Today is the last day

That we can 100% guarantee the flowers you may require for Valentines Day. I know it seems a bit early but when you take into consideration the wholesalers have to source our order, and the growers have to make sure they've got the crops, it's not really that early at all.

What is early is the shocking price rises. Gerbera prices have risen by 243% since Monday, so we can only begin to imagine how expensive they will be on the day. We won't even go there with the rose price increase; I'm sure as we edge close to the big day everything else will rise by stupid amounts too. This is where it gets mighty frustrating for us as florists. The supermarkets are already outpricing us and that's fine. To be honest they can't buy the higher quality roses (and other flowers) we are able to, and everyone knows they already have their Valentines stock in their fridges waiting for the day to arrive. Our stock arrives the day before so we may be more expensive but we can guarantee our quality. That's not (and they're not) an issue. What is, is the prices we are then charged. How can I say to a regular customer "sorry.. that Gerbera you want to buy that I sold you last week for £1 now has to be £3.43. That's how much of a difference the rise this week alone has made to us. I can't charge a customer that amount of money, so although I have to put the prices up to cover how much they are costing me, I can't raise them to the amount needed to make any money, and so for us; as florists, Valentines day costs us money rather than makes us any. Then we have to put up with people coming in, getting quotes; then telling us "you're ripping us off.. you must be rolling in it". If only. Please before you start bashing us for the price increase, take a moment to think about how much we are losing to keep the increase to a minimum for you.  To be honest I am sure if you asked any florist (and I've asked a few) whether they would rather have 100 Valentines orders or only 20 normal orders they would choose the normal orders every time. Yes the cost of every day flowers rise, but not to the same extent and our minimum value customers still get great value for their money. The whole thing is too commercial and a complete and utter rip off. Having said that we have sourced beautiful roses and are able to keep them the same price as last year which is £50 for the dozen, handtied with all the trimmings. Dearer than some other local competition but we will not budge on quality and would rather pay out the extra for roses we know will last and look beautiful, than buy a lesser quality that could easily be sold cheaper but wouldn't last anywhere near as long as they should do.