Not only is it Valentine ’s Day today , but it ’s also the 50th twelvemonth that New Covent Garden Flower Market in the UK will be lionize the annual day of love , since moving from London ’s West ending to its ' new ' Nine Elms land site back in November 1974 . Several company at the market place apportion an update on this year ’s time of year . Dave Gibbs of DG Wholesale Flowers and Luke Gilbert of Green and Bloom"The day fall on a Friday could n’t be better"“Whites and pink rose will be democratic choices but for many of our customers traditional is best , " says Mike Burgess , a Salesman at DG Wholesale , who expects bumper trade on Friday 14 February . " Valentine ’s Day falling on a Friday this class could n’t be better for us and I ’m sure our traditional cerise roses will be our best seller on the twenty-four hours , " says Mike - despite all the pictorial colour choices on offer . " Our Ecuadorian roses will be our best seller , as they grow a very good timbre move up . Due to the lovesome mood , fertile soil and gamey altitude of the Andes Mountains , Ecuador has ideal growing conditions to produce roses with a vivid deep color that boast long stems , large bloom , and velvety petal . “Increased demand for mixed bouquets"The movement for roses is always strong and , as you ’d anticipate , red roses are still very popular with the Explorer , an Ecuadorian diverseness one of our good trafficker , " says Sam Hardcastle , atomic number 27 - owner of Bloomfield Wholesale Florist Ltd. " But if you desire to move away from that and change it up , we ’re offering rafts of colour choices . We ’re now seeing demand for pink , peach and even ashen rose , all colours that we know will prove popular in the run up to 14 February . ““At Bloomfield we ’re realize increased demand for mixed fragrancy – which is a veridical change to the traditional bunch of 12 red rose , " adds Sam . " If you ’re cunning , you could commix up your bouquet and get amazing value for money . “After a traditionally dense start in January , Sam echoes the flavour across the food market that Valentine ’s Day will kick start this twelvemonth ’s trade . " Valentine ’s Day settle on a Friday is brilliant for us as people will be go out after employment - it ’s the best possible 24-hour interval of the week for us in term of trade , " says Sam . " We ’re expect to be busy all week . “Lara Richens of Green and BloomRanunculusAlongside the ever - popular rose , genus Ranunculus is a democratic Valentine ’s Day choice with florists . " We ’ve seen big requirement for the Hanoi mixed bag of ranunculus " , says Green and Bloom ’s Luke Gilbert . " They ’re very popular with florists as they open up really well and have amazing , large fountainhead . In price of roses , all color in rather than just red are democratic , with raw sienna hews , beige , pinks and whites all betray well . “How have thing changed for wholesalers and florists over the past 50 years?“Back in the seventies people only require cherry-red rose wine for Valentine ’s Day , whereas now the colours have switch , and some florists will use a mixed posy with only a couple of flushed roses , " says Dave Gibbs , proprietor of DG Wholesale . " 50 days ago , most of our flowers at this time of year would hail from either Guernsey in the Channel Islands or from Israel . There was an orangeness - color pink wine called a Mercedes , alongside the Gabriella and Jaguar varieties that were all grown in Israel - they ’re still grown there now but they come via the Dutch markets . Another democratic choice back in the 1970s was a single rise in a third power , but the supermarkets have taken over that craft now . "
It ’s clear that Valentine ’s Day has become much more commercial over the last duet of tenner , with demand outpace traditional holiday issue such as Christmas and Easter . " Now it ’s one of the biggest days of the year , but back in the 1970s Valentine ’s Day would have follow in a short quaternary place , " state Peter Green , owner of Smith and Green Wholesale Florists Ltd. " Back then Christmas , Mothers ' Day and Easter were all bigger events in terms of selling efflorescence , and Valentine ’s Day was n’t big at all . Over the past 30 years , from the mid 1990s forrader , I ’ve escort it become much more commercialized and a much bigger event for the flowered industriousness . In real footing , rose would have actually cost more back in the seventies and they were n’t as salutary quality as they are now ! "
One thing that has n’t transfer over the past 50 years and shows no sign of change anytime shortly is the colour of love . " Anything redness has always been the colour of pick , " says Peter , " and a twelve red roses is still the great affair . "
© FloralDaily.com/Elvira Oosterbaan
