Most guys have very little understanding when it comes to harnessing the power of flowers. A sorry bunch of roadside weeds with dirt hanging off the roots may have impressed your mum and grandma, but the rest of the world is somewhat more discerning.
But don’t panic, even if you don’t know your Iris from your Orchids, we’ve got a few simple tips that can turn you into a black-belt in the floral-arts.
Dos and don’ts
Brightening up your image is just as much about avoiding the pitfalls that show you up as an amateur, so here are a few dos and don’t to get you started.
Do: Buy flowers for no reason.
It sounds crazy, but it works a treat – Get into the good habit of surprising your partner with a bunch of flowers for no reason at all – she’ll be delighted by your thoughtfulness instead of wondering what you’ve been up to or what you want. Remember how happy she was when you bought flowers on her birthday or when you just started going out? Well, why just leave it for the special occasions – try a small bunch of fresh flowers every now and then and see what effect it has. The best part is that this is one of those times when you can get away with going cheap. With a couple of inexpensive, cheerful bunches wrapped up by your Flowers Work Wonders retailer is really all it takes.
Do: Get flowers for your house or flat
It’s really is surprising what a bunch of flowers will do for a place. Especially if your house/flat is a bit of a tip, the nice bright patch draws the eye away from rats crawling over the dishes pile.
Do: Get flowers for your girlfriend’s mum when you go over for dinner
Actually this is trickier territory than you’d think. It’s a fine line between looking like a thoughtful, trustworthy lad and smarmy git who is not to be trusted. Generally, the payoff is worth the risk – and turning up empty handed just looks lame.
Don’t: Only buy flowers when you’ve done something wrong.
Many a player has come unhinged by this, the simplest of schoolboy errors. Don’t get us wrong, a big bunch of well put together flowers are a tried and true method of fixing bad stuff.
Trouble is at best this will only ever get you to breakeven, and – depending on the crime involved – can seriously put you out of pocket. The other flaw is that no man actually knows how many times he can pull this one off. It’s a good tool, but use it wisely, grasshopper.
Do: Take care of your flowers.
Having flowers around your house or flat is a great start, but don’t let them turn on you. Flower food will keep the water fresh and stems healthy, if you don’t have flower food just change the water every few days. Even the most well placed bunch loses its charm after the water has gone stinky and the flowers have died.
Don’t: Be embarrassed
Still a few NZ men are embarrassed to be seen with a bunch of flowers, although it is a common sight in Europe. Our surveys show that women have very positive feelings towards men carrying flowers, considering him a thoughtful, romantic and loving kind of guy, and are often jealous of the man’s partner for receiving such a lovely gift – it could boost your rating in the popularity stakes to be seen with a bunch of flowers! So being seen walking with a bunch of flowers does not make you look silly – and your local flower retailer is never far away.
Don’t: Worry bro…
No need to worry about your lack of botanical experience, just pop into your local retailer, they will give you advice and might even tell you the name! However, if you want something more individual then many florists will make up a “hand-tied bouquet” – this is a mixed bunch, arranged and wrapped-up on the spot, ready to go straight into a vase. And again, they will also give you all the advice you need.
