How To Level Up Your Flower Bouquet, According To A Florist

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or just a regular day, flowers are always a good idea. For those who are bored of the usual roses and want to switch things up, we asked Gracelyn Lin, CEO of Sing See Soon Floral and Landscape, about popular flowers and their meanings, and tips on how to level up your Valentine’s Day bouquet this year. 

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What are some flowers that are good for gifting and what are their meanings?

Roses are a classic choice for expressing love, affection, and back in the day, roses always symbolised romance. There’s also a version of pink roses for affirmation and gratitude.

Hydrangeas are more common now—they have been quite a hit thanks to the fun colours we get from Holland. It’s hard to put a finger to what they mean because there’s a variety of reasons why people gift them: as an apology, to brighten someone’s day, and the like.

And then you have orchids, like the phalaenopsis (moth) orchids that you see at luxurious locations like hotels and fashion boutiques like Dior, Armani, and Bvlgari. They represent luxury, beauty, strength, and achievement; and you see them everywhere.

You also have sunflowers, which symbolise happiness and warmth, and are good for girlfriends and even just friends. A lot of people buy sunflowers for graduation, which could symbolise a brighter future.

Lastly, I see a lot of people doing tulips. I think it’s interesting because you don’t see them out in the open as florists keep them in the freezer for preservation due to our unsuitable climate. A lot of couples have been buying tulips as a representation of new beginnings, and to show passion. It’s starting to become an alternative to roses.

What are some common misconceptions that people often have about gifting flowers?

Not all flowers mean the same thing, and some colours symbolise different things that can vary culturally and geographically. For example, Asians may not be a big fan of white flowers but in Europe, white flowers could stand for beauty, purity, and luxury.

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What are some recommendations for people who want to gift flowers, but don’t want to give roses?

I think what isn’t spoken about a lot is that florists should be recommending seasonal flowers. Flowers depend on availability, so for example, peonies cost a lot toward the end of the season but if you purchase them within the season, you could get maybe two to three times more flowers as compared to the end.

What is the most memorable bouquet you have made?

Edible bouquets! For our Wonder Women initiative, we were trying to bring awareness to families who couldn’t locate their next meal—there are 400 of such families in Singapore who are part of the Daughters of Tomorrow programme. There’s always a myth that healthy eating costs money, so Sing See Soon did an edible bouquet where everything in the bouquet could be eaten. We made a Green Goddess bouquet, which consisted of everything that would go into a salad, and a Nasi Ulam bouquet in collaboration with The Green & Purple Movement.

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Are there any special projects that Sing See Soon is doing for Valentine’s Day that customers can look forward to?

We did curate a sustainable bouquet, which is different from the edible one. It’s made of preserved flowers, cotton, and lavender. People can send them to those who may not know how to handle flowers, and they could add essential oils like perfumes because the flowers can last virtually forever.

We’ve also curated a range of five Valentine’s Day bouquets at $99 each, based on the Mandarin wordplay on “九九” (ninety-nine) and “久久” (long-lasting), symbolising forever love.