A rose is a rose is a rose. And never is that truer than on Valentine's Day, when roses rule the day and thinking outside the flower box, if you will, is rare indeed.
Oh, sure, some guys will get a little creative and opt for a lavendar or peach hue. Some will get a little daring, forgoing the traditional long-stemmed red roses for a mixed bouquet of cut flowers or maybe a posy of daisies. But when it comes to the exotic, forget about it.
Which is what prompted us to think, what would a florist -- who's surrounded by flora all day long -- pick if the choice were up to her. Here's what five of them told us.
1. For Aimee Evans, owner of the Village Flower Shop in downtown Plainfield, the answer was easy. She likes gloriosa lilies, in part because their so unusual. "It kind of grows backwards," with the petals arching back as it blossoms and the stamen and pistol at the bottom of the bloom rather than the center.
2. Lynn Martinelli, of Plainfield Florist at 2314 Route 59 and Naperville Florist at 2852 W. Ogden Ave., is a fan of the more esoteric. Her choice would be the bird of paradise, which she says is fragrant and contemporary, "crisp, clean and kind of zen-ny."
3. When Shelley Harmon, owner of So Dear to Pat's Heart Floral and Gifts at 700 W. Jefferson in Shorewood, first said her favorite combo was mixed flowers, we assumed she was just trying to get us off the phone. But then she elaborated. No carnations and bachelor buttons for this expert. She'd gather up a bunch of hydrangas, orchids and calla lilies for her bouquet.
4. You'd think Karen Kure, a designer for Designs by Dietrich II at 1948 Essington Road in Joliet, would opt for something more exotic given the name of her employer, but she was the most traditional of the bunch. If money were no object, she'd deliver herself two dozen red roses intermingled with white calla lilies.
5. A florist at #1 Flowers and Gifts, 1550 N. Route 59 in Naperville, was too busy to give her name -- after all, we were calling on the day before the busiest floral holiday of the year -- but she didn't hestitate when declaring her favorite: cattleya orchids. Take a look at the photo with this article and you'll know why.