Although my mum regularly buys herself cut flowers, I rarely do. So, unless I have ones I can bring in from the garden, I generally only have vases of flowers on display when I receive them as presents from family for my birthday and Mother's Day or occasionally from friends when they come to stay with us. This year, on Valentine's Day, I was most surprised and delighted to find that my husband had bought me 12 red roses. I think that, although he has bought me flowers in the past, this might be the first time in the 47 years we have been together he has bought me a dozen red roses. He did slightly spoil this romantic gesture, though, by proceeding to tell me just how cheap they had been at the well known supermarket where he had been buying bread and milk. So cheap that he couldn't walk past and not pick up a bunch! He then went on to remark on how cheaply a Valentine card and flowers can now be bought and that no-one nowadays really has an excuse for not buying a card and flowers for their loved one.
This made me wonder at the time:
1. Are more flowers now given as presents for Valentine's Day than in the past? If so, is this mainly because cheap flowers can now be picked up along with the regular weekly shopping?
2. How much florists have been affected by flowers being readily and cheaply available in supermarkets?
3. Where are all the flowers grown and why a dozen red roses can be bought so cheaply at this time of year?
Having watched a TV programme this week on how the Chinese New Year is celebrated in China and Hong Kong in which it featured a section on how millions of red roses were grown and auctioned in the run up to their celebrations, I can now make a guess at answering my third question. Somewhere there must have been huge poly-tunnels full of red roses growing in readiness for Valentine's Day. I doubt that this was in the UK though. But I could be wrong!
3. Where are all the flowers grown and why a dozen red roses can be bought so cheaply at this time of year?
Having watched a TV programme this week on how the Chinese New Year is celebrated in China and Hong Kong in which it featured a section on how millions of red roses were grown and auctioned in the run up to their celebrations, I can now make a guess at answering my third question. Somewhere there must have been huge poly-tunnels full of red roses growing in readiness for Valentine's Day. I doubt that this was in the UK though. But I could be wrong!
Strangely, I thought they were incredibly expensive at our local supermarket and couldn't believe the reduction two days later when it was rather sad to see bouquets of red roses hanging a little limper than they should. Still at least neither of our husbands bought them belatedly and then said they were a bargain!
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