Floral arrangements at their best can be the prettiest things in the world, but at the same time, a poor arrangement is also a reflection of poor taste and can be translated as a lack of effort to some woman. So to avoid going wrong on the big day (otherwise known as Valentine's day) and to give your significant other a bouquet that will not only draw tears from her eyes but make you - as well as your bouquet - a centrepiece, we offer a directory to Hong Kong's best florists and their Valentine bouquets this year.
We discover that while the red roses still reign as the most popular flower; today, modern variations of the traditional rose can be just as beautiful. With our directory, we hope to play Cupid by widening your perspective and introduce you to different sizes and shapes of bouquets, introducing botanic alternatives, and pointing you in the right direction to find the best florists in Hong Kong.
1. OVOgarden
If you're a fan of the designer furniture selection found at OVOhome and OVOstudio, then it's safe to say OVOgarden will not disappoint. Operating under the philosophy of "quality lifestyle begins at home", the florist located on Queen's Road East has created ready-made bouquets made with rose blooms of tradition shades (red, pink and cream), they also offer a bouquet of preserved French roses paired with eucalyptus leaves (HK$1,100); a heart-shaped flower arrangement that pairs roses with eustoma and bird's nest fern (HK$700); and crimson rich red roses accented with green leaves (HK$1,600). For an alternative to rose, OVOgarden recommends tulips for your loved one, and if you haven't a clue what your partner's colour preference is, the florists suggest you provide them with a description to find the perfect bouquet. Because of the influx of Valentine's orders, this florist recommends you order before Chinese New Year, in doing so, you can also benefit from their early bird special (order before January 29).
Address: G/F, 22 Queen's Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong; Tel: 2529 2599
2. Anglo Chinese Florist
For years this has been the florist of choice of Hong Kong socialites, fans include Shelley Lee, Allan Zeman, Albert Cheng to name a few. Located in the hub of Central, this conveniently located florist suggests the lost and confused to come in ideally two weeks before the big day and consult their florists to pick a bouquet for her. While red roses are of course the most obvious choice, for something out of the ordinary, they suggest their purple American roses for a modern twist. The Valentine bouquets this year range from HK$1,080, HK$2,680, and HK$8,990 for the purple extravaganza of 99 roses.
Address: 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong; Tel: 2921 2986
3. Armani Fiori
There are two qualities that distinguish Armani Fiori; the obvious would be its brand affiliation as the lifestyle brand extension to Giorgio Armani, but secondly, and most prominently is its minimalistic approach to flower arrangement. Judging from its thorough and impressive understanding of quality flower arrangement, it is no surprise to the world that the lady behind the brand in Hong Kong is in fact the famous florist Gary Kwok. Armani Fiori provides a more modest touch to the otherwise typically extravagant Valentine's day bouquet with its French double-petal deep purple tulips. Floral bouquets come with a price tag ranging from HK$1,380 to HK$3,800.
Address: 1/F Chater House, 11 Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong; Tel: 2532 7766
4. Agnès b. Fleuriste
In 2002, Agnès B saved many blossoming romances as its establishment provided the city a reliable go-to florist for quality bouquets. Known for its extensive knowledge of flower arrangement, this year for Valentine's, the florist is taking on the occasion with a unique ‘bouquet-in-a-box' concept. Shoppers can choose from a heart-shaped, squared, round box to encase their bouquet of flowers (HK$1,080 to HK$1,980), or for those who can't tear themselves away from the classic bouquet, in addition to traditional shades of red, pink and cream, the florist offers purple or La Loggia orange roses to freshen up that bouquet.
Address: Shop 110, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong; Tel: 2918 0631
5. Solomen Bloemen
Are ready-made bouquets not quite what you're looking for? Then perhaps your best bet would be a bespoke bouquet from Solomen Bloemen (prices begin at HK$1,600). This may be a case of different strokes for different folks, as this florist is what we would call a modernist, his flower arrangements are eclectic and daring, with a pairing of the traditional roses, sweet pea and tulips with the most unlikely of flowers. Alternatively, if you'd like give her both a Valentine's gift and bouquet, you can also opt for the Soloman Bloemen x Jo Malone limited edition flowers and fragrance set (HK$3,500) which includes a bespoke spring bloom bouquet offered in either pink, purple or white, paired with sakura cherry blossoms, sweet pea, combined with a set of Jo Malone fragrances.
Address: 6H Winner Building, 27-39 D'Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong; Tel: 2521 1798
6. Gary Kwok
The famed Hong Kong florist, the lady behind most, if not all the flower arrangements at a lot of the city's most exclusive soirees, is offering exclusive Valentine's bouquets. With Gary, you're paying for what you get, as the bouquets are absolutely stunning. The price tag on the other hand, ranges from HK$880 to HK$2,680. You can either choose from a traditional pink rose, pink eustoma, pink hydrangea bouquet for HK$2,400, or alternatively, you can opt for a modern twist to the traditional bouquet which utilises tulips; mauve, pink and purple tulips (HK$1,580). If you're looking for an exclusive bouquet for your lucky lady, we're loving the limited edition floral combination of Japanese pink ranunculus and pink hydrangea (HK$2,400).
Shop 312-315, 3/F, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen's Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong; Tel: 8200 9226