Florists burst the bubble on last-minute orders, card writing and forgotten gifts for Valentine’s Day

While loved ones will be waking up to a bouquet of flowers, chocolates and a heartfelt card on Wednesday — Geraldton florists are at the coalface of Valentine’s Day, working around the clock to ensure the facade of romance and roses never drops.

“I’ve had nights I don’t sleep, the day before Valentine’s Day just working to get every bouquet done,” Kathy Hay, owner of Flash Flowers on Durlacher Street, said.

“We start at 7am and just work until it’s finished.”

Ms Hay said the usual 100 orders she processed in a regular week gets bumped to 1000 bunches for Valentine’s Day, and 60 per cent of those are last-minute.

“It’s probably 60-40 (last-minute orders), and plenty of blokes coming in the next day because they forgot. And they all want red roses because they can’t think,” she laughs.

If the bubble wasn’t already burst, Ms Hay said nearly every boyfriend, partner, fiance or husband will ask the florists to think of some nice words to adorn the card in the bouquet.

“They also ask us to keep it simple otherwise ‘she’ll know I didn’t write that’,” Ms Hay admits.

“Reading cards is one of the best parts of the job, so we love to see the original messages. There’s always some funny ones, or some really nice ones too.”

Helen Harvey has owned Geraldton Floral Studio for 30 years and orders her roses two months in advance.

“The order for my roses is due on the 12th of December,” she said.

Ms Harvey said Valentine’s Day was the second busiest day of the year, just behind Mother’s Day.

“A standard week of delivery is around 80 bunches, but for Valentine’s Day it’s usually 250. I think 80 per cent of those orders are the day before or the day of, and a couple the day after too,” she said.

According to the florist, red roses still reign supreme as the bouquet of choice — but Ms Harvey wants the fellas to remember one thing.

“Please just make sure someone will be home when we deliver them, we’re in a heatwave and they won’t last,” she said.

Bianca From, owner of Botanical Den, said “the boys are hopeless”.

“They come in last minute, and we always get a few the day after — the ones who’ve forgotten and been roasted,” she said.