Thousands of red roses are slowly but surely getting ready for the lovers who will commemorate Valentine’s day on February 14.
Florists in Springs say Valentine’s day is the time in the year they work the hardest.
They start days before February 14 with the preparation and acquisition of roses and accessories for their customers.
Elanie Schoeman, a florist, says Valentine’s day is the busiest time each year in their business.
She estimates that they sell between 5 000 and 6 000 roses before and during February 14.
They usually start two weeks before the big day in preparing the flower pots and other holders.
She, as well as Elsie van den Berg another local florist, says although the demand for red roses is high during this day, people also buy pink roses.
Elsie says many people also prefer buying gift packs with champagne, chocolates or teddy bears.
Local rose growers and florists Anne van Rij and Yvonne Prew started preparing for Valentine’s Day in December when they pruned the thousands of rose bushes in their nursery.
They pruned and cared for these flowers to ensure they have long stems on this special day.
Their challenge each year is to get the flowers blooming at the right time and this is something they can never predict.
Anne says the flowers in some years peak two weeks before February 14.
This year the roses seem to be on time.
About the preferences of her customers she says the men prefer to buy open roses, while the women usually buy rose buds, because they know that these young roses will last longer.
She says Valentine’s Day is the time of giving and receiving red roses.
The red-coloured roses of the Black Magic and Grand Gala rose-types are in great demand during Valentine’s Day, but she, like other florists, has customers who sometimes want other colours of roses.
Some customers buy mixed bunches of roses and flowers and others red and white roses with a little bit of greenery to break the red-and-white superstition of bad luck.
Anne explains the meaning of the colours of roses, saying red means eternal love, yellow means grace and perfect happiness, while pink roses mean thankfulness and enchantment.
The meaning of lavender roses is desire, that of peach-coloured roses truth and of white simplicity.
