Flowers are a wonderful touch to any occasion and sending someone flowers can be an especially lovely and thoughtful gesture to commemorate an event, whether it’s a birthday, graduation, or a wedding. Floral products rake in $26,600,000,000 every year in the United States — and interestingly, the majority of flowers bought are bought for the purchaser (63%) whereas just under 40% of flowers are bought as gifts. If you’re a flower newbie, it’s worth knowing when you should buy flowers and what your options for flower delivery are, as well as where you can find and buy fresh flowers? Even if you’ve been buying flowers for ages and know what you’re looking for, getting acquainted with your local florist can also be in your best interests if you’re looking for specialty floral arrangements or want to know about floral delivery.
What Are Popular Flower Holidays and Events?
The American Society of Florists reports that (to no one’s surprise), Valentine’s Day is the top holiday for florists. A third of fresh flower purchases annually happen on this day and it accounts for 40% of the dollars spent. It’s not just men buying for partners either — around 15% of women will send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day and almost 40% of women who were surveyed bought Valentine’s Day flowers for their male spouse.
Mother’s Day is another a big flower purchasing holiday, making up one-fourth of the floral purchases made for the holidays. A little over a third of adults bought flowers or plants as a gift in 2015 for Mother’s Day. Indeed, the National Retail Federation found in a survey that almost 70% of those who celebrated Mother’s Day would buy flowers, spending almost $2.5 billion in 2016.
Christmas/Hanukkah is another big floral holiday, with 30% of adults buying flowers or plants as a gift. As far as events go, flowers are also reliably bought for anniversaries, birthdays, and graduations.
And of course, weddings make up the top event for which flowers are bought. Flowers are typically 7-8% of a total wedding budget, from bouquets to decorations and table centerpieces.
Why Should You Get to Know Your Local Florists?
Your local florists can be a wealth of knowledge and building a rapport with him or her can net you amazing results. You’ll develop a relationship with them and they’ll get to know your personal taste and can create beautiful arrangements for the moments it matters most. You may find that they get to know your favorite flowers, preferred arrangements, and what dates you might commonly pop in the shop.
Furthermore, you get the benefit of knowing you’re supporting your local economy and that the flowers you’re purchasing are fresh and will stay fresh if they’re being delivered. And there’s nothing like your local florists if you have a rush order — no need to wait for shipping times, especially around high demand times.
Add your local florists to the list of small businesses you support in your town or neighborhood! It’s a valuable relationship.
What Are Best Selling Flowers?
Roses are always a popular flower, especially on Valentine’s Day. Gerbera daisies, lilies, tulips, irises, gladioli, snapdragons, orchids, carnations, and Alstroemeria are also often found in floral arrangements. However, it’s important to note that it’s often greenery that rounds out an arrangement and makes it look especially lush and full.
If your florist works with seasonal arrangements, the creativity displayed can often be gorgeous. In winter, holly, ivy, and bare branches can make for a lovely holiday arrangement, for example. If you’re ordering flowers as a gift for someone else, a good rule of thumb isn’t to necessarily go with what’s popular, but with what the person will personally like. Try and find out what a few of their favorite flowers are and see what your florist can do with those choices.
Show you care an extra special way with flowers for your next special event or holiday. It’s a thoughtful touch that is often appreciated and makes for a lovely spark of color on any table.
