With their unmistakable beauty, heady scent, and soft color palettes, roses are a popular choice for Valentine's Day flowers. However, they aren't your only option, and thinking outside the box will ensure a memorable valentine for the special person in your life. Below, learn more about three alternatives to roses that are just as beautiful and meaningful — and perhaps more so, because they indicate that you put extra thought and consideration into your flower selection.

How to Choose a Rose Alternative for Valentine’s Day

1. Carnations

Carnations are elegant and understated with a delicate sweet scent. They come in a wide variety of colors, with red symbolizing deep affection and white representing pure love. Carnations make for a breathtaking bouquet all on their own, but they also integrate well into virtually any floral design, providing a natural accompaniment to other flowers without overpowering them.

2. Tulips

Tulips have an undeniable association with springtime, particularly with light, warmth, and rebirth. These are perfect themes for Valentine's Day as well. Your color choice will also make a statement. Red tulips signify love, white tulips indicate value and importance, pink tulips suggest care, and yellow tulips denote good cheer. Tulips are also available in more visually striking colors, such as stunning deep purple, as well as variegated varieties that vibrantly blend more than one color in a single bulb.

3. Orchids

Orchids are dramatic and bold, making them an excellent way to celebrate the distinctiveness of your love on Valentine's Day. With careful tending, orchids can thrive for years, so they aren't a one-off valentine — they're an investment that lasts. Orchids are known for their long stems and for the exotic shapes of their blooms, and they're available in many different colors and sizes. In general, orchids represent love, beauty, and strength.

Explore roses and all your other options at Myers Flowers. Since 1913, they have provided the Greater New Haven, CT, area with a diverse selection of flower arrangements and plants. Whether for Valentine's Day or a wedding, for a thank-you gift or a just-because, they have flowers to suit any occasion. Call (203) 481-2381 or visit their website to start planning your Valentine's Day arrangement.