Love That Lasts: How to Buy Sustainable Flowers & Gifts This Valentine’s Day

Valentine's Day is all about showing love—but who said love is a big bunch of red roses wrapped in plastic? When it comes to flowers and gifts, a little thoughtfulness goes a long way in making sure your romantic gesture is as kind to the planet as it is to your special someone.

Here's how to keep it green (and gorgeous) this Valentine's Day:

Shop Local & Seasonal Blooms - only when available locally where you are!

I have this year opted not to import fresh flowers for Valentine's Day. There are very little to no fresh flowers blooming at the moment and as a grower as well, there is nothing like sticking your nose into a bunch of your own homegrown fragrant flowers when they are well and truly in season which is definitely not possible for another few weeks at least. I love harvesting fresh flowers which I know have been grown organically and without the carbon footprint and chemicals to boot. Instead, I will upping my dried flower game for Valentines Day with some really nice Valentine's themed gifts.

In any case, there are so many ways to be more sustainable in your flower giving on this love inspired day. In reality people will still spend millions of euros worldwide on fresh flower bouquets on Valentine's so if you really, really want to purchase fresh flowers for yourself or your special someone but want to be more eco-friendly about it, start by:

• looking for organic flowers where possible or at least an FSI or fair-trade certifications and definitely buy plastic free; no plastic ribbons, no need for plastic packaging at all and definitely donʼt buy any flowers which come packaged in nasty green flower foam or oasis. There are so many sustainable options out there now.
• Do also buy from your local florist as keeping your purchases local really helps our community i.e. not shopping big online faceless companies. And whatever you do, do no wait until 5 o' clock on Valentines Day to go buy your flowers. You will definitely get the sad looking flowers and maybe a tired Florist. Pop in to your local florist a few days before and put in your order in advance -minimise the stress!
• Why not even consider potted indoor or outdoor plants which most bricks and mortar florists and your local nursery or garden centre will have in abundance. These are a much more sustainable option; plant them or bring them to enjoy for months (if you are someone like me who kills house plants; yes I may be a flower farmer but houseplants torment me) or years if planted correctly outside.

So back to dried flowers. Dried flowers are a really wonderful sustainable and beautiful option for sustainable Valentine's Day gifting. If you are open to dried flowers, then do really have a look at what your flower farmer offeringʼs are. You will find a list of Irish flowers by area up on the Flower Farmers of Ireland website. Many Irish flower farmers are now starting to have more dried flower offerings so check there first.

Dried flowers require no water and will last for months and even years if cared for correctly and are a great option to consider for Valentines Day. Many flower farmers will also offer dried flower wreaths and other dried flower gifts as well and if not, you can often buy subscription gifts so that your loved one can go and purchase beautiful locally grown fresh flowers when they are actually in full bloom and in season.

Non-flower Valentines ideas;

Choose ethical, thoughtful experiences and purchase locally where you can. There are wonderful workshops available now in Ireland in everything from sourdough bread making, stained glass making, jewellery making, pottery making, printing workshops, cookery workshops; the list is endless. This is something you could do together so it becomes all about the memory making and that will last longer than any flowers.

Instead of plastic-wrapped, mass-market gifts, go for handcrafted or up-cycled presents from local artisans and crafters. Think about maybe sustainable jewellery, organic local chocolates, or even a DIY gift can be way more meaningful especially when you are strapped for cash.

Ditch Wasteful Packaging
Of all the things you can do, this is really simple to do. Fancy wrapping may look nice, but it often ends up in the rubbish bin. Opt for reusable wrapping like fabric or a cute tote bag that can be used again and again; If you are anyway creative at all, buy some fabric markers and decorate the tote bag yourself, or decorate your Kraft wrapping paper with little notes ....be creative. Less googling, more doodling!

The final option when you are really strapped for cash
Sometimes, the best and most important gift isn't a thing at all! Small choices add up, and making Valentine's Day more sustainable doesn't mean sacrificing romance. Valentines shouldn't be about buying stuff - it should be all about the showing your love for someone else so all about the kindness; so maybe cook a nice dinner with candles and create some DIY fun IOU tokens for house jobs that you promise to do or days out or romantic things to do together over the next few months, e.g walk at the beach, picnic at the beach or in a park, hikes, etc. Ok you get my drift. More romance, less stuff basically.

In any case, choose wisely and think about what the special someone in your life loves and go from there!

(Note: *The FSI or Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) is an initiative setup to mainstream and promote responsible sourcing of flowers & plants in the areas of environmental and social practices. It is by no means perfect but a start in the right direction at least.)