So you thought Valentine’s roses were expensive?  How about paying $40,000 for one, U.S. dollars, of course.  According to Tony Curtis, when director John Houston was shooting a movie in Africa he decided had to have a fresh rose.  Nothing else would do.  All filming stopped until one was obtained…. from Paris.  Since they couldn’t risk just one in case something went wrong, two dozen were transported by special assistant, flown there for the purpose.  By the time Houston got his rose, it had cost $40,000.00, at least by Tony Curtis’ account.

In complete contrast and closer to home, here is a lovely folk tale from eastern Ontario to remind you of St. Valentine’s Day.  The friars were behind on their belfry payments so; in order to raise the necessary fund they opened a small florist shop.  Since everyone like buying flowers from these men of God, the rival and long-established florist across town thought the competition was most unfair.  He politely requested the fathers close their business down, but they refused.  Faced with the imminent collapse of his business, he returned a few weeks later to beg them to cease and desist.  The friars ignored him. Even when his old mother approached them, still the priests rejected all possibility of curtailing their competition.  The florist decided he would have to resort to the ultimate threat his town possessed.  He hired “Horrible Hugh” McGinty, the vilest, roughest tough to pay a visit on the friars.  Hugh joyfully went to work, trashing the store and stomping both stock and priests.  Terrified, the friars finally complied.  This only goes to prove that Hugh, and only Hugh can prevent florist friars.

According to the Netherlands Flower bulb Information Centre, if you are sending a Valentine’s bouquet or two, the following combinations might come together as the perfect expression of your feelings:

A bouquet of red tulips:  Red tulips express the love of an individualist.  A bouquet of tulips is pretty all on its own, but you could underscore your feelings of affection, love and fidelity by mixing them with a few sprigs of myrtle (for Love), Ivy (for fidelity) and birch branches (just because they look good).

Hidden Admiration:  Although most narcissi represent vanity, stemming from the myth about Narcissus, giving a bouquet of sweetly scented jonquilla narcissi says: “I hope to receive affirmation of your love.”  Add in a sprig of mimosa, which indicates a secret admirer, and a few fern leaves, the symbol of fascination.

Tender Young Love:  White lilies are one of the first flowers associated with innocence, purity and even virginity.  Many old paintings for example, depict the Virgin Mary holding the Madonna lily or Lilium candidum in her hand.  Other white flowers, such as white anemones and white ranunculus can also be made into sweet posies expressing the same tenderness.  After all, tenderness also embodies the concept of innocence purity, joy, charity, and faith.

Presumably in Holland their politicians have not descended to the dank and dismal depths we endure here in Toronto.  At least no suggestions are given.  Then again, poison ivy, thistles and deadly nightshade are difficult to find at this season.  Perhaps a nice big bunch of aconite to your favourite politico….

Possibly a living plant will hold the attention longer than cut flowers for the true loved ones or those deserving remembering on 14 February.  Gift pots of Tulips, hyacinths and other bulbs, along with primula, are magnificent in bloom.  They bring a very welcome burst of colour and in some cases, scent into the home when all outside is bleak and dreary.  What to do with them when the flowers die?  Cut back he dead blooms and the stems that supported them but not the foliage, place in a window and continue to water until the foliage also dies.  Primula will retain their leaves until they and the by now leafless bulbs can be planted outside in late spring.  Forcing them to flower early exhausts their resources however, so they are unlikely to perform well again outside for a couple of seasons.  “Paperwhites” (a form of narcissus originally native to southern France) are too tender, alas, to survive winters outside in out part of the world.  Like indoor chrysanthemums, calceolaria and cineraria they must be discarded when their display is finished.  Perhaps you can drop a tip or two when presenting the pot plant, along with the hints that remembrance will last longer with the care outlined above.