Dried flowers for Valentine’s Day – yay or nay?
Every now and then, a trend comes along that’ll leave me with a sceptically raised eyebrow. The latest example being «giving your other half dead flowers on Valentine’s Day». Let’s weigh up the pros and cons of that unusual romantic gift.
A while back, the world apparently decided to start giving dried flowers as Valentine’s gifts. Yep, you read that right. Dry flowers. Delicate little plants that once bloomed beautifully in the brightest colours, now only a shadow of their former selves.
Instagram’s full of photos of these dried-up bouquets. In fact, there are currently 3.8 million posts under the #driedflowers hashtag. By comparison, there are about 4.3 million under the #zürich hashtag.
Source: @theflowerboyco
My colleagues in purchasing and sales have also confirmed that, yes, dried bouquets on 14 February really are a thing. Last year, Galaxus sold about as many fresh flowers as dried bouquets for Valentine’s Day.
I just don’t know what to make of it. Is this trend morbid? Old-fashioned? Or is it, in fact, modern? Either way, it’s high time I weighed up the pros and cons of the «gifting dried flowers on Valentine’s Day» phenomenon.
Dried flowers? Yay!
Good for the environment
One argument favoured by the pro-dried-flower camp is sustainability. Let’s face it, roses don’t thrive in frosty February in this country. That means they either have to be exposed to artificial light and watered in greenhouses or imported from warmer climates such as Africa. Neither of these situations are great for the environment. According to a study conducted by Cranfield University in the UK, the carbon footprint of greenhouse-grown roses from the Netherlands is six times worse than that of their counterparts grown overseas.
Dried bouquets, on the other hand, often consist of locally or naturally grown flowers – especially when nurseries take sustainability seriously. The plants are harvested in late summer or early autumn of the previous year, preserved, then processed into bouquets.
Suitable for allergy sufferers
While fresh flowers often make allergy sufferers go «Achoooo!», dried bouquets are a sneeze-free zone. Dried flowers are stripped of their pollen, so they’re unlikely to trigger a hay fever attack. That being said, older dried flowers that have started crumbling away could well set off a bout of sneezing if the little particles find their way into your nose. Still, that wouldn’t be a real allergy.
Less hassle
Admittedly, this «pro» argument is a little clichéd. But how many men people find themselves standing in line at the florist on 14 February to buy fresh roses? See? Dried flowers, on the other hand, spare busy folks the hassle. You can simply order them at the beginning of February and hide them in a cupboard until Valentine’s Day. After all, it’s not like they need light or water.
They symbolise eternity
Dried flowers last for about one to three years. As a result, they’re considered a symbol of long-lasting love in this country. Mind you, in other parts of the world, they can mean the opposite. Which brings us nicely to our first «nay» argument.
Dried flowers? Nay!
...or decay
While dried flowers symbolise eternal love in Western countries, it’s a different story when it comes to Asian feng shui. According to those teachings, lifeless plants can negatively impact the energy of your surroundings and should be thrown away (article in German). Especially if your dried bouquet’s so old that it’s falling to pieces.
And besides, what are dried or dried-up flowers even supposed to express? «Hey babe, our love’s as vibrant as these shrivelled-up roses», «Darling, every time I see these wilted leaves, I think of your face» or «Huh? You want flowers for Valentine’s Day every year? But this dried bouquet from 2022 is still perfectly fine!» Doesn’t exactly scream «romance», does it?
They’re dust traps
There’s not much I need to add here. If you’ve ever had dried flowers, you’ll know how much dust settles on them and how difficult it is to get rid of that dust. Especially if the flowers have been preserved in hair spray or some other sticky substance.
Incidentally, my colleague Darina has written about how to dry a bouquet of flowers properly.
The alternative: Lego flowers
If you don’t fancy giving your significant other real flowers (living or dead), you could always buy them a Lego bouquet. Plus, you’ll be able to build it together, so this gift has the entertainment factor too. Lego’s Botanical series is super popular with our customers. It includes roses, spring flowers and (surprise, surprise) a dried flower arrangement.
So what now? Well, I still don’t know how I feel about dried flowers on 14 February. And I guess I don’t have to make a final decision. Sometimes, simply admiring these tricky little flowers is enough.
Dried flowers for Valentine’s Day
Would you be happy if you received a dried bouquet on Valentine’s Day?
Is there anything you’d like to get off your chest about the «dead flowers for Valentine’s Day» phenomenon? Let me know in the comments.
Header image: Pixabay/Sinawa
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Anika Schulz
Teamleader Editorial
Anika.Schulz@galaxus.deAs a child, I was socialised with Mario Kart on SNES before ending up in journalism after graduating from high school. As a team leader at Galaxus, I'm responsible for news. I'm also a trekkie and an engineer.
