For centuries, flowers have symbolised love and have been used in celebrations, occasions, and gifts, all over the world. Today, it is still tradition to send flowers on Valentine’s Day. This ritual is believed to have stemmed from the Victorian era, where floral bouquets were used to deliver secret messages to love interests.
This year, why not spread the power of flowers and add a personal touch with a DIY floral arrangement? Using some of the most popular Valentine’s flowers will help you to create an extra-special and seasonal arrangement.
So whether you’re a true romantic or looking to thank a loved one, here are the most popular flowers for your Valentine’s Day arrangement, with inspiration on how to make them stand out.
When is Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day occurs on the 14th February every year, so make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare your floral arrangement for your loved one!
The Most Popular Flowers on Valentine’s Day
1. Roses
There’s no surprise here; roses are considered the most romantic flower. They come in a variety of colours, but it is the deep red shade that is one of the most popular for Valentine’s flowers. Red roses symbolise desire, romance, and passion - perfect if you want to create a super romantic arrangement.
How to Arrange:
Why not recreate our striking Ella Heart Box floral design? Simply cut and soak a block of OASIS® Floral Foam and place in the top half of the container. Then, gather your romantic red roses. You can de-thorn your roses using our Foliage Remover. Next, measure and cut to size. For this design, we kept it simple and only used roses and cut the stems short to create a compact look. Insert the stems into the floral foam, using the heart shape of the box as your guide.
Top Tip: Fill the secret compartment with your loved one’s favourite treats for an extra cute surprise!
2. Tulips
You may associate tulips with the start of Spring and Easter, but did you know red tulips symbolise true love? How sweet!
How to Arrange:
Tulips can be a little unpredictable when arranging as the stems are so delicate. So, our advice is to let them do their thing! We gathered different shades of pink tulips together and placed in our Elena vase. We let the tulips fall where they like, as the rounded shape of the vase helped the flowers keep their shape. This is a simple flower arrangement idea that is still so beautiful and popular!
3. Orchid
This exotic bloom comes in a variety of colours and sizes, and most people will display them in their home without knowing their hidden meaning. Did you know the orchid symbolises love, beauty and strength? This makes it one of the best flowering plants for Valentine’s Day, whether you’re gifting to a partner, friend or family member.
How to Arrange:
Simply pop your orchid in a plant pot - we have lots to choose from! We went with our textured Yew Pot – a lovely contrast for the delicate orchid.
4. Carnations
Carnations are such a versatile flower – they come in lots of colours and sizes and make great space fillers in flower arrangements.
If you’re looking to express feelings of love, go with shades of red and pink as these symbolise admiration (and look so pretty).
How to Arrange:
Carnations can be mixed with almost any flower – we paired ours with spray roses and plenty of foliage to create this pretty pink hat box arrangement.
5. Peony
The pretty peony is often used in weddings because of its connection to love and honour, making it one of the best flowers for Valentine’s Day. Their beautiful blooms proudly take up a lot of space in an arrangement, so you only need a few to make an impact. They are a florist favourite!
How to Arrange:
We created a romantic design by pairing cream peonies with roses and eucalyptus, then added a contemporary touch with our Shiny Cylinder Pot.
6. Sunflower
Sunflowers can brighten up any arrangement! Similar to peonies, they take up lots of space, so you only need a few to make a statement.
Sunflowers are associated with happiness and adoration, which makes it the perfect bloom for friends.
How to Arrange:
Here, we made sunflowers the focus of our Porto Box arrangement, with plenty of foliage and an array of colourful flowers to complement. The cream box is elegant yet helps to make the bright yellow sunflowers pop!
7. Violets
The lovely rich colour of violets may make you think of royalty, but did you know the blue shade symbolises faith and affection? This makes violets some of the most popular flowers for Valentine’s Day arrangements for friends and loved ones.
How to Arrange:
In an arrangement, violets take centre stage. Even just using one or two can transform the look. We mixed violets with reds, purples and greens to create this colourful arrangement in our Alice Surprise Box. To create this compressed look, you need to use OASIS® Floral Foam that has been cut to size and soaked. If you’ve never used floral foam before or you just need a refresher, have a read of our beginner’s guide!
