Roses, which are said to represent love in all its forms, are considered to be the flower of choice for Valentine’s Day. Mythology tells us the rose was supposed to be the favorite flower of Venus, the Goddess of Love, because it stood for strong feelings. As a result, lovers began giving flowers to those they cared about to show their love for each other.
For Meredith Baron, owner and floral designer of Maureen’s Floral & Gifts, 74 W. Hartford St., Ashley, described Valentine’s Day (and the days leading up to it), the “single busiest, craziest days of the year.”
Baron said while the red rose is the traditional and more popular floral arrangement, many of her customers request a mixed arrangement. “I’m getting more and more requests for mixed arrangements,” she said.
She noted the Valentine’s Day arrangements usually include some roses with a mix of other flowers.
While she has some walk-in customers for Valentine’s Day, most of her orders are delivered.
“The last three or four days before Valentine’s Day are kind of a blur,” she quipped. “I’m on the phone all day. I put in lots of hours and drink lots of coffee,” she added.
Baron, who has owned Maureen’s Floral and Gifts since 2008, said she orders her flowers about a month before Valentine’s Day. While she sometimes help with preparation, Baron designs all her shop’s floral arrangements. “My customers tell me they can always count on the consistency of my arrangements. As a small business owner, one of the things I take pride in is consistency,” she noted.
