Say It With Flowers

Nothing says Spring more than a bouquet of fresh flowers. But, do you ever wonder what the flowers you send say about you?

Whether you are professing your undying love, sending your condolences, begging for forgiveness or thanking your hostess, the gift of flowers can be wonderfully emotive.

Yet, your heartfelt message may be inadvertently misunderstood if you send a scrawny arrangement covered in cheap plastic wrap from 1-800-Flowers. In this case, your gift may not effectively assuage the anger of a scorned lover nor console a wounded friend.

This communication breakdown can be easily remedied by finding a florist with impeccable taste that understands not only your personal style but your relationship needs.

With Mother's Day just around the corner (and what relationship could be more important than Mom), I reached out to one of my favorite florists, Elizabeth Ryan, (411 East 9th Street, 212-995-1111) who has done events for everyone from Paris Hilton to the Dalai Lama. She shares the following advice.

Try to give general characteristics of the recipient (preppy, modern, bohemian) and then, if possible, move on to more personal details (loves the beach, from the British countryside). A good florist should be able to interpret all the information he/she is given and create something that will appeal to the person's personality and style as well as convey the right message.


For Mother's Day, Elizabeth recommends a mixed spring arrangement (shown above), including a combination of any of the following flowers that are now in season: lilacs, peonies (her favorite and mine), roses, sweat peas, tulips, vibernum, lysianthus. Prices start at $65 with $15 delivery in Manhattan. Mother's Day orders will be sent on Saturday.

Another incredible floral designer is L'Olivier Floral Atelier (19 East 76th Street, 212-774-7676) who has another location downtown on 14th Street. They have a beautiful tulip arrangement in a rectangular vase for $150 which makes a strong visual statement (photo top center).


Finally, VSF (which stands for Very Special Flowers located on 204 West 10th Street, 212-206-7236) is popular with the fashion crowd. I especially like their tightly packed arrangements with Vandella roses, mini calla lilies and snowball hydrangeas all in creams and whites (shown above). The tone on tone is fresh and elegant. A great choice for anyone who appreciates the understated look.

It seems as though a talented florist can work wonders on all of your personal relationships by eloquently telling the people in your life just how your feel. Now, if only your therapist could understand.....