Top Tip: Using OASIS® Floral Foam in your fresh flower arrangements is a great idea if you want to present your design in a gorgeous hat box or gift box, and it will help your Valentine’s Day arrangement last longer!
8. Chrysanthemum
This popular bloom comes in a variety of beautiful colours. Go for white, purple or blue shades if you are looking to express feelings of friendship and joy this Valentine’s.
How to Arrange:
Chrysanthemums are perfect for bulking out arrangements, so you can create something big and beautiful, like our design here in our Layla Pot. Re-create this cheery design by cutting and soaking a block of OASIS® Floral Foam. Then, cut and insert your stems into the floral foam. We used longer stems at the back of the arrangement to create extra height and used Chrysanthemums to bulk it out. Just stunning!
9. Daisy
The gentle daisy represents many things – innocence, simplicity, happiness and even good fortune. It’s a sweet option for your Valentine’s arrangement.
How to Arrange:
Daisies add a delicate touch to arrangements and make a great alternative to foliage. In our Napier Bag below, we used daisies to fill in any gaps and it created a lovely, soft feminine look.
10. Hydrangea
Another popular bloom for weddings and a florist favourite, the hydrangea represents love and unity. This makes it one of the most popular flowers on Valentine’s Day, and they come in a variety of colours!
How to Arrange:
Because hydrangeas take up a lot of space, you can use as them as a focal point in your design and add other flowers and foliage around to create a unique shape. This is what we’ve done below with our Mimosa Porto Box arrangement. Notice how your eye is drawn to the hydrangea!
11. Lily
Often a bloom used for remembrance, the lily has a deeper meaning that can be associated with love too. White lilies symbolise innocence, while orange lilies are all about passion and love. Lilies are one of the most loved flowers all year round, so they’re a great option for Valentine’s.
How to Arrange:
You can create shape and add texture to your arrangements with open lilies. Don’t be afraid to use closed lilies in your design too, like we have with our bright and bold bouquet, using our Jute Fibre wrap.
12. Gypsophila
You may spot gypsophila in wedding flowers and with good reason too, it symbolises eternal love. How sweet!
How to Arrange:
Gypsophila looks fabulous on its own. Simply gather a few stems together and tie with natural cord to create cute buttonholes. Or, use it as a filler in arrangements and bouquet to add texture, like we have for our Hat Box arrangement below.
13. Lavender
Lavender not only looks pretty but it smells amazing too, perfect if you want to add a nostalgic scent to your arrangements. You may not know, but lavender represents purity, devotion, and grace.
How to Arrange:
Lavender can be added to almost any arrangement – it makes a great filler, or group a handful of lavender together and tie with natural cord.
We added lavender to our Mosaic Jug arrangement to add fragrance and texture.
14. Eucalyptus
A fresh leaf with medicinal benefits, eucalyptus is probably something you may not have associated with Valentine’s Day. However, did you know Eucalyptus symbolises strength and protection?
How to Arrange:
We often use eucalyptus in our arrangements to add texture and contrast. Re-create our Bamboo Casi Bowl design below by cutting and soaking a block of OASIS® Floral Foam. Place to soaked floral foam into the basket (it comes with a waterproof lining) then cut and insert your stems into the floral foam.
Why does a flower arrangement make the best Valentine’s Day gift?
There are many reasons why flower arrangements make the best Valentine’s Day gift! Not only are flowers beautiful, but they represent many of the same values that we celebrate on Valentine’s, from love to devotion to joy. Making your own flower arrangement for Valentine’s Day shows extra thought and care, and you can personalise the arrangement perfectly for your loved one.
What flowers are traditionally given on Valentine’s Day?
We’ve covered 14 of the most popular flowers on Valentine’s Day, but the most traditional to gift is the red rose, of course!
What is the most popular flower to give on Valentine’s Day?
The most popular flower to give on Valentine’s Day is the red rose. Red roses have long been a symbol of romantic love. However, if red roses aren’t to their taste, you could always gift other popular Valentine’s Day flowers, such as lilies, tulips or carnations.
We hope our guide to 14 of the most popular flowers for Valentine's Day arrangements has provided some inspiration ahead of this special day! Make them smile by gifting a DIY floral arrangement this Valentine’s Day – it doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s the thought and effort that counts.
