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We ordered bouquets of roses and tulips from FLOWERBX ahead of Valentine’s Day – here’s our review

We paid attention to appearance, scent and how long the stems lasted before starting to droop

Amira Arasteh
Thursday 02 February 2023 07:22 EST
The brand’s cut-to-order ethos ensures every stem is selected for purpose and flowers are never discarded to landfill
The brand’s cut-to-order ethos ensures every stem is selected for purpose and flowers are never discarded to landfill (The Independent)

Preparing your gift for a special someone? Many a floral bouquet will be bought come Valentine’s Day this year. Although, of course, in the words of Queen Miley, you can buy yourself flowers, too.

According to the British Florist Association, an estimated 250 million stems of flowers are sold across Valentine’s Day, globally. One-third consists of roses, one-third of tulips and one-third covers the rest of the arrangement.

I won’t lie to you, flowers aren’t my thing. I just don’t get them. They arrive, I have to trim the stems, put them in water and give them more attention than they give me, quite frankly. Now, don’t get me wrong – they do look pretty. There is something special about the sun streaming through your windows onto a freshly arranged bouquet. But, between you and me, a bouquet of chicken nuggets would go further with me.

However, as it’s coming up to Valentine’s Day and flowers are practically synonymous with the occasion, I thought I’d try ordering some myself, ahead of the big day.

FLOWERBX delivers a wide range of beautiful fresh flowers, which, according to the brand, last longer than those picked up at your local florist. For Valentine’s Day 2023, the brand is offering stems of roses so you can create the most bespoke bouquet to gift your Valentine. The brand’s cut-to-order ethos ensures every stem is selected for purpose and flowers are never discarded to landfill.

Bestselling roses include the red Naomi and the pink sweet avalanche, while there’s also the option to purchase your flowers as part of a gift set with a vase to place them in once they’ve been delivered.

FLOWERBX also champions sustainability, with all cardboard and paper packaging being 100 per cent recyclable and sourced from certified FSC providers; while all elements of the non-gifting bouquets are fully compostable, from flower-food sachets to water pads, and the brand is also offsetting its carbon footprint – with the aim of reducing it by 200 per cent over the next three years.

If you’re struggling to decide what bouquet to buy this Valentine’s Day, read through our review of buying a few from famed floral shop FLOWERBX.

How we tested

Upon delivery, we took a close look at each of the bouquets. We paid attention to the physical appearance of the flowers, as well as the scent and how quickly (if at all) the stems started to droop). We would have also monitored how many petals fell but, in the few days we had each bouquet in a vase, we are pleased to say none did.

The best FLOWERBX bouquets for Valentine’s Day 2023 are:

  • Best for minimalists – pink sweet avalanche rose: £80, flowerbx.com
  • Best for classic Valentine’s – red Naomi rose: £85, flowerbx.com
  • Best for those who don’t like roses – French kiss Dutch tulip: £50, flowerbx.com

Pink sweet avalanche rose

flowerbx pink avalanche rose valentines day 2023
  • Best: For minimalists
  • Type of flower: Rose
  • Available quantity: 20, 30, 40, 50

OK, so I mentioned I’m not much of a flower person but I must admit, these pink-white roses are very pretty. They remind me a bit of marshmallows, with their soft, candy-like colour. They even managed to elevate the look of my small kitchen on a classic grey wintry day and are the perfect choice if you’re shopping for someone who’s more minimalist in their floral preferences.

They arrived in perfect position and just needed a small trim to fit the vase – yes, even I have one at home. Over the days since they were delivered, they’ve kept their shape really well and I can imagine they’d look really nice mixed with the ivory avalanche roses, too.

Price based on 20 roses.

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Red Naomi rose

flowerbx red roses bouquet valentines day 2023
  • Best: For classic Valentine’s
  • Type of flower: Rose
  • Available quantity: 20, 30, 40, 50

Wow, these really do make a statement, don’t they? Even I found it hard not to be impressed by the sight of these. The bold red hue was the first thing I noticed but the second was the scent. Shakespeare really knew what he was talking about – either that or he had gone into the future and was writing about these FLOWERBX roses, in particular.

I’d definitely rate the roses at FLOWERBX, as these, too, held their shape really nicely. Also long-lasting, who said red roses were only for Valentine’s Day?

Price based on 20 roses.

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French kiss Dutch tulip

french kiss dutch tulip flowerbx valentines day 2023
  • Best: For those who don’t like roses
  • Type of flower: Tulip
  • Available quantity: 25, 50

My mum’s favourite flowers. I knew she’d approve as I unwrapped these and popped them in a vase filled with water. One thing I’d say is that the tulips arrived not fully in bloom (compared with the two bouquets of roses) – which is great if you’re slightly premature and buying a few days ahead of the big day. However, while they opened up over the next day, they were still a little droopy. They stayed really fresh but just struggled to stand up straight. However, after a few days of flower food and water, they perked up. Slow and steady wins the race.

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The verdict: Best FLOWERBX bouquets for Valentine’s Day

Not to sound cliché but I’d have to go with the red Naomi roses. Taking into consideration aesthetic, scent and how they looked upon delivery and a few days after, the red roses were the clear winner.

The other two types we tested, the pink sweet avalanche roses and the French kiss tulips, were strong options, also. If you or your other half is not a rose person, don’t let that stop you buying flowers as a gift on Valentine’s Day. Just maybe give yourself some room to play with if you pick the tulips – but they’re definitely worth the wait.

Flowers not your thing? Here are the best proseccos to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year

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