Buy Yourself the Flowers This Valentine’s Day!
Love The One You’re With—That Means You, and Buy Yourself the Flowers with The Flowry
Here at Fresh Starts we’re all about celebrating yourself - and yes, that means buying yourself the flowers! As Miley Cyrus says, “I can buy myself flowers,” and baby, we agree - so, we turned to our friends at The Flowry to help us pick out the most gorgeous, sustainable, and eco-friendly flowers for yourself this Valentine’s Day!
Why should you buy yourself flowers this Valentine’s Day?
As divorce coach Kara Francis says, “Buying yourself flowers is an act of empowerment and self-love, whether you are coupled up in a healthy relationship, going through a break-up, or have been single for years. When we think of buying flowers - especially around Valentine's Day - we usually think of giving them to someone we love. But why can't that ‘someone’ whom you love be YOU? Flowers are one of nature's many beautiful miracles, and you are worthy of receiving something beautiful from YOURSELF.”
Empowerment coach, Kristin Micalizzi says, “The things we desire for others to do for us, we can give permission to do for ourselves! Not only does it feel great, it signals to the Universe what we are calling in! I also think we should normalize being extra good to ourselves. Why shouldn’t we treat ourselves to things that make us feel happy? Maybe it’s flowers, maybe it’s chocolates, maybe it’s a bubble bath….whatever it is, there should be no shame in treating ourselves.”
What’s The Flowry?
The Flowry is a sustainable floral design hub and marketplace–connecting flower buyers, givers, and senders to eco-friendly florists for better bouquets and foam free design. In response to a global flower trade propelled by massive carbon emissions, toxic, chemical pesticide use, and marginalized workers, The Flowry offers an environmentally and socially progressive alternative: A marketplace of ethical florists prioritizing locally grown flowers, in season, and sustainable design practices. Founded by Lori Diamond, a beauty industry publicist specializing in “green” and niche brands, The Flowry aims to restore consumer connection to seasonality and provenance in flowers, taking its cues from the local food movement. The Flowry donates 1% for the Planet. Learn more and shop for better bouquets on their website.
Here’s how to shop for better bouquets this year on The Flowry—in the interest of self-love, planet-love, and flower-love:
Flirt with foam free design. Bouquets and arrangements, designed foam free, are flirtier because they’re harder to find. Most florists design in floral foam (FF), a single-use plastic, phenolic resin, which doesn’t break down in a landfill, and wreaks environmental chaos. In other words, FF is anything but loving to people or planet. When you request a foam free arrangement from eco-friendly florists on The Flowry or wherever you shop for flowers, it says you care about the future and who’s in it! (Ahem.) (Cue the winky, halo, swirling hearts emojis.)
Get twiggy with it. What’s in season is always most romantic, because it’s so fleeting; a snapshot of a particular moment in time, captured in flowers. That may mean branches, seasonal greens, and native varieties during frosty or scorching months. It’s what Mama Nature wants us to embrace because it’s what’s trending.
Seasonal stems are sexier. Why? Because flowers grown closer to home, clean and chemical free, have a certain kind of swagger, sophistication, and scent. They have way more stamina than imported stems. (Probably because they haven’t been trapped in a box for weeks.) (Or sprayed with toxic, chemical pesticides.) (Or harvested by marginalized workers.) And, they exude a palpable and playful energy that’s simply, unforgettable.
Local flowers say, ‘I love you, more.’ The typical journey of imported flower to vase involves days to weeks of transport by planes, trucks, and auto; single use, plastic-covered bunches, harvested by workers barely earning living wages, delivered in refrigerated cartons at every step to preserve vase life. Massive carbon footprint aside, the majority of imported, long stem red roses are sprayed with chemical pesticides designed to mimic their signature scent, outbred in favor of longevity. All in all: Pretty, pretty loveless.
Have a petal plan! Don’t wait until the last minute to order your Gal/Pal/Valentine’s Day blooms! Since there are fewer locally and US growing flowers during this time of year, ordering in advance will better-up your bouquet game. The Flowry florists are now taking preorders, and close their books sooner than you think—so give yourself some sugar before it’s too late.
CSA Quoi. Despite the best laid plans, last minuteness is real–and missing a florist’s pre-sell window happens… a lot. Rather than cobble together some forlorn supermarket stems, invest in a CSA (community supported agriculture) or flower share–and lavish yourself, friends, and loved ones in locally grown, foam free flowers through frost. They’ll more than make up for your misstep, and give your sweetheart a reason to smile long beyond Feb 14.
Can’t find your local florist? Check out The Flowry florist partners who ship nationwide. Choose from rustic, farm-direct blooms from Harmony Harvest, to traditional Posy style arrangements inspired by the Victorian Language of Flowers from Teresa Sabankaya, to DIY bouquets from Petalled.
The Flowry’s more than 100 eco-friendly florists across the US prioritize locally and US grown stems, in season, and sustainable design practices including the non-use of floral foam, chemical dyes or bleaches, or excess packaging.
Nationwide delivery is available through The Flowry partners, Harmony Harvest, Petalled, which also offers DIY arrangements, and Teresa Sabankaya, specializing in traditional posy arrangements inspired by the Victorian Language of Flowers.
So, what flowers should you buy? Here’s what some of The Flowry’s florists said:
“Always support your local floral designer for fresh blooms that are hand delivered, rather than flown in a box. Ask for no floral foam, natural and domestically grown (or better yet: hyper local) blooms, unless you prefer a side of chemicals with your flowers! If you're looking to get on a florist's good side: Opt for designer's choice! This allows your florist to select the freshest, most beautiful, seasonal stems that are locally grown—giving you an unexpected and truly unique, natural design that is as pure as your love.”
— Jaclyn Rutigliano, Hometown Flower Co, Huntington, NY (our hometown!)
“Freshly cut, locally grown specialty tulips will have a much longer vase life than those grocery store roses.”
— Christine Foster, Penchant for Petals, Saratoga Springs, NY
“Go non traditional! Red roses are so overrated and overpriced!”
— Josef Reiter, Botanica Floral Design, Portland, OR