Maritime florists prepare for Valentine’s sales bloom with wilted supply

Florists in the Maritimes say to get your Valentine’s Day orders in now — or have a backup plan.

Unlike many other small businesses through the pandemic, flower shops say they’ve seen steady sales in the past year.

“A lot of people are sending flowers to loved ones at home,” says Carolyn Dignard, who owns A Liz A Beth’s Flower Shop in Saint John.

“’Thinking of you’ flowers or just because you need a pickup.”

She says a lot of orders have come in to have floral arrangements sent to residents at long-term care homes who might be missing their visitors.

“Even if someone has lost a loved one,” she says, “a lot of people are sending flowers to the home because they can’t go to the funeral.”

Even in normal times, she says things always pick up around Valentine’s Day – though she’s never worked one like this.

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With the classic dinner-and-a-movie date off the menu for 2021, she expects even more lovers to opt for flowers.

Halifax florist Neville MacKay says the pandemic has also left the business with wilted supply.

“Like any other farm there’s been less people working,” he says.

“It still takes time to start growing these things again, so a lot of product’s just not available.”

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MacKay says his shop, My Mother’s Bloomers, couldn’t get any baby’s breath for weeks in the fall.

Looking ahead to Valentine’s Day, he says, even if you’re not able to get a bouquet of your partner’s favourite, you likely won’t need to go home empty-handed.

“You know, in Atlantic Canada, we’re used to having to try a Plan B or Plan C or even a Plan D if we have to,” says MacKay.

Both he and Dignard say orders are already coming in fast for the weekend of Feb. 14.

They advise anyone hoping to include flowers in their Valentine’s plans to place their orders ASAP.