Valentine's Day: Advice From a Florist

Valentine's Day is the busiest day of the year for Designs by Lorraine, the florist shop on the Medfield/Millis town line owned by Medfield resident Lorraine D'Angelo-Lee.

"I'm every guy's best friend on Valentine's Day," says D'Angelo-Lee, adding that the trend is always roses.

"It's just what men want; I think it's a mindset with them that roses mean love," she said. 

But she tries to mix it up for the customers (and the recipients at home).

"I try to have them think about more spring flowers like freesia, tulips, lilies and calla lilies then add some roses because I think you should buy roses when they're not in high demand -- the quality's better and the price is lower -- but it's hard to convince them to try something different," she said. 

This year, a dozen short-stemmed roses will sell for $50 a dozen while long-stem (70 cm) roses will sell for $65 a dozen.  

D'Angelo-Lee said that those customers who do not want to spend the a lot of money on roses do not have to buy their flowers at the supermarket, she can put together a lovely bouquet that is sure to impress. 

"I like to get more high-end flowers than the average run-of-the-mill [shop] so it sets me apart, I think," she said. 

Helpful Hints

When Buying:

• Shop early for best selection
• Feel the flowers, if the petals are soft, or if they fall off when held upside down, don't buy them
• Look for refrigerated flowers; anything room temperature is not going to last long

Once At Home:

• Change the water in the vase (this is most important)
• Slightly cut the bottom of the stem each day
• At night, place the flowers in the coolest room (above 32 degrees) in the house such as the garage, basement, or porch -- this could make them last twice as long

About Designs by Lorraine

D'Angelo-Lee has been in the floral business for 40 years.  She started at Lovell's Nursery when she was 14 years old. She then had her own shop in Medfield Center before moving to Millis 16 years ago.  

She was born and raised in Medfield, where she still lives, and is a 1977 graduate of Medfield High School. 

Designs by Lorraine is located at 65 Main Street, Millis, and can also be found at www.dblflowers.com and Facebook.