Valentine’s Day preparations for local florists

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - In case you missed all the commercials about diamonds, chocolates, and flowers, here is your reminder: Valentine’s Day is Tuesday. But the work florists put in starts months in advance.

This delivery truck is the equivalent of Santa’s sleigh. Flower shipments to Love Always Floral have been occurring for days and even weeks. But Love Always isn’t your typical floral shop.

”So, we’re not a brick-and-mortar storefront where people can walk in and shop arrangements off the shelves. All of our arrangements are orderable online. Our website is super easy to navigate, so everyone purchases online or over the phone,” said Janelle Hartford, partner owner of Love Always Floral.

Boxes of roses from South America and unique stems from Holland get hauled into the basement of Janelle’s home, where they need to be organized and prepped before being arranged into stunning bouquets. Local blooms get in on the vases too. Yes, that’s right, flowers are grown in North Dakota in January.

”Something called a ‘low tunnel,’ it’s the same idea as a greenhouse but it’s about four to five feet tall. Then I’m able to trap the heat from the sun, so right now I have thawed ground,” said Shari Glasser, who owns Bogies Blooms and works at Love Always Floral.

Glasser will begin the process of transplanting at the beginning of March and have blooms by May. However, the process to get everything in place for one of the biggest days in the flower industry starts right after the new year.

”We’re taking pictures of our Valentine’s Day collection, we’re talking through what color schemes we want to offer, what kind of vessel we want to be offering this year. Then we launch our Valentine’s Day collection online and on social media around the end of January,” said Hartford.

All team members are busy prepping flowers and vases, writing out cards, and tracking shipments to ensure all flowers arrive on time in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day. They sold out of their Valentine’s Day arrangements last year and are expecting to be busy again Tuesday playing cupid again on the big day.

You can follow Love Always Floral on Instagram and Facebook, and place an order on their website. Love Always also does floral art installations, and one will be set up in the Kirkwood Mall this spring.

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