For the rose-averse"We are so fortunate that on Valentine's Day we can enjoy late summer flowers like hydrangea, dahlias, cosmos and delphiniums with scented foliage like geraniums and rosemary," says Liv Wakem of Kensal flower studio. "While red roses, for many centuries, have meant love, there is an entire language of flowers." Pick and mix any of these seasonal offerings.
For classic with a twistA bouquet of pinks and reds is entirely befitting of Valentine's Day, and Ponsonby's Flowers of Franklin has just the posy: the Wild Luxe Sugar Plum Bouquet, complete with roses, hydrangea and a few other complementary blooms.
For blooms on and beyond Valentine's DayHerne Bay florist La Femme Fleur's subscription service is a neat alternative to one-off blooms. Opt for either weekly or monthly deliveries and your significant other will be treated regularly to petals. It's also the best way to celebrate New Zealand's stunning flowers all year round, says florist Millicent Austin.
For sweet tooths (near)Commercial Bay's floral favourite Blush is taking a classic approach to their blooms this Valentine's Day with a combo of roses and cupcakes on offer online at Blush.co.nz. Choose to have the roses presented in either their signature box or carrier, and treat your sweet.
For sweet tooths (far)New cake shop Sweet Talk has come up with the ultimate solution for long-distance Valentines: cakes that come in a jar. The decadent gifts come in four different flavours and feature baker Mariska Schoeman's gelato-like meringue-based buttercream. As if that wasn't enough to communicate your amorous intentions, they also come with a bouquet of roses or seasonal florals. Mariska came up with the idea to package and ship her treat-filled mason jars during lockdown, morphing from a part-time wedding-cake maker into a full-time enterprising baker. To order, go to Sweettalk.nz.
