Flower Buying Guide

Should you ever give supermarket flowers to your sweetie?

"Oh yes, it's great as a little spontaneous surprise," said Michelle Valentine, who deals with matters of the heart through Orlando-based michellevalentine.tv.

But won't she think you're cheap?

"Well, peel the label off, and the wrapping," added Stephany Alexander of Scottsdale, who helps women rate men at womansavers.com. "And maybe put a bow on. She won't really know where it came from."

The question took Patty Brisben back to a Kroger supermarket, a night before Valentine's Day, when she saw men nearly coming to blows over the last bunch of flowers.

"I remember thinking, "Thank God that's not for me,'" said Brisben, Ohio purveyor of pureromance.com.

Still, these romance advisers see no stigma in flowers and plants that might have been picked one aisle over from the lettuce – even for certain special occasions like Valentine's Day. Just make sure you add a little love to them.

Shoppers don't see a stigma, either, judging from how these floral displays are blossoming. Whether it's tough economic times, convenience, or both, the five major supermarkets in Tampa Bay all offer a selection of roses and other flowers.

Recent remodeling at local Winn-Dixies produced a store-within-a store that's as big as some small florists: A dozen roses in five shades, balloons on a stem and chocolate bars arranged in a vase, an expansive counter with rows of ribbon dispensers for custom jobs.

Here are some of the prices they're all charging this week:

Target: A dozen motley-colored daisies for $4.99, or a dozen roses for $14.99.

Walmart: $5 gets you bundles of purple or yellow Alstroemeria, $10 for a dozen roses with no frills, and $20 for roses in a vase with some baby's breath.

Sweetbay: They're promoting Valentine's Day flowers, with a dozen red roses at $12.99 and a spring-themed bunch with daisies in purple and yellow for $7.99.

Publix: The store offers a Sizzler Bouquet with daisies, Alstroemeria and other flowers, or a similar arrangement with a lily in the middle, for $4 apiece.

Winn-Dixie: A single-stem rose for $3.99, a dozen for $13.99.

Michelle Valentine, who's been called "Orlando's Oprah" for her TV talk show, likes the floral offerings at her neighborhood Publix.

"It's all about having something beautiful, not about how much you spent," she said.

"Guys don't normally know what to do when it comes to romance, so if the supermarket can help, that's great."

She encourages tailoring any floral gift to the unique interests of your loved one. Be sure to consider favorite colors, or the color of the room where the flowers will go.

"If she loves to cook, maybe you include a soup spoon or a spatula. If she likes painting, maybe some brushes in a bouquet," Valentine said.

That's where the supermarket helps, said Alexander, whose controversial website lets women warn other women about abusive and cheating men.

"Not only is it OK, you can find other things to add while you're there – a card, some chocolates, a frame for a photo of you two together," she said.

"I would think it's actually quite sweet if a man had put something together on his own."

In fact, unless you're buying for a wedding, Alexander is not a big fan of the quick online buy – even if it costs a lot of money.

"It's just too easy just to put something on a credit card," she said.

That's especially true if the recipient is eco-conscious.

"Think of all the gas used on the delivery," she said.

It's all in the presentation, said Brisben, whose romance business includes intimate products sold through home parties.

"If you say, 'Oh, I forgot it's our anniversary, here's some flowers,'" that's unacceptable," Brisben said.

"When it comes to a special occasion like Valentine's Day, it says a lot about a relationship that you've put it on the back burner."

"But if you say on a Friday, or a Saturday, or a Monday," she added, "'I was so busy today, but you've been on my mind, so I wanted to show you how much you mean to me,' that's a whole different ballgame."

Whatever you do for Valentine's Day, all three women agreed, it can't look last-minute.

In general, though, Michelle Valentine said, "It's better to receive flowers than not to receive flowers."