Roses are red, violets are blue … you can get beautiful flowers and save money, too!

Valentine’s Day is almost here. These tips will help you get special blooms for less green. Do the legwork. You’ll save by picking up flowers yourself and delivering them to your beloved—and you will make sure the bouquet gets there on time.

Need it delivered? Avoid the thorns. Many customers of national order-taking services complain about disappointing products and canceled or too-late deliveries, especially during this busy season. Find a florist located near your recipient and work directly with that shop to arrange and deliver your purchase. Doing so means you’ll avoid the problems often presented by the flower-ordering middlemen, brokers.

Consider buying at supermarkets and warehouse clubs. When nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook’s undercover shoppers sought pricing from florists, grocery stores, warehouse clubs, and other sources of stems, we found that prices at supermarkets averaged about 60 percent lower than those at traditional florists. We also found substantial price variation among different supermarket chains: For example, we found prices for a dozen red roses ranged from $10 to more than $35.

Think beyond the bouquet. Garden centers and hardware stores might not be top of mind for flowers, but many carry a wide variety of hanging baskets and potted plants (orchids are a lovely choice, and they last for years with proper care).

Take it to the streets. You might find flower vendors downtown, near shopping areas, or along major thoroughfares. Checkbook’s shoppers found vendors’ prices averaged about 10 percent lower than those at supermarkets and about 70 percent lower than florists’ prices. Street flower quality varies depending upon when and where the seller got them and how well they cared for them. Be especially careful about buying at the end of the day—even if those lilies were fresh in the morning, chances are they’ve been sitting in the sun for hours and won’t last long in a vase

Want something original? Go to a pro. While you’ll likely pay more for an arrangement from a retail florist, it’ll offer an opportunity to design and build a work of art, rather than a standard bouquet. The best floral operations also tend to have higher buying standards than supermarkets and other large stem-sellers, which means flowers might look better and last longer. The earlier you order, the better options you’ll have.

Inspect products for signs of quality. Look at the color, form, and trim of cut flowers. Avoid blooms that are wilted, bruised, or are losing petals. The stem should be firm and neatly cut, no dirt or slime.

Mix it up. Flower prices are a product of supply and demand. Red roses are the flower of choice for Valentine’s Day, and they are often marked up for the holiday. A good florist should be able to advise you on alternatives, like tulips or dahlias. And go for the greens; they add volume for not a lot of money—ask for ferns, maple leaves, or even hostas to boost your arrangement. Buying stems and using a vase from home also slashes costs

Want more info and ratings of local florists? Click here for all of Checkbook’s advice on buying flowers.

About Consumers’ Checkbook.
Consumers’ Checkbook is a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate and help consumers make smarter choices. It offers advice, price comparisons, and in select markets, unbiased ratings of local service providers. It is supported by consumers and takes no money from the companies it evaluates. You can learn more about Checkbook and keep up with its latest reports by visiting Checkbook.org/NFCC.