Romantic flowers: saying it without words

Flowers for someone you love do not have to be expensive or enormous. What they need is to feel chosen: the right colour, the right moment and a few words on the card that could only have come from you.

Romantic bouquets for every stage of love.

See romantic flowers

Choosing by stage

The first few months

Keep it light and charming. A small bunch of tulips, sweet peas in summer, or pink and peach roses are warm without being overwhelming. A single red rose is a gesture; a huge red arrangement on a third date may be a bit much.

Settled and serious

This is where the classic dozen red roses comes into its own, along with lush peonies in May and June, or a bouquet in deep reds and burgundy in winter.

Years together

Think personal rather than grand: the flowers from your wedding bouquet, the ones that grew outside your first flat, or simply their favourite colour. Our wedding anniversary guide has ideas for each year.

Flowers with romantic meanings

Red roses: the most widely understood symbol of love in the world.
Red tulips: a declaration too, but lighter and more playful.
Peonies: romance and a happy marriage, in a short early-summer season.
Forget-me-nots: true love and remembrance; lovely in a small posy.
Orchids: admiration and luxury, and a potted one lasts for months.

Send flowers to someone you love in Ireland.

Choose a bouquet

Valentine’s Day and other moments

Valentine’s Day, 14 February, is the busiest day of the year for florists. Dublin even has a connection to the saint himself: Whitefriar Street Church holds relics said to be of St Valentine, and couples visit the shrine around the day. If you want flowers that day, order well ahead.

But the flowers that are remembered most often arrive on an ordinary day: after a tough week, before a job interview, when you are away travelling, or for no reason at all.

Little things that make a difference

Scent: roses, freesias and stocks smell wonderful; check they suit the recipient.
Where it arrives: flowers at work are seen by everyone, flowers at home are more private. Think about which they would prefer.
The card: one honest sentence beats a quotation. An in-joke or a shared memory works best.
Size: a modest bunch chosen with care says more than the biggest arrangement on the list.

For more about meanings read our flower language guide, and for practical timing see how to send flowers. When you are ready, send flowers.

Questions about romantic flowers

Are red roses too predictable?

Only if they are an afterthought. A dozen red roses on Valentine’s Day is a classic for a reason. If you want to surprise, try deep red tulips, garden-style roses or a bunch built around the person’s favourite colour.

What should I send early in a relationship?

Something light. A small hand-tied bunch, pink or peach roses, tulips or mixed seasonal flowers say you are thinking of them without making a grand declaration.

Does Valentine’s Day mean booking ahead?

Yes. It is the busiest day of the year for florists, and when it falls on a weekend the demand is squeezed into fewer delivery days. Order a week or so in advance and consider the day before.