Ideas for Valentine's Day Flower Bouquets

Flowers are one of the best gifts you can give for Valentine's Day. They also make excellent centerpieces and decorations for Valentine's Day. The trouble is that if you have them delivered they can cost a small fortune. The best way to get a cheap Valentine's Day flower bouquet is to make it yourself. These homemade Valentine's bouquets are quick and easy to make, yet they still look like they were designed by a professional florist. The rose is by far the best and most romantic flower you can use for your Valentine's Day bouquet. However, orchids, lilies and daisies can also be used to create beautiful and elegant flower bouquets. These ideas will help get you started.

Before you get started, get an attractive ceramic or metal vase with a Valentine's Day design and get some floral foam. Wash out the vase with a solution of bleach and water. Cut the foam to fit inside the vase and soak it water and floral preservative for half an hour. If necessary, use green florists' tape to create a grid at the top of the vase. Also remove any damaged, wilted or discolored petals before you begin.

Roses

Buy a dozen long-stemmed pink or red roses. Submerge the flower stems in water. Trim the ends at an angle and prune any leaves from the bottom of the rose stems. Arrange the roses in the floral foam so that they spray outward. Insert greenery such as eucalyptus or cedar. Then insert sprigs of baby's breath or Queen Anne's Lace in between the rose blooms in your Valentine's Day flower bouquet.

Orchids

Get some pink, red or white orchids, or a combination of the three. Place the stems under water. Trim them at an angle so that the blooms are just above the opening of the vase. Arrange the orchids in a circular or triangular shape. Trim some twigs from a curly willow tree or buy them at your local craft store. Arrange the curly willow with the orchids so that it stands up above the orchid flowers.

Lilies

Choose some red, pink and white calla, stargazer or Peruvian lilies. Place greenery such as eucalyptus or asparagus fern in the floral foam. Trim the lily stems diagonally under water and strip the leaves from the bottoms of the stems. Work from the center while inserting the lilies in the Valentine's Day flower bouquet. Use flowers such as waxflower and freesia as filler flowers, if desired. Use a chenille stem to remove the pollen from the lilies when the flower bouquet is complete.

Daises

Buy some pink, red or white Gerbera daisies. Trim the daisy stems diagonally about one inch from the bottom, and remove any excess leaves. Place greenery such as pittosporum, eucalyptus or salal leaves in the floral foam. Add the daisies to the Valentine's bouquet. Then add other flowers such as carnations, asters, roses or lilies in a matching or complementary color.

You can make a fresher flower arrangement by selecting freshly bloomed flowers for your bouquet. If you're giving your flower bouquet as a gift for Valentine's Day, you can give it more flair by including a teddy bear, Mylar balloon or a box of chocolates with it. However, if you're creating a centerpiece or decoration for Valentine's Day, you can save money by making your Valentine's bouquet with silk flowers instead of fresh. Simply use dry floral foam instead of wet foam to hold the silk flowers and greenery in place.

For more ideas on this topic, read Homemade Valentine's Day Gifts from the Heart.

Sources:

"Formal Rose Arrangement." MarthaStewart.com
"How To Make Flower Arrangements Using Orchids." HowtoDoThings.com
"How to Make Flower Arrangements With Lilies." eHow.com
"How to Arrange Orchids." eHow.com
"How to Make a Daisy Bouquet." GardenGuides.com