Valentine's Day 2014: Lilies coming up roses, shades of purple trending

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Feb. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate true loves, both old and new. According to FTD, consumers are in the midst of a budding romance with lilies, as they are the second most popular flower featured in Valentine's Day bouquets. As the top-seller on Valentine's Day, the red rose remains a classic. 

"Both roses and lilies are elegant and romantic," said FTD floral design expert, Michael Skaff. "They portray a touch of class and carry a scent of beauty. We are finding these are the exact sentiments our consumers are looking to convey on Valentine's Day and throughout the year."

While roses and lilies are dominating floral varieties around the holiday, Skaff predicts shades of purple to be the on-trend colors this February 14.

"Giving a floral arrangement that features shades of purple is an updated twist on the traditional Valentine's bouquet and shows out-of-the-box thinking," Skaff said. "Purple is very prominent in floral – from roses and lilies to orchids and irises, and beyond. With this regal color as your palette, you can deliver a truly stunning and luxurious bouquet, like the FTD Perfect Impressions™ Bouquet by Vera Wang."

In addition to classic red roses, fragrant lilies and bouquets with hues of purple, Skaff offers the following gift trends and recommendations to make this year's Valentine's Day truly special:  

Timeless Classics
As the iconic symbol of love and beauty, roses continue to speak volumes on Valentine's Day.  For consumers who like to take this timeless classic to stunning new heights, FTD offers the Ultimate Rose Bouquet, featuring roses standing at three-, four- and even five-feet tall. FTD also provides a one-stop shop solution with exquisite ultimate gift packages that bundle roses with everything from jewelry to Godiva® chocolates to teddy bears and even beautiful Baccarat® crystals.

Unique, Unexpected Gifts 
"Hot, sweet and unexpected gifts are trending this Valentine's Day," Skaff said. "If your relationship is looking for spice, chocolate covered jalapenos are the perfect complement to a sweet, romantic bouquet. For the college sweetheart or super-fan, the exclusive FTD College Rose Collection offers remarkable roses that are actually bi-colored in their favorite team colors.  They will get your love cheering this February."  

FTD recently launched Chocolate Dip Delights™, a new product line featuring delectable treats hand-dipped in 100 percent real premium chocolate. From plump, juicy chocolate covered strawberries to jalapenos, cherries, Oreos®, chips and pretzels, the line provides gift options that are hot, sweet and unexpected. 

"From exclusive partnerships with great brands like Vera Wang and Better Homes and Gardens™, and original product lines like the FTD Luxury Collection™ and Chocolate Dip Delights™, we make it a priority to always provide the most innovative and creative gifting options for customers," said Rob Apatoff, President and CEO of FTD. "Our team works together to develop and anticipate trends, and translates those into gorgeous, awe-inducing gifts, including chocolate covered treats, beautiful jewelry, exquisite vases, sweet and savory gift baskets, and wine and champagne." 

For more gift ideas and information about FTD's Valentine's Day products, please visit FTD.com.

About FTD Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: FTD)
FTD Companies, Inc. is a premier floral and gifting company. FTD provides floral, gift and related products and services to consumers, retail florists, and other retail locations primarily in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and the Republic of Ireland. The business uses the highly-recognized FTD® and Interflora® brands, both supported by the iconic Mercury Man logo that is displayed in tens of thousands of floral shops worldwide. Our portfolio of brands also includes Flying Flowers, Flowers Direct, and Drake Algar in the U.K.

SOURCE FTD Companies, Inc.