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13 best Valentine's bouquets

Our favourite quirky alternatives to the Valentine's Day classic.

Kate Hilpern
Tuesday 02 February 2016 19:19 GMT

If you want a change from roses this Valentine's Day, our round-up brings you the best alternative bouquets, with more unusual options for all budgets.

1. Valentine Pink Posy, £40, Philippa Craddock

Beautiful flowers don't need to come in huge bunches. For this Valentine’s, luxury florist Philippa Craddock has launched a new posy collection separate from her main collection – smaller, hand-tied bunches in two different sizes. This one is gorgeous, bursting with roses, astrantia, dianthus, early spring ranunculus and foliage.

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2. 20 Roses, £9.99, Home Bargains

Don’t panic as there’s no trace of the words “Home Bargain” on the packaging or box, which is actually rather luxurious, so your recipient will never know you paid so little for this collection of multi-coloured, hand-tied roses, which should last at least a week.

Last order 13th February by 5pm

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3. Violet Rose & Lily, £23, Appleyard

This is good value for a pretty arrangement of violet deep water roses and white oriental lilies that are set off by delicate and pretty greenbell and eucalyptus. Ours arrived with lilies still unopened and roses that lasted past the seven-day guarantee that all Appleyard’s bouquets come with.

Last order 13th February by 4pm

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4. Scented Narcissi, £17, Scilly Flowers

If your loved one appreciates the fragrance of flowers every bit as much as their aesthetics, then look no further. Churchtown Farm is a small, award-winning operation on the Isles of Scilly that produces the most gorgeously scented flowers we’ve come across, with these attractive narcissi coming in various-sized packages, which all come boxed and fit through the letterbox.

Last order 11th February by 12 noon

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5. Hot Tramp, from £75, Rebel Rebel

The title, if you hadn’t guessed, is homage to David Bowie’s song Rebel Rebel, which includes the lyrics, “Hot Tramp, I love you so!” Including black cloni ranunculus, pale pink fragrant garden roses, blush anemones, cherry blossom, silvery foliage and orange Icelandic poppy, it’s edgy, wild and utterly fabulous.

Last order 12th February by 12 noon

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6. Double Dozen Red Tulips, £25, Tesco

Many people love the red theme of Valentine’s, but just aren’t fans of roses. These vibrant tulips in the traditional hue are a fabulous alternative and this particular arrangement is both generous and stunning and the two sachets of flower food keeps them looking great for a week to 10 days.

Last order 13th of February before 5 PM

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7. The Lizzie, £26, Bloom & Wild

This light pink fusion is inspired by the Rose Quartz, which is the Pantone Colour of the Year. Including fragrant eucalyptus, pale pink roses, cream lisianthus and pale pink alstroemeria, it’s beautifully feminine and lasted us 10 days. Plus, it arrives in a box to fit through the letterbox.

Last order 13th February by 11 AM

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8. Blush bouquet, from £125, Paul Thomas Flowers

It costs a bomb, but this contemporary bouquet is a stunner. Absolutely packed with peony-like, shell pink Italian ranunculus flowers, which are complemented by a mass of astrantia, it’s all about pastels and romance and finished off with decadent signature ribbon. Make sure the lucky recipient has a big vase.

Last order 11th February

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9. Cream Blossom Jug, £26, Next

There’s something particularly fresh and enchanting about bouquets in cream and white tones and this arrangement, complete with soft cream roses, tulips, stocks and matricaria, is no exception. It’s available in various sizes and comes with a matching cream jug to keep.

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10. Hydrangea bouquet, £49.99, Lakeland

This bouquet might not contain many flowers - five hydrangea blooms in total – but they are huge, dramatic and look striking with the pink-flowering broom (aka pink genista). Handily, they arrive in their own glass vase and they will go the distance - the arrangement lasted us over two weeks.

Lakeland Last order for 24hr bouquets 12th February for delivery 13th February. Last order for 48hr bouquets is 11th February for delivery 13th of February. No deliveries on Sunday 14th

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11. Rose and Iris Bouquet, £30, Marks and Spencer

This cheerful collection of blue iris and yellow roses is complemented by daisy-like tanacetum flowers and gorgeous greenery and is sure to brighten up anybody’s day. You won’t find it in M&S stores, but it’s available online.

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12. Valentine Chic Arrangement, £39.99, Interflora

This exotic bouquet has a definite nod to the East and is a truly elegant choice. It includes a pink Oriental lily, three green mini cymbidium orchid heads, two dark green chrysanthemum blooms and – in honour of Valentine’s Day – two large headed roses, all of which is balanced with Oriental grasses and foliage and arrives in a black, square-shaped vase.

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13. The Lyric, from £75, Larry Walshe

This generous bunch of vintage pink and purple roses is balanced with lime green viburnum, hot pink roses, garden clematis, stocks and sage. It’s a wonderfully fragrant bouquet and it comes in lavish packaging.

Last order 12th February

Buy now

Verdict:

We adore the Scilly Flowers Scented Narcissi. They smell gorgeous and have a look of spring about them, a sure way to cheer up a cold February day, and they’ll even fit through the letterbox. At under £20, they're great value too, with options for larger bunches if you’re feeling generous. For something more extravagant and varied, we think the Rebel Rebel Hot Tramp is an absolute dazzler, and shows your loved one that you’re imaginative, as well as romantic.

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