BELHAVEN — Collin Jennette learned a few things about ordering flowers at 4:30 p.m. the day before Valentine’s Day.
His first lesson: the going price for a dozen roses was twice what he expected. But the folks at Foxy Flowers and Gifts could help him find something nice in his price range.
Jennette chose red and yellow roses for his girlfriend, Davina.
“I picked red for love and yellow because she brightens up my day,” he said.
Jennette learned his second lesson when Foxy Flower employee Ed Ham asked when he wanted the flowers. The response got a chuckle from the three floral designers knee-deep with orders on one of their busiest days of the year.
“This evening would be fine, like within the next 20 minutes,” said the Northside High School junior.
Jennette may not have received his flowers in 20 minutes, but he saved additional fees by placing his order before Valentine’s Day and agreeing to pick them up in the morning.
“We have to go up on the price because the wholesaler goes up on us,” said florist Mary Ellen Allen.
She recommended placing orders as early as possible. Chances are they will run out of roses before the end of the day today.
Valentine’s Day is a close second to Mother’s Day as one of the busiest holidays of the year for Beaufort County florists.
Beverly Coltrain, manager of Babe’s Florist, said the Pantego flower shop had a calm before the storm of orders began Wednesday afternoon.
“The phones just started ringing. It was quiet for about two hours,” she said.
Coltrain offered advice to procrastinators.
“Do better next year,” she laughed. “It puts us in a big rush at the end. If they’re not ordered by lunchtime, they definitely can’t be delivered.”
Florist Ann Barrett came to work early Wednesday and left late. She expected today would be the same.
“Jesus, I could use a massage,” she said straightening up from a completed bouquet.
Barrett will not be receiving flowers from her husband.
“My faucet in my kitchen isn’t tall enough, and I told him a new faucet can be my gift,” she said.
A Foxy Flowers customer, who would only identify himself as Robert, said he was with the woman he wanted to marry.
“You know what I figured out about being married?” he asked. “Marriage is 50-50. A woman tells you want she wants half the time, and you gotta get it done the other half of the time.”
Despite this philosophy, Robert bought a bouquet for his love, and Allen helped him place the order.
“What do you thing I should put on the card, ‘Thank you?’” he asked her.
Allen translated the manspeak into something a little more romantic. The Valentine’s Day lessons never end.