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First year my boyf and I started dating, he was really really broke on Valentines Day. So he skipped the traditional stuff. He and his roommate made 100 luminaries and took them out to a dried lake bed. Then he told me took me out to the lake blind folded. I was completely speechless when I saw it. In the center, he had a little folding table and made a bonfire and we had steaks and roasted potatoes surrounded by 100 candles. It was pretty amazing.

I work at Gotham Gardens, the truly fabulous flower & plant shop on the West Side. I've seen both sides of the Valentine dilemna -- the giver who is afraid to give anything but a dozen red roses and the recipient who doesn't want to appear ungrateful but would much prefer something more, well, imaginative. There have been women in the shop who stare wistfully at the gorgeous ranunculus, hellebores, cymbidiums, lady slippers, gloriosa lilies, frittilaria, anemones, amaryllis, French lilac, muscari, quince and tulips, not to mention the unusual botanical elements we use in bouquets, then sadly say they'll be getting the usual red roses. Givers, unless you know for sure she really loves red roses, be daring. Be romantic. Recipients, don't be afraid to drop the names of flowers you really love. If you're fully committed to your Valentine, consider giving them a beautiful vase, perhaps a wonderful bud vase, then, every week or two, treat them to one or two splendid blooms.

Mine would be peonies, something towards peachy color, and blue hydrangea.

so i totally missed the point of this! sorry!!!

hmmmm, for me I think I would prefer a spontaneous stop at a NYC flowershop and the purchase of one red gerber daisy....

I'm a simple girl.

(I will say, though, my wedding bouquet was pink/almost white peonies, and was GORGEOUS!!!)

I'd prefer a bundle of white daisies. They're my favorite flowers.
Either that or a dramatic bunch of hydrangea. That might be a tad more romantic. :)

No way, JuliaL! That was a great story... I hope you're still together, he sounds like a doll :)

Red tulips are astounding, particularly once they open. We had these, along with red peonies and lemon leaves for our wedding. They were set in a simple white 8" bowl in a few inches of water by a friend of mine who had a flower shop in Denver. The result was jaw dropping and since we bought the flowers directly from distributors at the flower market rather than using a florist, the price was very reasonable.