The right flowers for sharing your Valentine's Day affections

Before setting out to buy Valentine’s Day flowers, be sure you're buying flowers that clearly convey the right message. Here's how to make the best choice.

If you're looking to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a loved one, it's important to know which flowers will best convey your feelings and affection.

The rose has been the symbol of love par excellence for centuries and is the perfect gift on Valentine’s Day. Depending on its colour, a single rose can suggest a number of different things.

• Red rose: Romance. "I love you with all my heart, passionately and forever."
• Pink rose: The perfect gift for a mother or your children. "I promise to treat you with love and respect for the rest of my life; I admire you and find you fascinating; I love you with a tenderness that I can’t express."
• White rose: A pure love. "You are beautiful (or handsome) and my love for you is pure and sincere; I will always keep fond memories of you in my heart."
• Yellow rose: Friendship. "I have strong feelings of friendship for you; you are a close friend, and I will always have a special place in my heart for our friendship."

Giving a traditional bouquet of 12 Valentine’s Day flowers sends a powerful message of love—one that won’t likely be misunderstood.

There are other flowers besides roses you can use to express different kinds of love. Here are other flowers and the circumstances under which you might want to give them.

• Tulips: To declare your love for the first time.
• Orchids: To express dedication and desire.
• Daisies: To show faithfulness and loyalty.
• White lilies: To share feelings that are chaste and pure.

On the other hand, there are certain flowers it is best to avoid because of their negative connotations:

• Black rose: Our love has ended.
• Gladiola: I feel nothing but coldness from you.
• Hyacinth: You're causing me to suffer.

To accompany your Valentine’s Day flowers, nothing goes better than a lovely card with a heartfelt word or two.

• The card will allow you to refine your message of love, and ensure the intention behind your choice of flowers is understood.