby’s breath — tiny white flowers, which are typically used as filler.
But Double said in recent years his customers’ tastes have changed, and many are now are looking for more visually striking and nontraditional designs.
“We have gotten into designs that are more contemporary, more deconstructed, and a lot more artistic,” Double said. “The flower types have really changed. We now add some very interesting and tropical flowers to add a different aesthetic so that it's more designed to the personality of the recipient instead of something out of a website generic listing.”
Even for those who are looking to go the traditional route, Double’s shop offers something different.
“At All About Reclaimed, what we use is a large-headed, darker red rose that’s a more intense color,” Double said. “And we stay away from using baby's breath. We do some very interesting foliage and smaller, delicate flowers as our filler, so that when the recipient gets the arrangement on Valentine's Day, it stands out from the crowd. We try to avoid the grocery store look.”
Customers coming across the website for All About Reclaimed will spot numerous preset bouquet designs, some of which are intended for specific occasions, such as weddings, anniversaries, graduations, or bereavement.
However, Double says in most cases, clients order either a variation of one of those presets or a fully custom arrangement.
“Probably eight out of 10 of our customers will order a ‘designer’s choice’ arrangement, but in the notes on the website, they'll give me the specifics,” Double said. “What we're known for is to actually take the customer's personality and create something that brings that personality to life, instead of something that comes out of a plastic sleeve.”
